• 한국한의학연구원논문집
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.35-39
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• 2008

Objective: Recently biophysical research has shown very weak radiation of photons in plant, animal and human cells. Biophoton emission of the aliving system has received specific phenomena because of its scientific potential for monitoring metabolism to human body. This paper proposes a new challenge possibility of the biophoton emission in biophysiological human condition index. Method: Biophoton emission were measured with twenty one healthy volunteers. The study analyses existence for the effect of specific acupoint stimulus, exposure to the sun and low temperature in healthy volunteers. Two photomultiplier tubes which spectral range was from 300 nm to 650 nm was used for the detection of biophoton emission observation of possible acupuncture stimulation effect at left hand palm. Result: There was a reversion of relative emission rates from the palms affected the environment condition. Otherwise, when the acupuncture stimulation, the emission rate was not enough significantly change(p<0.05). Conclusion: In this study, biophoton emissions depend on the environment condition for all subjects. Measurments with the biophoton emission rate analysis might be much considered in future studies.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.432-437
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• 2007

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are toxic agents that may be involved in various neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies indicate that ROS are also involved in persistent pain through a spinal mechanism. In the present study, whole cell patch clamp recordings were carried out on substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons in spinal cord slice of neonatal rats to investigate the effects of ROS on neuronal excitability and excitatory synaptic transmission. In current clamp condition, tert-buthyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH), an ROS donor, induced a electrical hyperexcitability during t-BuOOH wash-out followed by a brief inhibition of excitability in SG neurons. Application of t-BuOOH depolarized membrane potential of SG neurons and increased the neuronal firing frequencies evoked by depolarizing current pulses. Phenyl-N-tert-buthylnitrone (PBN), an ROS scavenger, antagonized t-BuOOH induced hyperexcitability. IN voltage clamp conditions, t-BuOOH increased the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs). In order to determine the site of action of t-BuOOH, miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) were recorded. t-BuOOH increased the frequency and amplitude of mEPSCs, indicating that it may modulate the excitability of the SG neurons via pre- and postsynaptic actions. These data suggest that ROS generated by peripheral nerve injury can induce central sensitization in spinal cord.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.65-70
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• 2003

천궁약침액을 7일간 중완혈, 간수혈 및 임의혈에 투여한 후 마우스의 간에서 유도되는 phase II enzyme 유도 효과를 살펴본 결과 마우스의 간 조직에서 Phase II 효소의 활성이 증가된 것으로 보아 천궁약침액은 외부물질이나 대사산물에 의해 일어날 수 있는 암발생 억제 효과가 있는 것으로 사료된다.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2001

애엽으로 약침액을 조제하여 암예방 효과를 살펴 본 결과 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 애엽 약침액으로 10일간 전투여한 후 Ehrlich ascites tumor cell을 이식하여 복수암이 유발된 생쥐의 EATC 성장을 살펴 본 결과 약침액을 투여한 생쥐의 EATC의 성장이 크게 억제되었으며, 복수암이 유발된 생쥐의 비장 무게가 대조군에 비해 증가하였다. 또한 장기간의 관찰에 의해서도 복수암 세포의 성장 저해에 의해 생쥐의 체중변화율은 대조군에 비해 크게 억제되었으며 수명 연장 효과가 나타났다. 이와같은 생체에서의 암예방 효과를 in vitro 상에서 그 기전을 살펴본 결과 애엽 약침액은 phase II detoxification 효소인 QR의 생성을 유도하고 GSH 함량을 증가시켜서 암예방 효과를 나타내었다.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.55-61
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• 2011

