• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.11-28
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• 2024

Objectives : GunRyeong-Tang(GRT) is a traditional herbal prescription that combines Oryeongsan and Sagunja-tang. This study employed network analysis methods on the components of GRT and target genes related to diabetes complications to predict the improvement effects of GRT on diabetes complications. Methods : The collection of active compounds of GRT and related target genes involved the utilization of public databases and the PubChem database. We selected diabetes complication-related genes using GeneCards and confirmed their correlation through comparative analysis with the target genes of GRT. We constructed a network using Cytoscape 3.9.1 and conducted topological analysis. To predict the mechanism, we performed functional enrichment analysis based on Gene Ontology (GO) biological processes and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Results : Through network analysis, 234 active compounds and 1361 related genes were collected from GRT. A total of 9,136 genes related to diabetes complications were collected, and 1,039 target genes overlapping with the components of GRT were identified. The core genes of this network were TP53, INS, AKT1, ALB, and EGFR. In addition, GRT significantly reduced the H9c2 cell size and the expression of myocardial hypertrophy biomarkers (ANP, BNP), which were increased by high glucose (HG). Conclusions : Through this study, we were able to predict the activity and mechanism of action of GRT on diabetes and diabetic complications, and confirmed the potential of GRT as a treatment for diabetes complications through the effect of GRT on improving myocardial hypertrophy for diabetic cardiomyopathy.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.483-489
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• 2002

APA-01, which is an aqueous extract of five Chinese herbs, is a modified formula of Huoxiang-Zhengqi-San. The effect of new herb extract on immune response was investigated. The parameter examined to assess apparent immune response of APA-01 in mice included changes of body weight, relative weight of immune organs, cell proliferation and cytokine gene expression. The body weight and relative weight of immune organs were not significantly changed among the tested groups. In the spleen cell prolijeration assay, APA-01 increased the cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Methotrexate (MTX), an agent of immune suppression, inhibited the spleen cell proliferation (IC/sub 50/: 800㎍/㎖). However, APA-01 significantly inhibited the suppression of mouse spleen cell proliferation. Therefore, it seems that APA-01 has a reducing effect of immune suppression. Immunomodulatory effect of APA-01 was further investigated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in mouse spleen cells. In RT-PCR test, APA-01 enhanced the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. In spite of immune suppression by MTX, COX-2 mRNA was induced by co-treatment with APA-01. These results suggest that APA-01 stimulates the proliferation of spleen cells, regulates the expression of COX-2 mRNA, and accelerates the recovery of inhibition of spleen cell proliferation induced by MTX, thus providing the immunological basis for clinical benefit of APA-01.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 2009

The Pulse diagnosis is in the boundary of the Four Examinations, and it is called 切診, or palpation. It has a great impact on people in reminding of the Traditional Medicine that it is probably the first thing that people think of when they hear about Traditional Medicine. Hu-Jun quoted in the Treasured Mirror of Eastern Medicine "東醫寶鑑" that the doctor finds out the deficiency and the excess of the meridian of the patiant through the pulse, and that it is of the utmost necessity to know the "deficiency and the excess" of the meridian to decide the formula (君臣佐使) of the herbal medicine and the acupuncture/moxibustion treatment. The research on the studies of pulse diagnosis have been concentrated on the origin, history, and the theory of the pulse diagnosis throughout the years; however, the number of research on the image from the classics on pulse diagnosis have been less. With this in mind, this paper was written to study more on the origin and the history of the pulse diagnosis as well as to study on the image of pulse diagnosis shown on the classics on Traditional Medicine in China and Korea. The history of the pulse diagnosis has its root on the attempt to find out what is happening inside the body through the indication of the small changes of the pulse that is shown on the outer boundaries of the body. There were various kinds of pulse diagnosis including "Three positions and nine indicators method" and "Carotid pulsation and wrist pulse method" in the ancient period, and wrist pulse-taking method became the most popular since the completion of studying on palpation by 初보. The image of the palpation helps the rudimentary practitioners of Traditional Medicine. They are divided into two large categories, which are the area of diagnosis and the shape of the pulse itself. The historical classics including the image of the pulse diagnosis can be found since the Song Dynasty of China. There are various kinds of image of pulse diagnosis in the classic such as "The picture of the hand meridian" from "脈訣指掌病式圖說", "The picture of the image of meridian" from "察病指南", "The picture of the Seven exterior and Eight interior" from "校正圖注脈訣", and "The picture of the six parts of meridian" from Treasured Mirror of Eastern Medicine "東醫寶鑑". The Treasured Mirror of Eastern Medicine "東醫寶鑑" have analyzed the basic theories and made up the standards of pulse diagnosis by establishing "The picture of the six parts of meridian" based on "The method of placing the viscera and bowels corresponding to cun-guan-qi, or the meridian".

