• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.83-92
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• 2013

Objectives : Lespedeza Cuneata has been used to treat leukorrhea, asthma, stomach pain, diarrhea, acute mastitis, in Korean traditional medicine. According to recent studies, Lespedeza Cuneata has antioxidation, hypoglycemia, cell protective, insulin secretion, whitening, corpora cavernosa smooth muscle relaxation and antimicrobial activities, but it has been rarely conducted to evaluate the immuno-biological activity. The present study was examined to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of the Lespedeza Cuneata MeOH extract (LCE) in vivo and in vitro. Methods : In vitro, inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines, nitric oxide and prostaglandin $E_2$ were detected after the addition of LPS with or without LCE in Raw 264.7 macrophage cell line. In vivo, anti-edema effect of LCE was determined in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in rats. Results : In vitro assay, LCE decreased release of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) via suppression of iNOS and COX-2 expression. LCE inhibited the phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B$ indicating the suppression of NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway. In vivo assay, LCE significantly inhibited the formation of paw edema induced by carrageenan injection in rats. LCE effectively inhibited increases of hind paw skin thickness and inflammatory cell infilterations. Conclusion : These findings demonstrate that LCE has inhibitory effect on inflammatory mediators in LPS-activated Raw 264.7 cells and on paw edema in carrageenan-stimulated rats, showing the possibility of anti-inflammatory use of Lespedeza Cuneata.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.157-169
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• 2023

Gracilaria Verrucosa (GV), a seaweed used in traditional Korean medicine, was studied for its effects on MI-induced heart failure in rats. MI is caused by a blocked coronary artery, leading to severe cardiac dysfunction. The study used a rat model to assess cardiac changes over time and evaluate the impact of GV on heart failure. Ischemia was induced through LAD ligation surgery, and the extent of ischemic area was measured as a prognostic factor. GV extract administration significantly improved cardiac morphology and reduced cardiac weight compared to the MI group. GV treatment also improved cardiac function, as evidenced by positive effects on chamber dilation during MI-induced heart failure. Parameters such as ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) were measured. The MI group showed decreased EF and FS compared to the sham group, while these parameters improved in the GV group. GV treatment also reduced levels of LDH, CPK, and CK-MB in the serum, indicating reduced myocardial damage. Histological analysis revealed that GV treatment attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, with reduced collagen deposition in the myocardium. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed suppressed expression of TGF-β1 and collagen 1, involved in fibrosis. In conclusion, GV showed potential in improving cardiac function in a rat model of MI-induced heart failure. It alleviated myocardial damage, attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, and suppressed fibrotic markers. Further studies are needed to explore its clinical efficacy and underlying mechanisms in cardiac diseases beyond animal models.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.231-243
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• 2023

Objectives : Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum is used as a traditional or folk remedy in China to treat arthritis, hepatitis, duodenitis, conjunctivitis, gastritis, and diarrhea. In this study, we aimed to study the hepatocyte protective activity and molecular mechanism of Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum aqueous extract (JGW) using HepG2 hepatocyte cell lines. Methods : HepG2 cells were pretreated with diverse concentrations of JGW, and then the cells were exposed to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) for inducing oxidative stress. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production, glutathione (GSH) concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and cell viability were measured to investigate hepato-protective effects of JGW. Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinases (AMPK), acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) and effects of compound C on cell viability were examined to observe the role of AMPK on JGW-mediated cytoprotection. Results : Pretreatment with JGW (10-300 ㎍/mL) significantly suppressed cytotoxicity induced by tBHP in a concentration dependent manner and reduced the expression of cleaved PARP and cleaved caspase-3 proteins related to apoptosis in HepG2 cells. In addition, pretreatment with JGW significantly prevented the increase in H₂O₂ production, GSH depletion, and lower MMP induced by tBHP. Treatment with JGW (30 minutes of incubation and concentrations of 100 and 300 ㎍/mL) increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC and treatment with compound C, a chemical inhibitor of AMPK, inhibited the cytoprotective effect of JGW. Conclusions : Our results demonstrated that JGW may protect hepatocytes from oxidative stress via activation of AMPK.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.2349-2371
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• 1971

