• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.151-162
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the anti-allergic effect in vivo, and to observe single toxicity in mice of Armeniacae Semen herbal acupuncture solution (ASHA). Methods : We investigated anti DNP IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in rodents and compound 48/80-induced active systemic anaphylatic shock in mice after treatment at both BL13 with ASHA of 25 ${\mu}{\ell}$(mice) or 50 ${\mu}{\ell}$(rats) 3 times for 5 days. To ascertain safety and toxicity of ASHA, we examined single toxicity test. In single test, three groups were treated with different dosages of ASHA (ASHA250, ASHA500 and ASHA1000) according to on Korean Food and Drug Administration, respectively. We observed attentively motality, abnormal clinical sign, body weight change, and organ weight of mice after ASHA treatment. Results : ASHA inhibited passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and active systemic anaphylatic shock by oral administration. During toxicity experiment period, there was no difference in body weight change, and organ weight among different dose groups. Death were not found in single test i.p. group. (ASHA250, ASHA500 and ASHA1000). Several individuals of single test i.p. group were observed yellow brown discharge around anus in early period after administration. Conclusions : These results indicate that ASHA have inhibition effects on passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and active systemic anaphylatic shock, and suggest that has some toxicity in high dosage.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.56-73
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• 2002

Objective : We need to develop a new treatment method which can curve cancer growth and enhance immunity of patients with various kinds of cancer more safely and effectively, for conventional anticancer treatment has lots of problems to be overcomed, in other words, Its efficacy can be recognizible but it doesn't actually give aid to patients due to its side effects. This study was taken up to evaluate the anticancer and immune-enhancing effect of Scutellariae Barbatae Herba, Alli bulbus, Oldenlandiae Herba(SAO) Herbal acupuncture. Methods : SAO Herbal acupuncture solution was made from Scutellariae Barbatae Herba, Alli bulbus, Oldenlandiae Herba by decoction. Experimental group was divided into normal(N), control(TC, cancer group induced by S 180), high and low concentration SAO complex Herbal acupuncture group. In the high and low concentration SAO complex Herbal acupuncture group, SAO Herbal acupuncture solution was injected, on the left and right Chok-samni(足三里, ST36) of ICR-male S 180 rats alternatively, by 200mg/kg and 100mg/kg respectively. In vitro, S 180 was cultured with $200{\mu}g$ and $500{\mu}g$ of SAO Herbal acupuncture solution. In each experimental group, we examined the effect of SAO complex Herbal acupuncture on body weight, antitumor, organ weight, activity of macrophage, activity of B cell, spleen cell division, IL-2 production and population of lymphocytes. Results : 1. In Body weight, no significant change was shown, but In solid cancer weight, the high concentration SAO complex Herbal acupuncture group showed signigicant(P<0.05) decrease and significant(P<0.05) increase in the weight of kidney, compared with control group. 2. In activity of macrophage, low concentration SAO complex Herbal acupuncture group showed significant(P<0.01) increase, but in vitro, there was no significant increase, compared with control group. 3. In activity of B cell, high and low concentration SAO complex Herbal acupuncture group showed no significant decrease, but in vitro, low concentration SAO complex Herbal acupuncture group showed significant(P<0.01) increase, compared with control group. 4. In spleen cell division, high and low concentration SAO complex Herbal acupuncture group had no significant influence on spleen cell division induced by Co A, meanwhile, it was found that macrophge promote spleen cell division in low concentration SAO complex Herbal acupuncture group(P<0.05), compared with control group. 5. In IL-2 production, high concentration SAO complex Herbal acupuncture group showed significant((P<0.05) increase, compared with control group. 6. In population of lymphocytes, high concentration SAO complex Herbal acupuncture group showed significant increase of CD3+(P<0.05), CD4+(P<0.05), CD3+ and CD4+ T cell(P<0.01) and B cell(P<0.05), while low concentration SAO complex Herbal acupuncture group showed significant increase of CD4+(P<0.05), CD8+ T cell(P<0.05) and B cell(P<0.01), compared with control group. Conclusion : SAO Herbal acupuncture inhibited cancer growth and enhanced immunity.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

