• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1419-1426
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• 2003

The concentration of heavy metal were studied for the estimation of quality in herbal medicines which is Bupleuri Radix, Paeoniae Radix, Dioscoreae Rhizoma and Astragali Radix in products of north Kyungbuk area. And we compared with heavy metal concentration of herbal medicines in products of Kyungbuk and the other area of Korea. Also, we collected soils from several area in Kyungbuk, and determined heavy metal concentration of soils by ICP. We compared with herbal medicines in products of Kyungbuk and their soils. The results were as follow : Kyungbuk area appear to be more proper to cultivated land than other area. For the heavy metals contents of Kyungbuk area, in Gong Jung Ri, represented the higher level, it may be due to a near the road. Correlation coefficients of heavy metal contents in cultured herbal medicines and their soils did not give reproducible results.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.388-393
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• 2009

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been implicated in the development of diabetic complications. The AGEs inhibitors or cross-link breakers attenuate various functional and structural manifestations of diabetic complications. In this study, 64 herbal medicines from China and Vietnam have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs inhibitory activity. Of these, eight herbal medicines ($IC_{50}$<50 ${\mu}g$/ml) were found to have strong AGEs inhibitory activity compared with aminoguanidine (14 days, $IC_{50}$=75.98 ${\mu}g$/ml; 28 days, $IC_{50}$=88.27 ${\mu}g$/ml). Particularly, four herbal medicines, Buddleja officinalis (whole plant), Syzygium cuminii (leaf), Eugenia caryophyllate (seed), and Paeonia suffruticosa (root) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 5-6 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.41-47
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• 2008

As the IT technology develops there is a service on internet in which the herbal treatments from medicinal classics can be found in a form of a database. If an assay, and a verification on individual informations on materia medica and the herbal treatments from medicinal classics is established, it would be an enormously efficient asset for the formation of new treatment as well as interpreting the basic information on the efficacy of a treatment. If asp.net is used to make such a system, the user can have access to the informations on materia medica and its treatment without having to setting up a separate system, and especially the user can attain visual information on the genealogy of the herbal treatments in its formation. However, there is a need to develop a more efficient program in terms of organizing the informations on herbs and herbal treatments.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.47-69
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to inspect trends of the papers of osteoporosis in the field of herbal medicines and to establish the future direction for evaluation and development of natural medicines. Methods : We reviewed 80 oriental medicine papers in Korean journals published between 1994 and 2008. Results : There were 6 review, 2 clinical paper, 72 experimental papers and we confirmed that the drugs used in the experiments are almost yang-invigorating drugs which are good for kidney deficiency pattern Conclusions : We found out some of the herbal extracts are very efficacious for osteoporosis. More studies of oriental medicinal herbs are needed for developing anti-osteoporosis drugs with these basic data.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.372-378
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• 2013

In this study, the inhibitory effect on advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation of 43 Korean herbal medicines has been evaluated. Among them, 16 Korean herbal medicines were showed to have significant effect ($IC_{50}$; <50 ${\mu}g/ml$) compared to positive reference, aminoguandine ($IC_{50}$: $76.47{\pm}4.81{\mu}g/ml$). Especially, five herbal medicines, Rubus coreanus (leaves, $IC_{50}$: $4.49{\pm}0.03{\mu}g/ml$), Rubus coreanus (twigs, $IC_{50}$: $3.80{\pm}0.34{\mu}g/ml$), Ampleopsis brevipedunculata (stems, $IC_{50}$: $7.43{\pm}0.09{\mu}g/ml$), Lindera erythrocarpa (leave, $IC_{50}$: $8.14{\pm}0.20{\mu}g/ml$), and Lindera erythrocarpa (stems, $IC_{50}$: $3.69{\pm}0.14{\mu}g/ml$) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 9-20 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.366-375
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• 2014

Aldose reductase (AR) has been indicated the critical enzyme of the polyol pathway in the development of the diabetic complications. In this study, 119 Vietnamese herbal medicines have been investigated for inhibitory activities on AR. Among them, 7 herbal medicines, Synedrella nodiflora (stems and leaves), Combretum sundaicum (stems and leaves), Argyreia acuta (stems and leaves), Platea latifolia (whole plants), Linociera sangda (whole plants), Rhaphiolepis indica (whole plants), Harrisonia perforata (stems and leaves) and 2 fractions from Harrisonia perforata (stems and leaves) with EtOAc and BuOH, exhibited a significant inhibitory activity against AR. Particularly, S. nodiflora, A. acuta and H. perforata (stems and leaves) showed 1.0-1.8 times more potent inhibitory activity than the positive control, 3,3-tetramethyleneglutaric acid (TMG).