1. The historical development of the agriculture in Korea is observed and the future of Korean agriculture is suggested with present situation in order to recommend a direction of policy in agricultural mechanization. 2. A factor analysis of agricultural mechanization The needs of agricultural mechanization in the view of both national need and the armer's desire under the present situation are analyzed with data from the various sources. The researcher found that the agricultural mechanization is badly needed to develop prospective Korean agriculture to future. 3. The direction of agricultural mechanization. It can be said that the position of agriculture in the national economy plays a very important role. This importance should not be ignored by the Politicians in their process of developing long range economy plan. The agricultural mechanization for the modernized Korean agriculture should be directed to increase the most effective results with minimize the least sacrifice. The merry tiller is recommended to the main agricultural machinery in Korea in order to meet its small farming operation un-its(or farm size). Tractor is recommended in the plain area for the crop cultivation. The cooperative cultivation for rice and the upland crops will be developed in the plain area. Tractor, therefore, is recommended for the main agricultural machinery in these areas. Either tractor or merry tiller is recommended to the orchard area by its operating size of the orchard. The researcher also disoussed about the development of animal husbandry on the farm with increasing the farm size in order to develop meadow and pasture nuder the consideration of both the improvement of food consumption and the comprehensive development of national resources. 4. Relationship between the Performance of various agricultural machinery and the economic scale. Because of the agricultural machinery needs an expensive fixed expense(fixed cost) the total expense Per ha of the fixed expense and the operation expense should less than the traditional expense Per Dan Bo with in creased corpgiclds Per Dan Bo. Since the anual fixed expense of the agricultural machinery is figured out by the durability the more the farm size the less fixed expense of machinery is required. The formula of this principle is as follows; fixed expense for Dan Bo=Fixed expense of agricultural machinery farm size(or farming scale) The breaking-even point is the balance point between the expense of the using agricultural machinery and the traditional farming expenses. Labor cost of the Dan Bo is increasing when the management scale increases by the tradititional farming while the machanized management decrease the management cost Per Dan Bo. The reseracher found that the distribution of agricultural machinery will be the adeventeous after the year of 1981 by the result of frguring out the breaking-even point. 5. The Investigate and the conclusion. The purpose of this study is found out the direction of agricultural machanization and the breaking-even point of various agricultural machinery, there for is found out effective of the using various agricultural machinery for Collection cutter, Binder, Footing thresser, Semi-power thresser, Power thresser, Combine, Power rice-Trans-Planter, etc.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.5-11
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• 2015

Objective : The objective of this study was to investigate the anti-tumor activity of the complexed herbal formula, Haeamdan (HAD). Methods : Seven Cancer cell lines, LoVo, MCF-7, AGS, Sarcoma 180, HL-60, NCI-H69, LL/2, were prepared and the cytotoxicity was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-dephenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. HAD was applied with various concentrations from 0.1 to 1.0 mg/ml to figure out the appropriate dosage. ICR male mice were intraperitoneally implanted with Sarcoma 180 and divided into 8 species for each group. Control group was treated with normal saline, positive control group was treated with cyclophosphamide 8mg/kg, and experimental group was treated with HAD 1g/kg. Results : Among seven cancer cell lines, HAD exhibited strong cytotoxic activities to followed four cancer cell lines, that is, Sarcoma 180, HL-60, NCI-H69, and LL/2. These cytotoxic activity was expressed under 0.50 mg/ml of IC50 under 0.1~1mg/ml of OBW. When Sarcoma 180 cancer cell was implanted in ICR male mice and treated with the HAD, HAD prolonged the median overall survival for 3.6 days, from 17.5 to 21.1 days. Conclusion : HAD showed strong cytotoxicity to the cancer cells, Sarcoma 180, HL-60, NCI-H69, on in vitro study and it showed anti-tumor activity in vivo with the peritoneal cancer mice by prolonging the median survival for 3.6 days. Further researches would be expected to support the anti-tumor efficacy of HAD.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.419-434
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• 2013