Objectives : We investigated the synergistic effects of bee venom (BV) and natural killer (NK) cells on B16F10 melanoma cell apoptosis mediated by IL-4. Methods : We performed a cell viability assay to determine whether BV can enhance the inhibitory effect of NK-92MI cells on the growth of B16F10 melanoma cells, and western blot analysis to detect changes in the expression of IL-4, $IL-4R{\alpha}$, and other apoptosis-related proteins. EMSA was performed to observe the activity of STAT6. To confirm that the inhibitory effect of BV and NK cells was mediated by IL-4, the above tests were repeated after IL-4 silencing by siRNA (50 nM). Results : B16F10 melanoma cells co-cultured with NK-92MI cells and simultaneously treated by BV ($5{\mu}g/ml$) showed a higher degree of proliferation inhibition than when treated by BV ($5{\mu}g/ml$) alone or co-cultured with NK-92MI cells alone. Expression of IL-4, $IL-4R{\alpha}$, and that of other pro-apoptotic proteins was also enhanced after co-culture with NK-92MI cells and simultaneous treatment with BV ($5{\mu}g/ml$). Furthermore, the expression of anti-apoptotic bcl-2 decreased, and the activity of STAT6, as well as the expression of STAT6 and p-STAT6 were enhanced. IL-4 silencing siRNA (50 nM) in B16F10 cells, the effects of BV treatment and NK-92MI co-culture were reversed. Conclusion : These results suggest that BV could be an effective alternative therapy for malignant melanoma by enhancing the cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of NK cells through an IL-4-mediated pathway.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.17-31
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• 2008

Objective: To review the theoretic basis of the Sa-Ahm 5 Element acupuncture devised about 360 years ago, papers and books were researched. Methods: Total of 59 books and papers ranging from ancient Huang Di nei jing to modern Bio Medical Acupuncture for Pain Management were researched to study the basic theory of it in relation to the 5 Shu points, Results: Gao-mu in Chinese Ming dynasty, for the 1st time, had used 5 Shu points based on creation cycle as tonification and sedation treatment respectively and named it as 'tonification and sedation treatment of self meridian' but since then, this method, without special reasons, has been rarely used until Sa-Ahm's new doctrine that include the concept of destruction cycle was asserted. Conclusions: Sa-Ahm 5 Element acupuncture is a method which uses 5 Shu points from the viewpoints of simultaneous tonification and sedation methods which are based on promotion and control cycles. Though it is nowadays mostly-used method in accordance with practitioner's points, it needs to be set guidelines by which to effectively practice Sa-Ahm acupuncture.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.191-201
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• 2003

Objective : To research the trends of study related to tension-type headache and migrain with acupuncture in PubMed, and to establish the hereafter direction of acupuncture. for tension-type headache and migrain. Methods : We searched in PubMed, with tension-type headache, migrain and acupuncture limitted by abstract and enterz data 10 years. Results : 1. The pattern of the study was as follows: Review article(18), Clinical Trials(23), meta analysis(2) and rondomized controlled trials(16). We further estimated 23 articles. 2. Many of these studies provide equivocal results because of designs, sample size and the others, but in the majority of the trials were concludes that acupuncture offers benefits in the treatment of headache. 3. Acupuncture methods need individualization, a carefully selected placebo and cross-over design must have adequate time between the two treatment periods.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.33-41
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• 2005

