• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.9 no.3 s.21
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• pp.147-154
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• 2006

Objectives : The focus of the analysis was laid on changes in research pertaining to pharmacopuncture in regards to time progression. Methods : Type analysis was done on pharmacopuncture related papers published in the Journal of Korean Institute of Pharmacopuncture from the inaugural issue to June 2006 issue. 196 papers are analyzed to the sort of type. Results : For type analysis of the type of studies, experiment papers outnumbered other types with 94 cases, followed by 67 for clinical trials, and 35 for literary studies. Type analysis on the type of illnesses listed in the Methods section, 31 papers concentrated on arthritis or HIVD of spine, 6 for Pharmacopuncture response in human, 5 for anti-cancer and immune disorders, etc. Conclusion : Since its inaugural issue in 1997 to August 2006 issue ranging 10 years, type analysis revealed that the number of journals pertaining to pharmacopuncture has risen steadily over the years and nearly half of papers published recently are dealing with pharmacopuncture. Pharmacopuncture is a treatment method based on the unique theory of Korean traditional medicine. Its superior efficacy is proven through numerous research works, and effort and academical approach on pharmacopuncture are expected to receive positive evaluation.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.7-14
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• 2012

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of bee venom pharmacopuncture (BVP) therapy according to the methods used to treat knee osteoarthritis (OA): intra-acupoint combined with intra-articular injection, intra-acupoint injection, and intra-articular injection. Methods: A total of 69 patients were recruited by the Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion at Dong-Eui Oriental University Hospital from February 1 to July 23, 2012. The patients were assigned to 3 groups: the first group with intra-acupoint combined with intra-articular BVP Injection (the experimental group), the 2nd group with intra-acupoint BVP injection (control group II), and the 3rd group with intra-articular BVP injection (control group II). The participants were assigned in the order in which they were recruited. Treatments were done twice a week, for a total of 9 times. The effectiveness was assessed by using the visual analouge scale (VAS) and the Korea Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (KWOMAC). Results: All three groups exhibited significant VAS and KWOMAC effects. Moreover, the 4 week follow-up after the final treatment showed a persistence of BVP effects. However, when the groups were compared, no statistically significant differences in VAS and KWOMAC were noted, but when improvement was considered, the results showed that intra-articular injection was more effective than intra-acupoint injection. Especially, intra-acupoint combined with intra-articular injection was the most effective among the three treatments. Conclusions: Combining intra-acupoint with intra-articular injection, depending on the patient's symptoms, may produce better results when conservatively treating knee OA.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.42-52
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• 2003

Objective: For designing an optimal countermeasure against ageing and ageing related disease, it is necessary to understand the ageing mechanism and other reactive species. Free radicals are associated with the mechanisam of biological ageing and age-related diseases. This study was performed to identifiy the scavenging effect of Radix Cynanchi Wilfordii Herbal-Acupunture Solution(RCWHA) on Nitric Oxide(NO), 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl(DPPH) and Interleukin-4(IL -4). Methods: The activity to scavenge DPPH radicals and NO was observed in vitro, We evaluated the antioxidant activity of RCWHA by using DPPH or NO free radical method. Also the inhibitory effect on IL-4 in RCWHA was observed in vitro, Results: The followings are the summary of the results; (1) There is a significant scavenging effect of RCWHA on NO in 0.1mg/ml and 10mg/ml group after 24hrs. (2) There is no significant scavenging effect of RCWHA on DPPH. (3) There is a significant scavenging effect of RCWHA on IL-4 in $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ and $100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ group. Conclusions: These findings indicate that RCWHA can be used as antioxidant or antiimflamatory drug. But further study is needed about the effect of RCWHA.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2014

