• Journal of TMJ Balancing Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.27-30
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• 2013

Diagnostic evaluation methods frequently adopted in Temporomandibular Balancing Medicine (TBM) are briefly reviewed as to their basic concepts and procedures. TBM diagnostic evaluation methods may be classified into direct and indirect ones. Indirect methods are to observe any change in the manifestations with regard to the (1) posture, (2) pain, (3) muscle strength, and (4) stretching. Direct methods are to evaluate through (1) cervical palpation test, (2) restricted cervical rotation test, and (3) lateral cervical tension test. These methods may provide clinicians valuable information on the current yinyang balance and potential therapeutic factors in relation with the temporomandibular joint, a meridian system, and the whole body.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.5-13
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• 2010

Reactive Oxygen Species(ROS) are continuously produced at a high rate as a by-product of aerobic metabolism. Since tissue damage by free radical increases with age, the reactive oxygen species(ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$), nitric oxide(NO). Several lines of evidence provided that ROS appears to cause to develop aging-related various diseases such as cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular disease. Our reserch objective was to examine the in vitro biological activity of Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture, including the total poly-phenol content, DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging, Superoxide dismutase(SOD)-like activity, Nitrite scavenging ability. The total poly-phenol contents of Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture was 35.859mg/L. Elctron donation ability on DPPH was 36.82%. The 2,2'-azinobis-3-ehtlbezothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical decolorization (ABTS) was 84.7%. The superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activities of Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture was 44.33%. The nitrite scavenging effects were pH dependent, and were highest at pH 1.5(45.2%) and lowest at pH 6.0(11.3%). We conclude that Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture may be useful as potential sources of antioxidant.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.371-376
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• 2010

Glycyrrhizae radix (GR) is an herbal medicine that is commonly used in the East Asia for treating a variety of diseases, including stomach disorders. The objective of the present study was to examine the anti-stress effects of GR on repeated stress-induced alterations of anxiety, learning and memory in rats. Restraint stress was administered for 14 days (2 h/day) to the rats in the Control and GR groups (400 mg/kg/day, PO). Starting on the eighth day, the rats were tested for spatial memory on the Morris water maze test (MW) and for anxiety on the elevated plus maze (EPM). We studied the changes of the expressions of cholineacetyl transferase (ChAT) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the locus coerleus (LC) using immunohistochemistry. The results showed that the rats treated with GR had significantly reduced stress-induced deficits on their learning and memory on the spatial memory tasks. In addition, the ChAT immunoreactivities were increased. Gor the EPM, treatment with GR increased the time spent in the open arms (p<0.001) as compared to that of the control group. Moreover, GR treatment also normalized the increases of the TH expression in the LC (p<0.001). In conclusion, administration of GR improved spatial learning and memory and reduced stress-induced anxiety. Thus, the present results suggest that GR has the potential to attenuate the behavioral and neurochemical impairments caused by stress.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.1157-1166
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• 2009

The effect of acupuncture that occurs at Meridians, can not be defined by western science. But we can find out the electrical effects when acupuncturing by measuring the charges meridians electric potential. So instead of using a needle to acupuncture, we used a electromagnet to give the same effect. We stimulated the meridians, with a electromagnet. Then we observed the pattern of the meridians potential, that occurred at ST-39 and ST-37. After doing clinical experiments with the acupuncture stimulation and the electromagnet stimulation. We found out the acupuncture stimulation and the electromagnet stimulations electric waves were similar. From this result, we knew it was possible to give similar effects to acupuncture stimulation by using electromagnets.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.300-305
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• 2011

The present study was investigated the neuroprotective effects of acupuncture at ST36 on learning and memory deficits after transient cerebral ischemia in a gerbil model. The animals were randomly divided into three groups (n=7 in each group): the sham operation group (SHAM), ischemia-induced and ST36 acupuncture group (ISC + ST36), and the ischemia-induced and Tail-acupuncture group (ISC + TAIL). For the acupuncture stimulation, stainless steel needles, 0.3 mm in diameter, were inserted bilaterally into the ST36 locus or the tail and stimulated for 1 min/day for 14 days. Using the Morris water maze test, the animals were tested on spatial learning and memory. In addition, the effects of acupuncture on memory storage and the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity, in the hippocampal CA1 area, were investigated by ChAT immunohistochemistry. Transient cerebral ischemia produced impaired performance on the MWM test (DAY 5: p<0.01 and retention test: p<0.05) and severely decreased ChAT immunoreactivity in the CA1 hippocampal area compared to the SHAM group (p<0.05). However, improved learning and memory were observed (DAY 5: p<0.05 and retention test: p<0.01) as well as a significantly reduced loss of ChAT immunoactivity in the hippocampal CA1 region (p<0.001) after acupuncture stimulation at ST36 were observed. These results show that acupuncture at ST36 ameliorated the learning and memory deficits at least in part through the cholinergic system. The findings of this study provide potential data that acupuncture is useful for the treatment of some of the behavioral impairs of transient cerebral ischemia.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.2335-2342
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• 2007