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 2008

Background and Objectives : There are three kinds of formulas for purging the kidney to cure its sthenic syndrome based on the types of preparation formulas : Sashintang, Sashinhwan and Sashinsan. There are 4 kinds of Sashintang, 1 kind of Sashinhwan and 1 kind of Sashinsan. Combination of herbal medicines, carried out in formulas for purging the kidney, consists of various kinds depending on medical scientists' personal experience in medical treatment without any general principles, which makes it difficult to apply it to clinical use. The objectives of this study lie in theoretical establishment of Pyeongshintang for curing the sthenic syndrome of kidney through analyzing the component medicines and combination principles of Hyeongok's Pyeongshintang, and furthermore, maximizing the clinical use of Pyeongshintang. Methods : This study analyzed the component medicines and combination principles of Hyeongok's Pyeongshintang based on the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines from the "Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine", the theory for principal herbal medicine, assistant herbal medicine, adjuvant herbal medicine, dispatcher herbal medicine, and the five elements doctrine. Hyeongok's Pyeongshintang is an odd prescription, composed of 7 kinds of ingredients : No.1 Rhizoma Alismatis (2don;7.5g), No.2 Poria (1don;3.75g), No.3 Radix Paeoniae Alba (1don), No.4 Fructus Chaenomelis (1don), No.5 Polyporus (1don), No.6 Cortex Cinnamomi (1don), and No.7 Radix Glycyrrhizae (1don) Results : There are three methods for curing the sthenic syndrome of kidney according to the five elements doctrine : purging the kidney, purging the liver and invigorating the spleen. First, if you suffer from the sthenic syndrome of the kidney, you need to purge your kidney. There are two available methods, including taste and property purgation according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines. They each imply the salty taste and the hot property purge the kidney. In the case of taste purgation, two herbal medicines with salty taste, Rhizoma Alismatis and Poria, are combined into the principal and assistant herbal medicine, respectively. For property purgation, two herbal medicines with the hot property, Polyporus and Cortex Cinnamomi, are combined into adjuvant herbal medicines. Secondly, if you suffer from the sthenic syndrome of the kidney, you need to purge your liver which is child in the mother-child relationship in inter-promotion among the five elements. There are two methods to purge the liver, including taste and property purgation according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines. They each mean the sour taste and the cool property purge the liver. Therefore, it is important to use sour herbal medicines for taste purgation and cool ones for property purgation. Both sour and cool herbal medicines, Radix Paeoniae Alba and Fructus Chaenomelis, are combined into adjuvant herbal medicines. Lastly, if you suffer from the sthenic syndrome of the kidney, you need to invigorate your spleen which is an element being surpassed in the relationship between the elements surpassed and ones not surpassed in inter-restraint among the five elements. There are two methods to invigorate the spleen, which include taste and property invigoration according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines. Taste invigoration means to invigorate the spleen with sweet taste and property invigoration to invigorate the spleen with warm property. Therefore, it is important to use sweet herbal medicines for taste invigoration and warm ones for property invigoration. Both sweet and warm herbal medicines, Polyporus and Cortex Cinnamomi, were combined to invigorate the spleen and purge the kidney. In addition, Radix Glycyrrhizae are combined as dispatcher herbal medicine, harmonizing all the herbal medicines composing the formula. Conclusions : First, to cure the sthenic syndrome of the kidney, the methods of purging the kidney and the liver, and invigorating the spleen should be used according to the five elements doctrine. Secondly, herbal medicines appropriate for those treatment methods should be chosen according to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicine and thirdly, the combination of those herbal medicines should be carried out according to the theory for principal herbal medicine, assistant herbal medicine, adjuvant herbal medicine, dispatcher herbal medicine. As a good example, Hyeongok's Pyeongshintang is combined according to the above theories. In conclusion, this formula was created by applying to the theory for properties and tastes of herbal medicines.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.475-483
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• 2016