Objectives : The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a topical herbal gel application for the treatment of chronic shoulder pain. Methods : We compared the effects of Dapureo gel, which contains several herbal medicines known to improve shoulder pain, with those of placebo gel by double-blind method. 30 participants were randomized - 15 were assigned to treatment group and the other 15 were assigned to control group. Either Dapureo gel(treatment group) or placebo gel(control group) was applied topically by themselves, once a day for 2 weeks. Primary outcome was daily visual analogue scale(VAS) changes for shoulder pain which was self-reported for 2 weeks. Secondary outcome was the difference in the total shoulder pain and disability index(SPADI) which was measured at a baseline and 2 weeks after the treatment. Results : Primary outcome: Subjects of treatment group showed statistically significant improvement in VAS compared to control subjects continuously from the second day(p <0.05) to the fifteenth day(p <0.001). The treatment group showed 31% of pain reduction on the fifteenth day, while the control group showed only 7%. Secondary outcome: In terms of SPADI changes, the treatment group showed improvement compared to the control group(p <0.01). Conclusions : These results suggest that the topical herbal gel treatment used in this study is effective in improving chronic shoulder pain.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.28-38
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• 2002

Objective : This study is aimed to investigate the effects of bee venom and purified bee venom on cell death in synovial cell line. Methods : It was evaluated by using MTT assay, morphological method, flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry analysis, RT-PCR. Results : The result obtained is as follows. 1. The MTT assay demonstrated that synovial cell viability was significantly inhibitted dose-dependently by treatment with BV and PBV in comparison with control. And the inhibitory effect of BV and PBV was almost same. 2. The morphologic study demonstrated that synovial cell showed apoptotic body resulted from apoptosis after treatment with BV and PBV for 6 hours using microscope. 3. The Flow cytometry demonstrated that apoptosis of synovial cell treated with BV and PBV was related with stop of cell cycle in stage of G0/G1. 4. Immunocytochemistry assay demonstrated that COX-II and iNOS were slightly expressed by treatment with BV and PBV in comparison with control group. 5. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that COX-II were almost down-regulated by high dose treatment with BV and PBV in comparison with control group. iNOS were well down-regulated by treatment with $5{\mu}g/ml$ BV and PBV whereas it was well expressed in control group. Conclusion : These results suggest that bee venom and purified bee venom have significant effect on cell death in synovial cell line and further study is needed in vivo.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.18-26
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• 2001

Purpose : To evaluate the effects of electroacupuncture on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) at acupoints suggested by oriental medicine to be related to the treatment of cerebrovascuiar diseases. Materials and Methods : Rest/electroaeupuncture-stimulation Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT using a same-dose subtraction method was performed on 5 normal male volunteers (age range from 27 to 30 years) using electroacupuncture at acupoint, ST 36. In the control study, needle location was chosen on a non-meridian focus 1cm posterior to the right fibular head. All images were spatially normalized and the differences between rest and acupuncture stimulation were statistically analyzed using SPM$^{(R)}$ for Windows$^{(R)}$. Results : Electroacupuncture applied at ST36 increased rCBF in the left hemisphere, that is, the left parietal lobe(angular gyrus), the left temporal lobe, the left inferior frontal lobe around rectus gyrus and the left cerebellar hemisphere, a part of the left inferior frontal lobe. In the control stimulation, no significant rCBF increase was observed. Conclusion : The results demonstrate that electroacupuncture increases rCBF in the contralateral cerebral hemisphere.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.189-202
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• 2002

Objective : This study is designed to investigate the effects of bee venom and melittin on cell death in neuroblastoma cell line after pretreatment with NG(nerve growth inhibitory substance) Methods : It was evaluated by using MTT assay, morphological method, DNA fragmenation, flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry analysis, RT-PCR and Western blot. Results : The MTT assay demonstrated that neuroblastoma cell viability was significantly inhibited dose-dependently by treatment with bee venom and melittin after pretreatment with NG in comparison awith control. The morphological study and fow cytometry demonstrated that neuroblastoma cell showed apoptosis. DNA fragmenation showed DNA ladder below 1 Kbp. Immunocytochemistry assay demonstrated that Fos and MAPK were down-regulated. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that Fos and MAPK was down-regulated. Western blot demonstrated that Fos and MAPK were down-regulated from $1{\mu}g/ml$ bee venom in neuroblastoma cell pretreated with NG. Conclusion : These result suggests that bee venom and melittin after NG treatment have significant anti-cancer effect and further study is needed in vivo.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2021