Objectives: The object of this study is to observe the cognition and motor function recovery effects of Joojakwhan (JJW), a traditional Korean poly-herbal formula for treating various neuropsychiatric diseases such as dementia, for the mildly stroke rats, with 60 minutes of reperfusion transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Methods: In the present study, 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg of JJW were orally administered, once per day for 10 continuous days 2 hours after the tMCAO. The body weight changes, infarct sizes under 2% 2, 3, 5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) stain, sensorimotor functions and cognitive motor behavior tests were serially monitored with cerebral caspase-3 and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-immunoreactivities and histopathological changes. The effects of tMCAO on sensorimotor functions were evaluated by using of limb placing and body-swing tests, and the cognitive motor behaviors were also observed with water maze tests. Results: From the results of tMCAO, with marked decreases of body weights, disorders of sensorimotor functions increases the limb placing test scores, and decrease the numbers and percentages of body swings to the ipsilateral sides. The cognitive motor behaviors increases the distances and time to reach the escape platform which included the inhibitions of the decreases with repeated trials that were observed with focal cerebral cortex infarct volumes. In addition, the marked increases of the atrophy, numbers of degeneration, caspase-3- and PARP-immunoreactive cells around peri-infarct ipsilateral cerebral cortex were also observed in tMCAO controls when compared with the sham control rats, respectively. Conclusions: The results obtained from this study suggest that oral administrations of JJW indicate obvious cognitions and motor function recoveries of the rats with tMCAO, mild strokes, which are mediated by neuro-protective effects through known antioxidant effects of components.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.295-304
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• 2021

Background: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a hematopoietic malignancy driven by promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor A (PML-RARA) fusion gene. The therapeutic drugs currently used to treat APL have adverse effects. 20(S)-ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) is an anticancer medicine with high effectiveness and low toxicity. However, the underlying anticancer mechanisms of GRh2-induced PML-RARA degradation and apoptosis in human APL cell line (NB4 cells) remain unclear. Methods: Apoptosis-related indicators and PML-RARA expression were determined to investigate the effect of GRh2 on NB4 cells. Z-VAD-FMK, LY294002, and C 87, as inhibitors of caspase, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) pathways were used to clarify the relationship between GRh2-induced apoptosis and PML-RARA degradation. Results: GRh2 dose- and time-dependently decreased NB4 cell viability. GRh2-induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and caspase3, caspase8, and caspase9 activation in NB4 cells after a 12-hour treatment. GRh2-induced apoptosis in NB4 cells was accompanied by massive production of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial damage and upregulated Bax/Bcl-2 expression. GRh2 also induced PML/PML-RARA degradation, PML nuclear bodies formation, and activation of the downstream p53 pathway in NB4 cells. Z-VAD-FMK inhibited caspase activation and significantly reversed GRh2-induced apoptosis and PML-RARA degradation. GRh2 also upregulated TNF-α expression and inhibited Akt phosphorylation. LY294002, an inhibitor of the PI3K pathway, enhanced the antitumor effects of GRh2, and C 87, an inhibitor of the TNF-α pathway, reversed NB4 cell viability, and GRh2-mediated apoptosis in a caspase-8-dependent manner. Conclusion: GRh2 induced caspase-dependent PML-RARA degradation and apoptosis in NB4 cells via the Akt/Bax/caspase9 and TNF-α/caspase8 pathways.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.36
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• pp.267-298
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• 2020