The current study was conducted to evaluate beneficial effects of a new formula (CWC-9) using four traditional Oriental medicinal herbs, Cynanchum wilfordii, Rehmannia glutinosa, Polygala tenuifolia, and Acorus gramineus, on hippocampal cells and memory function. To examine the neuroprotective effects of a new four-herb extract, cell viability, cytotoxicity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays were performed in HT22 cells and behavioral tests (Morris water maze and passive avoidance retention), Western blot, and immunohistochemistry were performed in a mouse model of focal cerebral ischemia. In HT22 hippocampal cells, pretreatment with CWC-9 resulted in significantly reduced glutamate-induced cell death with suppression of ROS accumulation caused by glutamate. In a mouse model of focal cerebral ischemia, we observed significant improvement of spatial and short-term memory function by treatment with CWC-9. Phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) in hippocampus of ischemic mice were decreased by treatment with CWC-9, but phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) were significantly enhanced. By immunohistochemical analysis, we confirmed higher expression of phosphorylation of CREB in the hippocampal neurons of CWC-9 treated mice. These results suggest that new multi-herb formula CWC-9 mainly exerted beneficial effects on cognitive function through regulation of neuro-protective signaling pathways associated with CREB.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 2003

This paper described the ultimate strength and deformation limit of new uniplanar T-joints in cold-formed square hollow sections. The new T-joint had the configuration that only a branch member was oriented at 45 degrees to a chord member in the plane of the truss. This study focused on the branch-rotated T-joints governed by chord web failure. Based on the test results of the T-joint in cold-formed square hollow sections, the deformation lirnit was found to be 3%B for $16.7{\leq}2(B/T){\leq}33.3$ and $0.63{\leq}(b_1/B)=0.7$. Existing strength formulas for traditional T-joint were investigated, and the new strength formula for the branch-rotated T-joint was proposed. This proposed formula was based on column buckling theory considering the rounded corners of cold-formed square hollow sections. Finally, the optimization condition of yield stress and $2{\gamma}$ was recommended to select the optimized chord section.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2001

The objective of this Paper is to derive an adjustment factor for the presence of heavy vehicles when estimating capacity at unsignalized intersections (and/or at modern roundabouts). According to the 1997 and 2000 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), potential capacity in such cases is estimated by simply adjusting base critical gap and base follow-up time. However, the procedure suggested in the HCM may lead to some errors in the adjustment, hence resulting in poor evaluation and design for the intersections, because it determines the value of adjusting factors by only the number of lanes on main streets regardless of the types of heavy vehicles. This paper shows a simple formula for making the adjustment. This formula is much like the HCM formula used for heavy vehicles in estimating highway capacity by the adoption of passenger car units (PCU). In contrast to the traditional approaches seen in the HCM, the PCU value of this case is explicitly expressed by the flow rate in the major streams and the gap difference in critical gaps chosen by passenger cars and particular heavy vehicles. Computational results of the adjustment factor are graphically illustrated.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.289-300
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• 2016