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.122-130
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the effect of herbal extract medicines for inpatients with fever symptoms in an oriental medicine hospital. Methods: Medical records of inpatients who experienced over $38^{\circ}C$ of fever from July 2010 to August 2011 has been requested with deleted personal identifiable information. The requested data were analyzed by patients' general characteristics, administrated western/herbal medicines, and changes in the body temperature of four administration groups (group 1, herbal extract medicine only; group 2, western medication(antibiotics/antipyretics) only; group 3, combination of herbal extract medicine and western medication; group 4, no medication control). The SPSS 19.0 was used for statistical analysis and p-value of less than 0.05 was regarded significant. Results: The body temperature has significantly dropped over time in the herbal extract medicine only group (p<0.001) along with the antibiotics/antipyretics only group. When both treatments were combined, stronger antipyretic effect was shown compared to the sole treatment of herbal extract medicine or antibiotics/antipyretics. Conclusion: The use of herbal extract medicines may be effective in alleviation of fever.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.222-227
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• 2002

Although there are a few reports concerning the side effects and toxicity of herbal medicines, there has not yet been any report concerning their causes, mechanisms or prevention. We investigated the internal reports concerning the side effects and toxicity of herbal medicines. In the findings, liver disorder (hepatic injury) was found in 7 cases, kidney disorders (nephropathy) were found in 12 cases, heart disorders were found in 4 cases and mineral-caused diseases were found in 2 cases. Besides, we found the major cause of the side effects and toxicity was drug abuse, such as over-dosage and long term medication. So, we hope this report brings more attention to the safety and toxicity of herbal medicines.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.90-99
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• 2011

Objectives: Comparison of the status of herbal medicine management carried out by traditional Korean medicine hospitals and clinics, and changes in the prices of the herbal medicines offered by them. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted for 126 traditional Korean medicine hospitals and 4,200 traditional Korean medicine clinics. Questionnaire sheets were dispatched to them by mail in 2008. Rate of response: 57 hospitals (45.2%) and 465 clinics (11.0%) Results: 1. Concerning the herbal medicines kept by them, the hospitals and the clinics kept 295 and 147 kinds of medicine, respectively, on average. As for their monthly expenditure on the purchase of herbal medicines, the hospitals spent an average of KRW 28.38 million while the clinics spent an average of KRW 1.64 million. 2. The average monthly expenditure of the clinics on the purchase of herbal medicines decreased by 32% from 2006, which can be interpreted as a reduction of their business. 3. The prices of herbal medicines for disease treatment ranged from KRW 140,000~190,000 per jae(dosage form) in the hospitals compared to KRW 140,000~168,000 in the clinics. 4. Compared to 1994, the prices of herbal medicines used for disease treatment have risen, whereas the prices of herbal medicines used as tonics have decreased. Conclusions: There are no conspicuous differences between the hospitals and the clinics in terms of the prices charged for herbal medicines, regardless of whether they are used to treat diseases or prescribed as tonics.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.17-24
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• 2012

Objective : For the purpose of investigating the herbal resources of Dokdo island, this study was designed. Method : For the first time, we searched the native plants of Dokdo island from research data. And we examined herbological books on the plants of Dokdo island. Result : The native herbaceous plants in Dokdo island were 27 family and 73 species, and the medicinal plants were 49 species among them. The woody plants in Dokdo island were 12 family and 13 species, and the medicinal plants were 10 species among them. The main medicinal parts of medicinal plants were the whole body of herbs, roots, and seeds in order. The herbal medicines with cold or cool nature were 45 species, they took the top nature of the herbal medicines. According to the properties and principal action of native herbal medicines in Dokdo island, the major parts were classified into drugs for clearing away heat, eliminating toxin, activating blood flow and removing blood stasis, urination, removing heat from the blood and stopping of bleeding. The number of native herbal medicines with small toxicity in Dokdo island were 7 species. Conclusion : For the purpose of preserving the native plants of Dokdo island, we should recognize not only medical benefits but also matters that demand special attention.