• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.192-199
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• 2019

Objectives: KCHO-1(Mecasin), also called Gamijakyakgamchobuja-tang originally, is a combination of some traditional herbal medicines in East Asia. This medicine has been used mainly for alleviating neuropathic pains for centuries in Korean traditional medicine. KCHO-1 was developed to treat pain, joint contracture and muscular weakness in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This study was carried out to investigate the chronic toxicity of KCHO-1 oral administration in rats for 26 weeks. Methods: Sprague-Dawely rats were divided into four groups and 10 rats were placed in the control group and the high-dose group, respectively. Group 1 was the control group and the remaining groups were the experimental groups. In the oral toxicity study, 500 mg/kg, 1,000 mg/kg, and 2,000 mg/kg of KCHO-1 were administered to the experimental group, and 10 ml/kg of sterile distilled water was administered to the control group. Survival rate, body weight, feed intake, clinical signs, and visual findings were examined. Urinalysis, ophthalmologic examination, necropsy, organ weight, hematologic examination, blood chemical examination and histopathologic examination were performed. Results: Mortality and toxicological lesions associated with the administration of test substance were not observed in all groups. Conclusion: NOAEL(No observed adverse effect level) of KCHO-1 is higher than 2000 mg/kg/day. And, the above findings suggest that treatment with KCHO-1 is relatively safe.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.7 no.1 s.12
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• pp.37-51
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• 2004

Objective : Recently scolopendrid aqua-acupuncture has been a good effect on pain control but it has not been known about clinical safety. The purpose of this study was to investigate acute toxicity of scolopendrid aqua-acupuncture. Method : In order to prove the clinical safety of scolopendrid aqua-acupuncture, We have observed a bacteriological examination and clinical pathology test after scolopendrid aqua-acupuncture treatment. Balb/c mice were injected intravenous with Scolopendrid aquaacupuncture treatment for $LD_{50}$ and acute toxicity test. We analyzed physical reaction(side effect)and clinical pathology test before and after Scolopendrid aqua-acupuncture treatment of mice and 20 patients suffering from pain, who admitted department of Acupunture and Moxibustion, College of Oriental Medicine, Won-Kwang University Kwangju hospital. Results : In the Blood agar plate and Nutrient agar plate, a bacteriological examination did not show a bacillus. In acute $LD_{50}$ toxicity test, there was no mortality thus unable to attain the value. Examining the toxic response in the acute toxicity test, there was no sign of toxication. In acute toxic test, running biochemical serum test couldn't yield any differences between the control and experiment groups. In the 20 patients treated with Scolopendrid aqua-acupuncture, hematologic test did not show remarkable change. In the 20 patients treated with Scolopendrid aqua-acupuncture, Liver function test(AST, ALT, ALP) showed a slight decrease on the contrary, and abnormal rate showed a decrease of 5.0% compared with previous study. Reanl function test(BUN, Cr) and abnormal rate showed a decrease of 5.0% compared with previous study. In the 20 patients treated with Scolopendrid aqua-acupuncture, Electrolyte were normal range before and after treatment. In the Urine analysis of 20 patients, Leukocyte, Protein, Glucose, Keton, Bilirubin, U-bilinogen were not detected before and after Scolopendrid aqua-acupuncture treatment, and the rest almost made no difference.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2024

Objectives: Frozen shoulder (FS) is one of the most challenging shoulder disorders for patients and clinicians. Its symptoms mainly include any combination of stiffness, nocturnal pain, and limitation of active and passive glenohumeral joint movement. Conventional treatment options for FS are physical therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, injection therapy, and arthroscopic capsular release, but adverse and limited effects continue to present problems. As a result, pharmacoacupuncture (PA) is getting attention as an alternative therapy for patients with FS. PA is a new form of acupuncture treatment in traditional Korean medicine (TKM) that is mainly used for musculoskeletal diseases. It has similarity and specificity compared to corticosteroid injection and hydrodilatation, making it a potential alternative injection therapy for FS. However, no systematic reviews investigating the utilization of PA for FS have been published. Therefore, this review aims to standardize the clinical use of PA for FS and validate its therapeutic effect. Methods: The protocol was registered in Prospero (CRD42023445708) on 18 July 2023. Until Aug. 31, 2023, seven electronic databases will be searched for randomized controlled trials of PA for FS. Authors will be contacted, and manual searches will also be performed. Two reviewers will independently screen and collect data from retrieved articles according to predefined criteria. The primary outcome will be pain intensity, and secondary outcomes will be effective rate, Constant-Murley Score, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, range of motion, quality of life, and adverse events. Bias and quality of the included trials will be assessed using the Cochrane handbook's risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. Meta analyses will be conducted using Review Manager V.5.3 software. GRADE will be used to evaluate the level of evidence for each outcome. Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted following PRISMA statement. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Conclusion: This review will provide scientific evidence to support health insurance policy as well as the standardization of PA in clinical practice.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.864-873
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this case study was to report the symptom improvement effect of integrative Korean medicine treatment based on Pyongsim Solution: Cheonwangbosim-dan in a patient with variant angina and asthma symptoms. Methods: This 68-year-old male patient was treated with Pyongsim Solution, Gamihyangsayukgunja-tang, Gwakhyangjunggi-san, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and cupping therapy for 24 days. The European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions-5 Levels profile, Numerical Rating Scale score, and pulse rate per minute were measured on admission, at two weeks of hospitalization, and upon discharge to assess the clinical outcomes. Results: After treatment, the "mobility" dimension profile of the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions-5 Levels changed from 1 to 1, "self-care" changed from 1 to 1, "usual activity" changed from 3 to 2, "pain/discomfort" changed from 4 to 3, and "anxiety/depression" changed from 3 to 2. The Numerical Rating Scale score for chest pain decreased from 7 to 5, chest tightness decreased from 6 to 4, sleep disturbance decreased from 6 to 3, polydipsia decreased from 5 to 3, and stomach discomfort decreased from 5 to 3. All the profiles of these five dimensions were unchanged for 11 days in the period between the two weeks of hospitalization and discharge. There were also no changes in the profiles of either "mobility" or "self-care" throughout the entire 24-day hospitalization period. Conclusion: This case report shows that integrative Korean medicine treatment based on Pyongsim Solution can improve the symptoms of patients with variant angina and mild intermittent asthma, suggesting that Pyongsim Solution could be an important herbal medication for treatment.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.103-116
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• 2016