Objective : The effect of Ulmus davidiana Planch(UD), which has long been known to have anti-inflammation and protective effects on damaged tissue, inflammation and bone among other functions, on the development of type II collagen (CII)-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats was studied. Methods : Male rats were immunized with an emulsion of $200\;{\mu}g$ of CII and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). The rats were then given intraperitoneal stimulation of Ulmus davidiana Planch herbal acupuncture(UDHA)or saline during the experiment. When compared with rats treated with saline as control, UDHA at doses of more than $20{\mu}g/100\;g$ rat once a day for 7 days inhibited the ability of inguinal lymph node cells to produce T cell cytokines interleukin-2, interleukin-6, $IFN-{\gamma}$ when the cells were obtained from rats 14 days after immunization and cultured in vitro with CII. Results : When rats were injected intraperitoneally, UD -treated group and control group rats did not differ significantly when low doses of UD was given to rats. Conclusion : The recommended dose of UD in the management and treatment of rat CIA will be more than $20{\mu}g/100\;g$, which is two-firth of human therapeutic dose. From the results, it was concluded that the effect of UDHA is dependent of dosage.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.23-36
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• 2015

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of Hominis-Placenta (HP)on dopaminergic neurons. Methods : We examined the effect of invitro administration of HP against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium( MPP+)-induced dopaminergic cell loss in primary mesencephalic culture and also used behavioral tests and performed analysis in the striatum and the substantia nigra of mouse brain, to confirm the effect of HP on dopaminergic neurons in an invivo 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP)-induced PD mouse model. Animals were assigned to four groups: (1) Group 1(vehicle-treatedgroup), (2) Group 2(MPTPonlytreated group), (3) Group 3(MPTP+ saline-treated/$ST_{36}$ group), and (4) Group 4(MPTP+HP-treated/$ST_{36}$ group). HP at $20{\mu}L$ of 48 mg/kg dose was injected at $ST_{36}$ for 4 weeks at 2-day intervals. MPTP in saline was injected intraperitoneally each day for 5 days from the $8_{th}$ treatment of HP. We performed the pole test and rota-rod test on the first and seventh day after the last MPTP injection. To investigate the effect of HP on dopaminergic neurons, we performed analysis in the striatum and the substantia nigra of mouse brain after treatment with HP and/or MPTP. Results : Treatment with HP had no influence on cell proliferation and caused no cell toxicity in $PC_{12}$ and $HT_{22}$ cells. Our study showed that HP significantly prevented cell loss and protected neurites against MPP+ toxicity. Although the invivo treatment of HP herbal acupuncture at $ST_{36}$ showed a tendency to improve movement ability and protected dopaminergic cells and fibers in the substantia nigra and the striatum, it did not show significant changes compared with the MPTP treated group. Conclusions : These data suggest that HP could be a potential treatment strategy in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2017

Objectives : In this study, the roles of Interleukin (IL)-4 and Signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6), which have been reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammation and cancer, were evaluated in snake venom toxin (SVT)-induced apoptosis. Methods : Inflammation was induced in human HaCaT kerationocytes, by lipopolysaccharide (LPS; $1{\mu}g/mL$) or tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), followed by treatment with SVT (0, 1, or $2{\mu}g/mL$). Cell viability was assessed by MTT assays after 24 h, and the expression of levels of IL-4, STAT6, and the apoptosis-related proteins p53, Bax, and Bcl-2 were evaluated by western blotting. Electro mobility shift assays (EMSAs) were performed to evaluate the DNA binding capacity of STAT6. Results : MTT assays showed that inflammation-induced growth of HaCaT cells following LPS or TNF-${\alpha}$ stimulation was inhibited by SVT. Western blot analysis showed that p53 and Bax, which promote apoptosis, were increased, whereas that of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein, was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner in LPS- or TNF-${\alpha}$-induced HaCaT cells following treatment with SVT. Moreover, following treatment of HaCaT cells with LPS, IL-4 concentrations were increased, and treatment with SVT further increased IL-4 expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blotting and EMSAs showed that the phosphorylated form of STAT6 was increased in HaCaT cells in the context of LPS- or TNF-${\alpha}$-induced inflammation in a concentration-dependent manner, concomitant with an increase in the DNA binding activity of STAT6. Conclusion : SVT can effectively promote apoptosis in HaCaT cells in the presence of inflammation through a pathway involving IL-4 and STAT6.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.67-82
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• 2005