Objectives: Reactive Oxygen Species(ROS) are continuously produced at a high rate as a by-product of aerobic metabolism. Since tissue damage by free radical, ROS such as hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$), nitric oxide(NO) increases with age. Several lines of evidence provided that ROS appears to cause to develop aging-related various diseases such as cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular disease. In this study, we have conducted to investigate the pharmacological effects of red ginseng for the development possibility to pharmacopuncture drug sources or healthy aid foods. Methods: For our aims, it was investigated the biological activities of Red Ginseng ethanol extracts (RGEE) by measuring total polyphenol contents, total flavonoid contents, DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity and cell viability of MCF 10A and SK-MEL-2 in vitro with MTT assay method. Results: The total polyphenol contents of RGEE was 3.06${\pm}$0.11mg/g in 10mg/ml, the total flavonoid contents of RGEE was 1.35${\pm}$0.01mg/g in same concentration. The ABTS radical scavenging activity was about 80% and that of DPPH activity was 65% in 50mg/ml of RGEE. The cell viability of SKMEL-2, skin cancer cell line was decreased and that of MCF 10A, skin normal cell line was increased. Conclusions: We conclude that RGEE may be useful as potential functional foods or pharmacopuncture drug sources on the diseases induced by oxidant stress.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.52-62
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• 2019

Objectives : The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Zingiberis Rhizoma Pharmacopuncture(ZP) at GB30 and ST36 in neuropathic pain induced SD rats by the block of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1(TRPV1). Methods : Neuropathic pain in rats was induced by tibial and common peroneal nerve transection of right leg. The rat subjects were divided into 6 groups : normal(Nor, n=5), control(Con, n=5), neuropathic pain plus 2 mg/kg ZP injection at GB30 and ST36(ZP-A, n=5), 10 mg/kg ZP(ZP-B, n=5), 20 mg/kg ZP(ZP-C, n=5) and 0.45 mg/kg Tramadol(Tra, n=5). Three days after the surgery, injections were administered once a day for 17 days. Withdrawal response of neuropathic rats' legs were measured by stimulating the paw of Right leg with von frey filament, acetone and radient heat on day 3, 7, 11, 15, 19 after surgery. After all treatments were completed, c-Fos in the midbrain central gray and TRPV1 & TRPA1 of DRG(L5) were analyzed. Results : Groups ZP-B and ZP-C showed a meaningful decrease in the withdrawal response of mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia and cold allodynia compared to the control group(p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.001). Groups ZP-B and ZP-C showed a meaningful decrease in the expression of c-fos and TRPV1 protein level compared to the control group(p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.001). Conclusions : These results suggest that Zingiberis Rhizoma Pharmacopuncture at GB30 and ST36 could decrease mechanical & cold allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia by block the TRPV1 on the model of neuropathic pain.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.132-141
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• 2022

Objectives : Some acupoints are commonly utilized to treat a variety of diseases. The acupoints appear to have a wide range of effects caused by several mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to investigate into the potential role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the multipotent effects of individual acupoint stimulation. Methods : We examined the miRNA expressions in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of neuropathic or inflammatory pain rats following ST36 and GB34 electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation. Neuropathic pain was induced by L5 spinal nerve ligation. Inflammatory pain was induced by knee joint injection of Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). EA was given under gaseous anesthesia with the same parameters (1mA, 2Hz, 30 min) in 5 consecutive days. Pain behaviors and miRNA expressions were analyzed. Results : In rats with neuropathic and inflammatory pain, EA treatments significantly enhanced the paw withdrawal threshold and weight-bearing force. After nerve injury, 36 miRNAs were upregulated in the DRG of neuropathic rats, while EA downregulated 10 of them. Furthermore, 14 miRNAs were downregulated following nerve damage, while one was increased by EA. 15 miRNAs were increased in the DRG of inflammatory rats following CFA injection, while 5 were downregulated by EA. Furthermore, 17 miRNAs were downregulated following CFA injection, while 7 were increased by EA. The miRNAs rno-miR-335, rno-miR-381-5p, rno-miR-1306-3p, and rno-miR-1839-3p were regulated by EA in both models. Conclusions : In two pain models, EA applied to ST36 and GB34 regulated miRNA expression differently. There appeared to be both acupoint-specific and non-specific miRNAs, and miRNA regulation of differential protein expression may modulate a variety of EA mechanisms.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.417-424
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• 2023