Background: The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a widely used method to assess the clinical performance of students in clinical practice. Although OSCE has been used for undergraduate students of Korean medicine, this has not been widely reported. Methods: In 2020, the practical course for acupuncture and moxibustion medicine (acupuncture, electroacupuncture, pharmacopuncture, auricular acupuncture, and burning acupuncture) was taught using flipped learning, according to clinical practice guidelines, and assessed by the OSCE. The appropriateness of this model of education and its evaluation using OSCE were evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale, and the results were analyzed. Results: Of the respondents, 67% reported that the OSCE accurately reflected their competency, and 82% reported that online video lectures helped them to improve their clinical skills. The average adequacy score of the model was > 3.7/5, and the average adequacy score of the checklist used in the OSCE was > 4.1/5 for all 5 clinical application skills. The difference in the mean self-efficacy score between students who had taken the OSCE and those students who had not taken the OSCE, was highest in the burning acupuncture group (0.923). Conclusion: This study showed that students' satisfaction with the OSCE was high and flipped learning was an effective education model. In the future, models representing the human body or simulated patients should be used to evaluate students' skills and attitude.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2019

Background: In Korean medicine, carpal tunnel syndrome is treated by stimulating the acupoints around the wrist. Although a deep understanding of anatomy and guidance is needed to stimulate these acupoints to avoid undesirable side-effects, currently there are no published guidelines for acupotomy treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of fluoroscopy-guided acupotomy compared with conventional acupotomy treatment. Methods: This is a randomized, patient-assessor, patient blind, parallel clinical trial. A total of 30 patients will be enrolled at Wonkwang University Gwangju Hospital, and will be allocated to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group will be treated using fluoroscopy-guided acupotomy and the control group will be treated using the conventional acupotomy method. Results: The primary outcome measure will be identification of a cross-section area of the median nerve measured by ultrasonography, and the secondary outcome measure will be the alleviation of pain measured by the Visual Analogue Scale, improvement in the Nerve Conduction Study, Tinel test, Phalen's test, EuroQol 5-dimension scale, and Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire score. Safety components will be measured by monitoring vital signs, electrocardiographs, blood tests, general chemical tests, urine tests and pregnancy tests. In addition, observations for adverse effects will be performed during the trial. Conclusion: This study will provide a more effective, and less harmful way of treating carpal tunnel syndrome compared with conventional acupotomy. Fluoroscopy-guided acupotomy will help practitioners to be accurate in direction and depth of the needle for treating carpal tunnel syndrome.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.150-163
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• 2022

Objectives: This research aimed to develop a guideline for evaluating safety and performance of electronic warm-acupuncture apparatus. With the development of medical devices like electronic warm-acupuncture apparatus with improved performance, convenience and safety measures compared to traditional warm-acupuncture needling, safety and performance guideline is a necessity. Methods: By referring to existing standards and guidelines of other electronic devices for Korean medicine with heating function, guideline for safety and performance assessment of electronic warm-acupuncture apparatus was drafted Results: The guideline, presents explanation for adequate temperature and settings of the apparatus, and safety measurements providing against thermal runaway situations along with guidelines for the manual. Guideline for detailed test method for the performance of the apparatus such as accuracy of temperature increase and the timer, and safety unit was also provided. The test items and suggested test methods for the requirements of biological, electrical and electromagnetic safety were referred to Korean approval documents of ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Conclusion: We proposed the relevant items to verify performance and safety of warm-acupuncture apparatus to assure patient safety and improve the quality of currently developing devices for application in clinical field.