Effects of Phaseoli Semen rubra Herbal-acupuncture at zusanli(ST-36), Quchi(LI-11) and Sanyinjiao(Sp-6) on lipid composition, liver function, oxidative capacity and molecular biological aspects were investigate in high fat diet induced obese rats. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing about 400g were divided into 4 groups according to body weight and raised four weeks with control, zusanli(ST-36), Quchi(LI-11) and Sanyinjiao(Sp-6) Herbal-acupuncture groups. 1. Plasma total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol showed a low values in the (ST-36) and (LI-11) Herbal-acupuncture groups and HDL-cholesterol showed a high values in the (ST-36) Herbal-acupuncture groups. 2. Plasma triglyceride and glucose showed a low values in the (ST-36) and (LI-11) Herbal-acupuncture groups. 3. The contents of plasma free fatty acids showed a tendence to decrease in the Herbal-acupuncture groups, however in the Herbal-acupuncture groups, the values showed no significantly different. 4. The activities of AST and ALT showed no significantly different in all treatment groups. 5. The contents of plasma ${\beta}-lipoprotein$ and free fatty acids showed a tendency to decrease in the Herbal-acupuncture groups compared to those of control group. In the Herbal-acupuncture groups, the values of (ST-36) and (LI-11) Herbal-acupuncture groups showed a low in the acupuncture groups. 6. Liver total cholesterol and triglyceride showed a low values in the (ST-36) and (LI-11) Herbal-acupuncture groups. 7. Contents of plasma TBARS showed a low values in the (ST-36) and (LI-11) Herbal-acupuncture groups, however contents of liver TBARS showed no significantly different among treatment groups. 8. Values of liver glutathione peroxidase and catalase activity showed a tendency to increase in the (ST-36) and (LI-11) Herbal­acupuncture groups. Values of liver super oxide dismutase activity showed a high in the (ST-36) Herbal-acupuncture groups compared to those of other groups. 9. Expression of apo-B mRNA in liver cell showed a low in (ST-36) Herbal-acupuncture groups, however expression of apo-E mRNA showed a high in Herbal-acupuncture groups and $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA in adipose cell showed no different among all the treatment groups. Expression of Leptin mRNA showed a tendance to decrease in (ST-36) Herbal-acupuncture group. 10. Histological character of liver, those of (ST-36) Herbal-acupuncture group showed a good, however other treatment groups showed slight vasodilation and slight fat accumulation. These results indicated that Phaseoli Semen rubra Herbal-acupuncture at (ST-36) and (LI-22) suppressed adipose tissue mass and lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant system.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.101-116
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• 2016

Objectives : This research was performed to investigate the effects of Ukgansan pharmacopuncture(U-PA) of focal brain ischemia induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) in rats. Methods : The subjects were divided into 5 groups : A control group, acupuncture group, pharmacopuncture group U-PA1($2.571mg/250g/40{\mu}{\ell}$), pharmacopuncture group U-PA2($6.428mg/250g/40{\mu}{\ell}$), and pharmacopuncture group U-PA3($12.855mg/250g/40{\mu}{\ell}$). The focal brain ischemia was induced by intraluminal filament insertion into the middle cerebral artery. After 3 days of MCAO, Ukgansan(UGS) pharmacopuncture treatment was performed on the GB20, and the day after being treated with pharmacopuncture, the Morris water maze test was carried out by the assigned group. The series of processes were treated 6 times. Thereafter Bax, Bcl-2, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, mGluR5, density of neuronal cell, and ChAT were measured. Results : The results were as follows. 1. The intensity of Bax significantly decreased in the U-PA1, U-PA2, U-PA3 groups. 2. The Bax/Bcl-2 ratio significantly decreased in the U-PA3 group compared with the control group. 3. The neuroprotective effect on the hippocampal CA1 significantly increased in the U-PA1, U-PA2, U-PA3 groups compared with the control group. 4. The density of ChAT in the hippocampal CA1 significantly increased in the U-PA1, U-PA2, U-PA3 groups compared with the control group. Conclusion : These results suggest that UGS pharmacopuncture may have anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects on focal cerebral ischemia caused by intraluminal filament insertion into the middle cerebral artery in rats.