• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.147-156
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• 2006

Objectives : The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effects of herbal acupuncture with Ginseng Radix for the treatment to intestinal disease in the rat with 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) induced colitis. Methods : All animals were subjected to the injection of saline $(300{\mu}{\ell},\;500{\mu}{\ell})$ for a study control or TNBS $(300{\mu}{\ell},\;500{\mu}{\ell})$ into the lumen of the colon, 8cm proximal to the anus through the intestine. Ginseng Radix herbal acupuncture ($20mg/m{\ell},\;0.4m{\ell}$) were injected to the both $Hapgok(LI_4)$ acupoints at 2nd injection of TNBS in rats. Thus, the body weight, RBC count, WBC count, total protein, IgG levels and IgM levels were observed to study the effects of Ginseng Radix herbal acupuncture. Results : Ginseng Radix herbal acupuncture on $Hapgok(LI_4)$ for TNBS-induced colitis inhibited the body weight loss rate but did not affect RBC and WBC counts. Furthermore, it inhibited the reduction of total protein concentration and serum IgG and IgM levels in TNBS induced colitis were recovered. Conclusions : Herbal acupuncture with Ginseng Radix helps recover the TNBS-induced colonic damage and may be an important method for treatment of the colitis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.161-168
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• 2016

Objectives : This study was done to show the clinical effect of miniscalpel acupuncture treatment on osteoarthritis of the knee which is refractory to acupuncture treatment. Methods : A patient was treated with acupuncture for three weeks, non-treated(wash out period) for two weeks, and treated with miniscalpel acupuncture for three weeks. The effect of treatments were measured with Visual Analogue Scale(VAS), Range of Motion(ROM), Short form McGill pain questionnaire(SF-MPQ), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index(WOMAC). Results : During the three weeks of acupuncture treatment, VAS, SF-MPQ and WOMAC improved, but after two weeks of the wash out period each score worsened. During the three weeks of miniscalpel acupuncture VAS, SF-MPQ, and WOMAC improved while ROM improved remarkably. Conclusion : These results suggest that miniscalpel acupuncture might be a therapeutic option for knee degenerative osteoarthritis patients who does not responded to acupuncture treatment.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.189-197
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• 2007

Objectives : Free radical metabolism seems to occupy a remarkably common position in the mechanisms of aging and aging related disease. This study was designed to find out whether Juglandis Semen herbal acupuncture solution (JSHAS) can scavenge Nitric Oxide (NO) or not. Methods : SNAP was used as NO generator. NO concentration was estimated after 2, 6, 12 and 24 hrs in no treatment group, after treatment with Vitamin C or 1, 10, 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ of JSHAS. Results : There was no significant scavenging effect of JSHAS on NO after 2, 6 hrs but significant effect on NO in 10, 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ group. Conclusions : These results suggest that JSHAS has scavenging effect on NO. This study shows that JSHAS can be used for aging related disease and further studies are required to investigate the antioxidative effects of it.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.107-119
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• 2004

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Bee Venom and melittin on the lipopolysaccharide(LPS) and sodium nitroprusside(SNP)-induced expressions of Cell viability, nitric oxide(NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS), extra-signal response kinase(ERK), jun N-terminal Kinase(JNK) and p38 kinase(p38)- mitogen activated protein kinase(MAPK) Family- in RAW 264.7 cells, a murine macrophage cell line. Methods : The expressions of cell viability by MTT assay, NO by Nitrite assay and iNOS, ERK, JNK and p38 were determined by Western blotting. Results : 1. Compared with the control group, 0.5, 1, $5{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ bee venom and 5, $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ melittin increased cell viability of RAW 264.7 induced by LPS and SNP significantly respectively. 2. Compared with the control group, 0.5, 1, $5{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ bee venom and 5, $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ melittin inhibited expression of NO induced by LPS and SNP significantly respectively. 3. Compared with the control group, 1, $5{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ bee venom and 5, $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ melittin inhibited expression of iNOS induced by LPS significantly and 0.5, 1, $5{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ bee venom and 5, $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ melittin inhibited expression of iNOS induced by SNP significantly. 4. Compared with the control group, the expression of ERK induced by LPS and SNP decreased significantly in the treatment groups of $5{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ bee venom and 5, $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ melittin, which of p-ERK by LPS also did in 1, $5{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ bee venom and 5, $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ melittin, but which of p-ERK by SNP did not decrease. 5. Compared with the control group, the. expression of JNK induced by LPS and SNP decreased significantly in the treatment groups of 5, $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ melittin, which of p-JNK by LPS in 5, $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ melittin and by SNP in $1{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ bee venom and $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ melittin decreased significantly. 6. Compared with the control group, the expression of p38 induced by LPS did not have significant difference, which induced by SNP decreased significantly in the treatment groups of 1, $5{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ bee venom and 5, $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ melittin. p-p38 induced by LPS decreased significantly in the treatment group of $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of melittin, which induced by SNP also decreased significantly in 0.5, 1, $5{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ bee venom and 5, $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ melittin.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