The purpose of the paper is to analyze the developmental background and practical approaches to the arts of the Dao (道術 dosul) in Daesoon Jinrihoe (大巡真理會) by tracing this concept back to its source and comparing and contrasting Daesoon Jinrihoe's usage of 'arts of the Dao' with the usage found in traditional Daoism. The paper is divided into a preface, conclusion, and two body sections. Especially significant discoveries appear in the second and third sections. In the second section, the Daoist concept of Alterable and Unalterable Degree Numbers (運度定數 yundudingshu, 'degree numbers' suggesting 'fate' or 'destiny') allows for a comparison between the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth (天地公事 cheonjigongsa) from Daesoon Jinrihoe's The Canonical Scripture (典經 jeon-gyeong) and the Opening of Calamities to Save Humanity (開劫度人 kaijieduren) in Daoism. Here discourse can be provided regarding the cause of calamities (劫 'jie' in Chinese and 'geop' in Sino-Korean). Additionally examined are the deep grievances between divine beings and humans and the cosmic cycles of growth and decay as both of these relate to the reason for calamities. As for the resolving of calamities, there are two differing perspectives proposed by Daesoon Jinrihoe and traditional Daoism. Daesoon Jinrihoe believes that Kang Jeungsan (姜甑山) led changes and renewal through the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth. In this context, clergy and laity play roles as assistants. However, Daoism emphasizes gaining merit from the recitation of scriptures and the collective participation of immortals rather than relying completely upon divine intervention from the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial State (元始天尊 yuanshi tianzun). In the third section, 'The Origin and Application of the Arts of the Dao (道術 daoshu),' analysis is provided regarding the origin and connotation of five directional generals (五方將 wufangjiang), the twenty-four generals (二十四將 ershijiang), the twenty-eight generals (二十八將 ershibajiang), and the forty-eight generals (四十八將 sishibajiang). Likewise examined is the relationship between the arts of the Dao in The Canonical Scripture and Thunder Rites in the Shen Xiao Lineage (道教神霄雷法 daojiao shenxiao leifa) of Daoism. Lastly, some points are made about the operation of two ceremonies: The Ceremony of Transformation and Pacing (遁甲步罡儀式 dunjiabugangyishi) and Divination through the Formula Disc of the Six Ren Gods (六壬式盤占卜 liuren shipanzhanbu).

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.141-147
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• 2005

Purpose: Recently, The new Injury Severity Score (NISS) has become a more accurate predictor of mortality than the traditional Injury Severity Score (ISS) in the trauma population. Trauma Score Injury Severity Score (TRISS) method, regarded as the gold standard for mortality prediction in trauma patients, still contains the ISS as an essential factor within its formula. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a simple modification of the TRISS by replacing the ISS with the NISS would improve the prediction of in-hospital mortality in a trauma population with blunt head and neck trauma. Objects and Methods: The study population consisted of 641 patients from a regional emergency medical center in Kyoungsangnam-do. Demographic data, clinical information, the final diagnosis, and the outcome for each patient were collected in a retrospective manner. the ISS, NISS, TRISS, and modified TRISS were calculated for each patients. The discrimination and the calibration of the ISS, NISS, modified TRISS and conventional TRISS models were compared using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, areas under the ROC curve (AUC) and Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics. Results: The AUC of the ISS, NISS, modified TRISS, and conventional TRISS were 0.885, 0.941, 0.971, and 0.918 respectively. Statistical differences were found between the ISS and the NISS (p=0.008) and between the modified TRISS and the conventional TRISS (p=0.009). Hosmer-Lemeshow chi square values were 13.2, 2.3, 50.1, and 13.8, respectively; only the conventional TRISS failed to achieve the level of and an excellent calibration model (p<0.001). Conclusion: The modified TRISS is a more accurate predictor of in-hospital mortality than the conventional TRISS in a trauma population of blunt head and neck trauma.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.174-179
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• 2015

Transcription factor, Nrf2 was well known to protect cell from oxidative stress by up-regulating it's dependent anti-oxidative genes such as HO-1 and NQO1. Cheongjogupye-tang (CJGPT), a traditional herbal formula was originally recorded in 『EuiMunBeopRyul』, still having been used to treat pulmonary disease such as asthma and pulmonary inflammation, in Eastern Asian countries. However, the underlying therapeutic mechanisms remain elusive. The purpose of this study is to investigate the anti-inflammatory or anti-oxidative effects of CJGPT on the RAW 264.7 cells. To examine the anti-inflammatory or anti-oxidative effects of CJGPT, MTT assay, immunoblotting, RT-PCR and reporter gene assays were performed. Although CJGPT slightly suppressed the nuclear NF-κB expression, it did not decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory genes in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, it did not increased the transcriptional activity of NF-κB in reporter gene assay. However, CJGPT upregulated the nuclear expression of Nrf2, as well as increased the expression of Nrf2-dependent genes such as HO-1 and NQO1. In addition, CJGPT incresed the transcriptional activity of Nrf2. Taken together, our results showed that CJGPT exerts functions as an anti-oxidant mainly by activating Nrf2.