Objectives : This study was performed to assess the effectiveness of conservative Korean traditional medical treatment on lumbar intervertebral disc herniation in 12 adolescents. Methods : Data were collected from adolescent patients diagnosed with lumbar intervertebral herniation by MRI, hospitalized at Jaseng Korean Medicine Hospital from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2015. A total of 12 patients were included in the study. Patients were treated by acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, electroacupuncture, herbal medicine, chuna manual therapy, physical therapy during hospitalization period. To measure treatment outcomes, a verbal numerical rating scale (VNRS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), range of motion (ROM), Straight leg raising test (SLR), and EQ-5D were used. Results : The average age of the participants was $16.05{\pm}1.62$. The average of duration of symptom was $19.25{\pm}26.83(weeks)$ and the average length of hospitalization was $23.8{\pm}16.4(days)$. 2 patients (17 %) suffered from only lumbar pain, while 10 patients (83 %) suffered from lumbar and leg pain. No participant suffered from only leg pain. 8 patients (67 %) were diagnosed with disc herniation in one segment, and 4 patients (33 %) were diagnosed with disc herniation in multiple segments. A total of 17 disc segments (28 %) were herniated. The most herniated lumbar level was L4-5. 3 segments were diagnosed with bulging (17 %), 6 with protrusion (35 %), and 8 with extrusion (47 %). Extrusion was the most frequent herniated type. After treatment, the average VNRS of lumbar pain significantly decreased from $5.58{\pm}1.62$ to $2.91{\pm}1.56$ (p<0.001) and the average VNRS of leg pain significantly decreased from $5.16{\pm}2.51$ to $3.08{\pm}1.8$ (p<0.001). ODI significantly decreased from $48.87{\pm}18.72$ to $28.57{\pm}15.05$ (p<0.05), and EQ-5D significantly increased $0.58{\pm}0.31$ to $0.80{\pm}0.12$ (p<0.05). Range of flexion significantly improved from $61.25{\pm}32.62$ to $68.33{\pm}26.22$ (p<0.05). Conclusion : Conservative Korean Traditional Medical Treatment may be effective in the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation in adolescence. However, more case reports and clinical research are needed.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.141-155
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• 2000

This study was designed to evaluate the analgesic effect of bee venom (BV) Acupuncture into different treatment points, Chok-samni (ST36) and blank loci of the gluteal muscle and back. We investigated neuronal activity in the spinal cord using the Fos immunohistochemical technique according to the pretreatment with different concentrations of BV, thirty minutes before the formalin injection. The results were summarized as follows: 1. The number of Fos-like immunoreactive (Fos-LI) neurons in L2 segment of the saline-formalin treated group was significantly increased in NECK and VENT of the spinal cord as compared with that of the room control group. However, there was no significant change in the number of the Fos-LI neurons in L2 segment of the BV-formalin treated group as compared with that of the room control group. 2. The number of Fos-LI neurons in L3-5 segment of the saline-formalin group was significantly increased in all the regions of 142 the spinal cord as compared with that of the room control group. However, the Fos-LI neurons in L3-5 segment of the BV-formalin treated group was dramatically decreased in all the regions of the spinal cord as compared with that of the saline-formalin group. Therefore, these results indicated that the BV acupuncture suppressed the nociceptive neuronal activities in L3-5 of the spinal cord induced by formalin injection. 3. There was a strong positive correlation between the formalin-induced pain behavior and the number of the Fos-LI neurons in L3-5 segment.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.192-200
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• 2019