Objectives : I investigated whether snake venom can synergistically strengthen the cytotoxic effects of NK-92 cells, and enhance the inhibition of the growth of lung cancer cells including NCI-H358 through the induction of death receptor dependent extrinsic apoptosis. Methods : Snake venom toxin inhibited cell growth of NCI-H358 Cells and exerted non influence on NK-92 cell viability. Moreover, when they were co-cultured with NK cells and concomitantly treated with $4{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of snake venom toxin, more influence was exerted on the inhibition of growth of NCI-H358 cells than BV or NK cell co-culture alone. Results : The expression of Fas, TNFR2 and DR3 and in NCI-H358 lung cancer cells was significantly increased by co-culture of NK-92 cells and treatment of $4{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of snake venom toxin, compared to co-culture of NK-92 cells alone. Coincidentally, Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-8 - expressions of pro-apoptotic proteins in the extrinsic apoptosis pathway, demonstrated significant increase. However, in anti-apoptotic NF-${\kappa}B$ activities, activity of the signal molecule was significantly decreased by co-culture of NK-92 cells and treatment of $4{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of snake venom toxin, compared to co-culture of NK-92 cells or snake venom toxin treated by NCIH358 alone. Meanwhile, in terms of NO generation, there is a significant increase, in co-culture of NK-92 cells with NCI-H358 cells as well as the co-culture of NK-92 cells and concomitant treatment of $4{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of snake venom toxin. However, no synergistic increase of NO generation was shown in co-culture of NK-92 cells and treatment of $4{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of snake venom toxin, compared to co-culture of NK-92 cells with NCI-H358 cells. Conclusion : Consequently, this data provides that snake venom toxin could be useful candidate compounds to suppress lung cancer growth along with the cytotoxic effect of NK-92 cells through extrinsic apoptosis.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.111-123
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• 2004

Objectives : It has been reported that Cordyceps militaris Mycelia(CMM) has an effect on deficiency allergic asthma(虛喘) clinically. The aim of this study was to determine an appropriate oriental treatment and the doses of CMM to treat asthma. Methods : In order to study the effect of herbal acupuncture solution of the CMM on allergic asthma, the mouse were pretreated by CMM herbal acupuncture at BL13, LU4 before antigen sensitization. 2 days later Mice were actively sensitized with a subcutaneous injection of ovalbumin(OA) and 13 days later they were provoked with OA aerosols. IL-4, lymphocyte, macrophage in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF), IgE in serum, WBC, RBC, HGB in blood, and in vitro isometric contractile responses of the isolated tracheal smooth muscle(TSM) to acetylcholine$(ACh,\;0.1-1000\;{\mu}M)$, KCl were measured. Results : Contractile responses of TSM to ACh were significantly increased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1 group $(Ach\;1000\;{\mu}M)$, CMM herbal acupuncture 2 group $(ACh\;1,\;10\;{\mu}M)$, CMM herbal acupuncture 3 group $(Ach\;0.3,\;1,\;30,\;300\;{\mu}M)$. The sensitivity of TSM to ACh was significantly decreased in CMM herbal acupuncture 3 group. The maximal contractile response of TSM to ACh was significantly decreased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1, 3 group. The maximal contractile response of TSM to KCl was significantly decreased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1, 2, 3 group. The counts of lymphocytes in BALF was significantly increased in CMM herbal acupuncture 3 group. The counts of macrophages in BALF was significantly decreased in CMM herbal acupuncture 3 group. Interleukin-4 level in BALF was significantly increased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1,3 group. and it was increased in CMM herbal acupuncture 2 group, but there was no significance. Serum IgE level was significantly decreased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1, 2, 3 group. The counts of WBC in blood was significantly increased in CMM herbal acupuncture 1, 3 group Conclusion : Based on the above results it is assumed that CMM herbal acupuncture at BL13, LU4 can help the treatment of deficiency allergic Asthm.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.74-88
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• 2002

Objectives : This study is aimed to investigate the effects of bee venom and melittin on cell death in synovial cell line. Methods : It was evaluated by using MTT assay, morphologic method, DNA fragmenation, NO generation, flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry analysis, RT-PCR, Western blot. Results : The obtained results are summarized as follows: 1. The MTT assay demonstrated that synovial cell viability was significantly inhibitted dose-dependently by treatment with bee venom and melittin in comparison with control. 2. The morphologic study demonstrated that synovial cell showed apoptosis after treatment with bee venom and melittin for 6 hours using microscope. 3. In case of NO generation bee venom group and melittin group showed significant inhibition in comparison with control. 4. The Flow cytometry demonstrated that apoptosis of synovial cell treated with bee venom and melittin was related with stop of cell cycle in stage of $G_0/G_1$. 5. DNA fragmenation demonstrated that synovial cell treated with bee venom and melittin showed DNA ladder below l Kbp. 6. Immunocytochemistry assay demonstrated that COX-II and PLA2 were strongly down-regulated by treatment with bee venom and melittin whereas iNOS was almostly not expressed by bee venom treatment and slightly expressed by melittin treatment. 7. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that iNOS were strongly down-regulated by treatment with bee venom and melittin whereas COX-II was almostly not expressed by bee venom treatment and slightly expressed by melittin treatment. 8. Western blot demonstrated that iNOS were strongly down-regulated by treatment with $15{\mu}g/ml$ bee venom whereas COX-II was strongly down-regulated from $5{\mu}g/ml$ bee venom. Conclusions : These results suggest that bee venom and melittin have significant effect on cell death in synovial cell line and further study is needed in vivo.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.135-146
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• 2001