Objectives : Taglisodog-eum(TSE), a poly herbal formula, has been widely used to improve carbuncles by removing inflammation of the lymphatic channels in Traditional Korean Medicine. We previousely reported the action mechanism of TSE on experimental atopic dermatitis and the establishment of formulation for TSE ointment. In this study, we examined the toxicity test on skin and eye irritation by TSE ointment to prove the safety of Taglisodog-eum ointment in clinical use. Methods : Acute skin toxicity of the TSE ointment was evaluated in Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats. After dermal administration of TSE ointment(2,000mg/kg), body weight, mortality, and clinical signs of the rats were observed for 14days. Primary skin irritation and ocular irritation tests for TSE ointment were performed in male New Zealand White Rabbits. In dermal and ocular irritation test, body weight, mortality, clinical signs, Primary Irritation Index(P.I.I.), and The Index of Acute Ocular Irritaion(I.A.O.I.) of rabbit were observed after applying at abraded skin and eye balls with Taglisodog-eum ointment. Results : In the results of acute skin toxicity, no significant differences were found in body weight, the clinical sign and the mortality between control and TSE ointment treated group. In primary dermal irritation test, body weight, the clinical sign and the mortality were not significantly changed and Primary Irritation Index(P.I.I.) was 0.8, indicating TSE ointment as weak irritant material. In ocular irritation test, The Index of Acute Ocular Irritaion was 0.0, indicating TSE ointment as non-irritating to the eye of the rabbits. To evaluate toxicity of the TSE ointment in animal test, body weight, the clinical signs, the skin and eye irritation check were conducted; TSE ointment was considered to be weak dermal irritant in test animals. The no response of eye irritation test was observed in this experimental condition. Conclusions : According to the above toxicity test, We consider that this results is helpful for saying about the safety of TSE ointment in clinical use.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.63-82
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• 2024

Objective : Saengkankunbi-tang (SKT) is used as a traditional Korean herbal formula for treatment of liver diseases. We investigated the hepatoprotective effects of SKT plus Epimedium koreanum Nakai (EKE) against arachidonic acid (AA) + iron-mediated cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells and carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-mediated acute liver damage in mice. Methods : The cyto-protective effects of SKT + EKE were determined by MTT assay, western blot and fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis. In mice, blood biochemistry and western blot were assessed in CCl₄-induced acute hepatic damage. The animal groups included vehicle-treated control, CCl₄, SKT (200 mg/kg/day), EKE (100 mg/kg/day), SKT (200 mg/kg/day) + EKE (100 mg/kg/day) and silymarin (200 mg/kg/day). Results : In HepG2 cells, pretreatment with SKT + EKE significantly suppressed cytotoxicity induced by AA + iron and reduced the expression of proteins related to apoptosis. In addition, pretreatment with SKT + EKE significantly prevented the increase in H₂O₂ production, GSH depletion, and lower mitochondrial membrane potential induced by AA + iron. In CCl₄-induced liver damage mice, the administration of SKT + EKE prevented the liver damage by inhibition of hepatocyte damage and expression of apoptosis proteins in liver. More importantly, in vitro and in vivo assay, SKT + EKE showed significant effect compare with SKT alone or EKE alone in all parameters. Conclusions : These results indicated that SKT + EKE could protect against oxidative stress-induced liver damage, and SKT + EKE is more effective than SKT alone or EKE alone.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.37C no.9
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• pp.829-840
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• 2012

Recently, in network communication environments, it is changing very fast from wired to wireless. The open shortest path firtst (OSPF), one of link state routing protocols, mainly used in wired networks, is the routing method to select optimal traffic path as identifying the link state of neighbor routers. The traditional OSPF cost functions performs with first fixed cost permanently, unless the router link is changed. However, in wireless networks, the performance of links show big difference by other environment factors. The bit error rate (BER), a parameter which can quite affect link state in wireless networks, is not considered in the traditional OSPF cost functions. Only a link bandwidth is considered in the traditional OSPF cost functions. In this paper, we verify the various parameters which can affect link performance, whether it is permissible to use as the parameter of proposed cost functions. To propose new cost functions, we use the effective bandwidth. This bandwidth is calculated by proposed formula using the BER of the network link and link bandwidth. As applied by the proposed triggering condition, the calculated effective bandwidth decrease the unstable of network by generating less link state update messages in wireless networks that frequently changes the link state. Simulation results show that the proposed cost functions significantly outperforms the traditional cost functions in wireless networks in terms of the services of VoIP and data transmission.