Introduction: The aim of this study is to report the effect of traditional Korean medical treatment on fibromyalgia. Case presentation: A patient with fibromyalgia was treated with acupuncture, pharmacopuncture (Bee venom, Hwangryunhaedok-tang), cupping therapy, moxibustion therapy and herbal medicine for 37 days. To reduce the patient's symptoms, we provided herbal medicine three times a day, as well as acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, cupping therapy and moxibustion therapy once a day for 37 days. To evaluate the results of this treatment, we used the Numeral Rating Scale (NRS), Score of Sleeping Quality (SSQ) and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). After treatment, the patient showed that pain was reduced, the score of NRS was improved, FIQ improved from 91 to 69 and SSQ improved from 3 to 1. No adverse reaction was noted. Conclusion: According to the result, traditional Korean medical treatment can be effective and safe for the treatment of fibromyalgia.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.197-205
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• 2016

Objectives : To report the clinical application and safety of Traditional Korean Medical treatment for patients with low back pain during pregnancy. Methods : Three patients who suffered from low back pain during pregnancy were treated with acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine for 12 to 21 days. Numeric rating scale (NRS) of low back pain and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were checked to measure the outcome. A liver function and renal function test was carried out to identify any drug-induced liver or renal injury, and any adverse events were monitored thoroughly until delivery. Results : Low back pain reduced on NRS in all cases, and no serious adverse effects were found in the patients or infants. Conclusion : This study suggests that Traditional Korean Medical treatment is a candidate therapy for relieving low back pain during pregnancy, and also is safe for both patients and infants.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.7-14
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• 2001

Objective: This study was done to observe the effects on the thermal changes and side effects of Bee Venom acupuncture. The objectives are as follows; If there are remarkable local thermal changes between pre and post Bee Venom acupuncture therapy on D.I.T.I. or not. If there are those, we examine how long it' s changes are maintained, what is the adequate interval on Bee Venom acupuncture therapy, and what the reactions in a local or whole body are on that therapy. Methods: To study the local thermal changes in Bee Venom acupuncture therapy, D.I.T.I. was used. Determination of this analysis periods are pre and post-therapy(5 minutes, 1 hour, 1day,2days, 3days, 5days and 7days later). The study group was divided into two groups. One was BV group(N=19), another was NS(Normal Saline) group. The Bee Venom acupuncture was injected by 0.2ml divided into 0.05ml at the Fengmen(風門:12), Feishu(肺兪:B13), Fufen(附分:B41), Pohu(魄戶: B42) 4 points. Then, in order to analyze the clinical form, we have observed responses of 23 students whenever we checked the thermal changes of their after performing. Results: The following results were obtained. 1. In BV group, there was a significant dermatothermal difference between pre and post therapy. That difference was most remarkable in post-therapy 1 hour to lday, and was not remarkable in post-therapy 5-7days later. 2. There was no significant dermatothermal changes at NS group, but BV group had remarkable changes between operated and non operated area in post-therapy 1hour, 1day, 2days. But there was none 7 days later. 3. Among the physical reactions after Bee Venom acupuncture therapy, operated-area pain, itching, pain on moving and fatigue sign most appeared until post-therapy 3days. Itching and fatigue sign appeared until post-therapy 7days. 4. In comparison the dermatothermal changes with the physical reactions, the decrease of { CT = (Rt Temperature -Lt. Temperature) / Rt. $Temperature{\times}100$} and the disappearance of physical reactions were about the same.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.91-107
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to analyze the propensity and find out the Syndrome Differentiation of teeth-mark tongue by taking survey and body examinations with 178 male patients. 164 patients out of 178 were checked up on Heart Rate Variability (HRV), Accelerated Photoplethysmograpy (APG), Body Composition. This study was also planned to find out the distinctive characteristics of teeth-mark tongue diagnosis and compare differences between Qi-Deficiency and Accumulation of Dampness and Phlegm patients group. Methods : The questionnaire was carried out targeting 178 male with teeth-mark tongue respondents among who had Oriental Health Examination and patients from the 3rd oriental-internal medicine department in Dongeui Hospital from $1^{st}$, March 2005 to $30^{th}$, April 2010. Only 164 patients were checked on HRV, APG and Body composition examinations. Results : It showed that 86 patients had Qi-Deficiency and 78 had Dampness and Phlegm but 14 couldn't be categorized. The major symptoms of Qi-Deficiency compared to Dampness and Phlegm were 'Frequent running nose', 'Soft stool', 'Chronic fatigue', and 'Eyestrain'. On the contrary, Dampness and Phlegm's dominant symptoms were 'Chest discomfort', 'Feeling bloated', 'Back pain', 'Feeling sluggish', and 'Itchy skin'. However, all symptoms were not matched with the Syndrome Differentiation of Qi-Deficiency or Dampness and Phlegm. It also showed that teeth-mark tongue patients' frequent symptoms were 'Stuffy nose', 'Feeling bloated', 'Oliguria', 'Shoulder pain', 'Chronic fatigue' 'Eyestrain' and these symptoms were matched with the Syndrome Differentiation of Qi-Deficiency and Dampness and Phlegm. In the results from this study, there were no significant differences between Qi-Deficiency and Dampness and Phlegm. Conclusions : It is hard to conclude that teeth-mark tongue could be only one to diagnose Qi-Deficiency or Dampness and Phlegm with 3 examinations.