Insomnia is one of the most common symtoms of Neuropsychiatry patients. These are many approaches to treat insomnia, but it is difficult to be resolved completely. Acupuncture and Auricular acupuncture have been used for relief insomnia. But it is not sufficient to compare the effect of Acupuncture treatment and Auricular acupuncture treatment. Thus we investigate the effect of Acupuncture treatment group and Auricular acupuncture treatment group. A clinical analysis was carried out for 40 patients who was treated insomnia with Acupuncture(20 patients) and Auricular acupuncture(20 patients) in Seoul Dong-Seo Oriental Hospital. 1. Total duration of sleeping time showed $1.55{\pm}1.1574$ hours increased in Acupuncture group and $0.925{\pm}1.184$ hours increased in Aricular acupuncture group. especially Acupuncture were much more effective method than Aricular acupuncture. P-value was 0.033 (P <0.05) 2. Delaying time before the onset of sleep showed $0.7375{\pm}0.8940$ hours decreased in Acupuncture group and $0.7969{\pm}1.3298$ hours decreased in Auricular acupuncture group. (P <0.05) 3. The wake times showed $0.9167{\pm}1.7299$ times decreased in Acupuncture group and $1.2308{\pm}1.1658$ times decreased in Auricular acupuncture group in sleep maintenance insomnia. (P <0.05) 4. Change in quality of sleep showed Excellent 30%, Good 50%, Fair 15%, Poor 5% in Acupuncture group and Excellent 20%, Good 45%, Fair 30%, Poor 5% in Aruricular acupuncture group.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.98-111
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• 2003

Objective : This study was designed to analyze the effects of bee venom and melittin on cell death in neuroblastoma cell line. Methods : MTT assay, morphologic method, DNA fragmentation, flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry analysis, RT-PCR and Western blot were performed. Results : The obtained results are summarized as follows: 1. The MTT assay demonstrated that neuroblastoma cell viability was significantly inhibitted dose-dependently by treatment with bee venom and melittin in comparison with control. 2. Cell culture demonstrated that control group proliferated highestly at he 5th day in comparison with the 4th day in bee venom and melittin group. And in bee venom and melitti group cell proliferation decreased 2.5 times than control group. 3. The morphologic study demonstrated that neuroblastoma cell showed apoptosis after treatment with bee venom and melittin for 6 hours using microscope. 4. The Flow cytometry demonstrated that apoptosis of neuroblastoma cell treated with bee venom and melittin was related with stop of cell cycle in stage of $G_0/G_1$. 5 .DNA fragmenation demonstrated that neuroblastoma cell treated with bee venom and melittin showed DNA ladder below 1 Kbp. 6. Immunocytochemistry assay demonstrated that Fos and MAPK which are related with cancer were down-regulated by treatment with bee venom and melittin. 7. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that Fos and MAPK mRNA were transcripted. Fos was down-regulated form treatment with $5{\mu}g/ml$ bee venom and MAPK was down-regulated form $1{\mu}g/ml$ bee venom. 8. Western blot demonstrated that Fos was down-regulated from $1{\mu}g/ml$ bee venom whereas MAPK was expressed by $1{\mu}g/ml$ bee venom but down-regulated by $10{\mu}g/ml$ bee venom. Conclusions : We found that some cancer related genes ware down-regulated by treatment with bee venom and melittin. Further study is needed for investigating the anti-cancer effect of bee venom and melittin.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.155-165
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was conducted to carry out quantitative evaluation and safety of Bee Venom Acupuncture. Methods : Content analysis was done using HPLC, measurement of $LD_{50}$, and histological observations were made on the skin and muscles. Results : 1. According to HPLC analysis, each BVA-1 contained approximately $0.36{\mu}g$, and BVA-2 contained approximately $0.54{\mu}g$. But the volume of coating was so minute, slight difference exists between each needle. 2. LD50 of mouse with BVA-1 was 16 counts and this is equivalent to 640 needles/kg, making Bee Venom Acupuncture safe treatment apparatus. 3. Regardless of the number of needles, there was no sign of blood stasis or inflammation detected on the skin and muscle tissues. Conclusion : Above results indicate that the Bee Venom Acupuncture can complement shortcomings of syringe usage as a part of Oriental medicine treatment, but extensive researches should be done for further verification.