Laser stimulation has been widely studied and used in clinic. However, electrical response by laser stimulation on meridians has not been investigated. In this study, we compared electric potential of laser and acupuncture stimulation on meridians. We measured electric potential variation at acupoints(Samgan(LI3) and Hapgok(LI4)) on Large Intestine Meridian. In laser stimulation results, average peak electric potential is very low($7.53{\pm}3.44{\mu}V$) for before and after stimulation. However, acupuncture stimulation was performed in ground connection condition and resulted in huge variation of average peak electric potential($2.65{\pm}1.53mV$). That is, the intensity and pattern of electric potential were dependent on the ground connection condition and individual. Also, the electric potential pattern was very similar to the pattern of electric charge and discharge of capacitor. The acupuncture stimulation using a insulating needle resulted in lower average peak electric potential variation($0.25{\pm}0.16mV$) than that of acupuncture stimulation. It might present little electrical response of acupuncture stimulation using insulating needles. In point of electrical response, the laser stimulation was determined to be no acupuncture effect at meridian. Acupuncture stimulation seems to be most effective method to induce electrical response at meridians. The procedure and effect of acupuncture might be considered as energy consensus phenomenon by transportation of bio-ion charge between a practitioner and patient.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.42-52
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• 2010

Purpose: This report aims to administer methodologic issues around recently conducted multicenter study for evaluating the effects of acupuncture on menopusal hot flashes and discuss practical issues for further implementation of acupuncture clinical trial for hot flashes. Methods: Study process were mentioned, and issues related to avoiding risk of bias, designing appropriate control group, optimal outcome measurement, potential different effects of menopausal status on study outcomes, and suggestions for developing future clinical trials are discussed. Results: Shortcomings of our multicenter study include lack of allocation concealment and assessor blinding, subjective outcome measurement, short-term follow-up, and fixed acupuncture regimen despite pragmatic purpose of this study. Improving trial design, using objective or validated outcomes, assessing long-term effects of acupuncture, and individualizing acupuncture regimen are needed in future clinical trials. Conclusion: We expect these practical discussions to enable researchers to plan and develop future well-designed clinical trials for evaluating the effects of acupuncture on hot flashes or other women's health issues.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.977-981
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• 2005

Most inflammatory disorders are usually treated using anti-inflammatory drugs including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (SAID). In a prolonged use, however, they may frequently produce adverse side-effects. Thus, it is necessarily required to develop a new anti-inflammatory drug with little side-effects. Nephrite has been widely used by traditional oriental medicine to cure the various chronic diseases. In order to verify the anti-inflammatory activity of nephrite, the TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-acetate) or the croton oil-induced edema was developed in the mouse ears and the nephrite powder suspension or the nephrite water was directly applied to the ear edema. It was found that nephrite could significantly reduce the ear swelling implying its strong potential as an active anti-inflammatory agent when comparing to indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.116-123
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• 2015

Objectives : The present study was designed to investigate effects and molecular mechanisms of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidzumi extracts(AMK) on the improvement of adipocyte dysfunction induced by TNF-${\alpha}$ in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We examined whether AMK could directly influence the inflammation and insulin resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Methods : Potential roles of AMK in the lipolysis, production of inflammatory adipokines and ROS, expression and phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ protein, and expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/EBP${\alpha}$ were investigated in this study. Results : Our data demonstrated that TNF-${\alpha}$ significantly increased lipolysis, levels of MCP-1, IL-6, and ROS and phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ protein, while TNF-${\alpha}$ reduced the expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/EBP${\alpha}$ in adipocytes, suggesting that TNF-${\alpha}$ induced a condition with the occurrence of inflammation and insulin resistance. Those alterations induced by TNF-${\alpha}$ were prevented by the treatment of AMK. AMK down-regulated the phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ protein and up-regulated the expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/EBP${\alpha}$ on TNF-${\alpha}$-induced inflammation and insulin resistance. Conclusions : Thus, our results indicate that AMK can be used to prevent from the TNF-${\alpha}$-induced adipocyte dysfunction through MAPK, $NF{\kappa}B$ and $PPAR{\gamma}$ pathways.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.183-190
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• 2020

This case report details two remissions at onset and relapse after 4 years each with Korean herbal medicine treatment in a 33-year-old male patient diagnosed as Crohn's disease (CD) by clinical and colonoscopic examination. He presented bloody diarrhea and severe abdominal pain, and his symptoms were persistent even with usual Western medications, so he was offered surgery and biologics. He was then given Sayeok-Tang for 8 months and remission was induced. Four years later he had a relapse and this time he was given Banha-Sasim-Tang, and Baekduong-Ga-Gamcho-Agyo-Tang, based on pattern changes with intense symptom monitoring. Clinical and endoscopic remission was confirmed after 4 months of herbal medicine treatment and no adverse events were reported. This case report shows that individualized Korean herbal medicine treatment has the potential for induction of remission of CD and further research is warranted.