Parkinson's disease (PD) which has various pathological mechanisms, recently, it is attracting attention to the mechanism via microbiome-gut-brain axis. 6-Shogaol, a representative compound of ginger, have been known for improving PD phenotypes by reducing neuroinflammatory responses. In the present study, we investigated whether 6-shogaol and ginger attenuate degeneration induced by Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis) on the intestine and brain, simultaneously. C57BL/6J mice received P. mirabilis for 5 days. Ginger (300 mg/kg) and 6-shogaol (10 mg/kg) were treated by gavage feeding for 22 days including the period of P. mirabilis treatment. Results showed that 6-shogaol and ginger improved motor dysfunction and dopaminergic neuronal death induced by P. mirabilis treatment. In addition, they suppressed P. mirabilis-induced intestinal barrier disruption, pro-inflammatory signals such as toll-like receptor and TNF-α, and intestinal α-synuclein aggregation. Moreover, ginger and 6-shogaol significantly inhibited neuroinflammation and α-synuclein in the brain. Taken together, 6-shogaol and ginger have the potential to ameliorate PD-like motor behavior and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons induced by P. mirabilis in mice. Here, these findings are meaningful in that they provide the first experimental evidence that 6-shogaol might attenuate PD via regulating gut-brain axis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.67-73
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• 2016

Objectives : The objective of this study is to discuss problems and potential improvements of national health insurance fees associated with miniscalpel acupuncture according to Korean medical doctors' workload, material cost and degree of risk. Methods : We researched the change of relative value points, national health insurance fees, the acupuncture process, and Korean medicine doctors' workload related to Miniscalpel acupuncture, as compared to general meridian point acupuncture. We also examined material cost by surveying pharmacies, internet shopping malls and medical appliance shops. Results : Relative value point for Miniscalpel acupuncture decreased from 2010 to 2012, and remained the same from 2012 to 2016. National health insurance fees for Miniscalpel acupuncture increased by a small margin annually for rise of equivalent index. There was no reporting on workload related to Miniscalpel acupuncture. Material cost of Miniscalpel acupuncture was 18.2~20.7 times higher than actual cost of procedure. There were few studies examining medical accidents related to Miniscalpel acupuncture, and thus we could not evaluate degree of risk. Conclusion : We suggest revaluating Korean medical doctors' workload related to including Miniscalpel acupuncture, to consider the material costs of Miniscalpel acupuncture, and investigate its degree of risk by researching medical accidents.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제40권3호
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• pp.90-98
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• 2023

Objectives : Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide and is characterized by the loss of the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). In a previous in vitro study, we demonstrated that Sihogyeji-tang (SG), Sihosogan-tang (SS), and Sihocheonggan-tang (SC) have the potential to be candidate medicines for PD. This study aimed to compare the neuroprotective effect of SG, SS, and SC using 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophridine (MPTP)-induced PD mouse model. Methods : Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally administered with 30 mg/kg of MPTP for 5 days and orally administered SG, SS and SC for 12 days from the first MPTP injection. Motor function was assessed using the pole test and the rotarod test. Dopaminergic neuronal survival in the SN and striatum was evaluated through tyrosine-hydroxylase immunohistochemistry. Results : MPTP administration resulted in behavioral impairment and dopaminergic neuronal death in the SN and striatum. In the pole test, treatment with SG, SS, and SC alleviated the MPTP-induced motor dysfunction on day 5 and 12. In the rotarod test, SS and SG alleviated the MPTP-induced motor dysfunction on day 5, while only SS showed improvement on day 12. SS and SG significantly protected dopaminergic neurons in the SN from MPTP toxicity, and all three compounds (SG, SS, and SC) showed significant protection in the striatum. Notably, SS demonstrated superior efficacy in suppressing MPTP-induced motor dysfunction and dopaminergic neuronal death compared to SG and SC. Conclusions : These findings suggest that SS is the most effective formula among SG, SS, and SC for PD, indicating its potential role in the treatment of PD.