• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.66.1-66.1
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• 2003

Rhizomes of Polygonatum species belong to Liliaceae are important herbal drugs in the traditional medical practice of Asian region. Two representative Chinese drugs derived from this genus are Hwangjeong and Okjuk. Though botanical origins of these drugs are officially listed as P. falcatum, P. sibiricum and P. kingianum for Hwangjeong and P. odoratum var. pluriflorum for Okjuk in the Korean Pharmacopoeia and Korean Herbal Pharmacopoeia, respectively, they are often sold as a mixture of several different species in the market. (omitted)

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.181-198
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was to analyze definitions of herbal medicinal preparations, crude drug preparations, and new drugs from natural products in the relevant laws and regulations, understand the related problems, and propose directions for improvement. Methods : I analyzed the legal definitions in respect of herbal medicinal preparations, crude drug preparations, and new drugs from natural products in relevant laws and regulations since 1945, explained the problems, and suggested the solution-considering the academic stance of Traditional Korean Medicine and the dualistic medical and pharmaceutical system. Results : Regarding the current laws and regulations that are relevant to herbal medicinal preparations, we should 1) clarify the boundaries between the duty of physicians and that of pharmacists, 2) limit the principles of Korean Medicine as well as the contents of the related textbooks, 3) find a way to protect the intellectual property rights for herbal medicinal preparations, and 4) establish a separate standard for drug classification regarding herbal medicinal preparations. In case of crude drug preparations, we should 1) clarify the meaning and limitations of the phrase, "the point of view of Western medicine," and 2) establish a classification standard for drugs that are used in Korean Medicine and clarify the boundaries between herbal drug preparations and crude drug preparations. Furthermore, laws and regulations apropos of new drugs from natural products do not actually fit the concept of "new drug," and due to subordinate laws, a supplement to a new drug submission is contradictorily misclassified as a new drug from natural products. Conclusions : The problems of legal definitions of herbal medicinal preparations, crude drug preparations, and new drugs from natural products have emerged in the process of giving approval to drugs that are made of herbs and natural products under the dualistic medical and pharmaceutical System. Laws and regulations that differentiate the process of approving herbs that are used in Korean Medicine and the others should be established.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.47-59
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• 2014

Objectives: Most drug interactions are attributed to the inhibition or induction of the activity of cytochrome P450s (CYP450). Although the regulation of CYP450s by drugs has been widely reported, there have been few studies on influence of traditional herbal formulas on the drug-metabolizing enzymes. Because herbal formulas have been used traditionally to treat various diseases and because herb-drug interactions are crucial factors determining therapeutic efficacies, a systematic evaluation of the effects of herbal formulas is important. Methods: The effects of Galgeun-tang (GGT, gegen tang), Gumiganghwal-tang (GMGHT, jiuweiqianghuo tang), Insampaedok-san (ISPDS, renshenbaidu powder), Samsoeum (SSE, shensu drink), Socheongryong-tang (SCRT, xiaoqinglong-tang) and Sosiho-tang (SSHT, xiaochaihu tang) that are traditional herbal formulas used to treat common cold, on drug-metabolizing enzymes were evaluated through an in vitro CYP3A4, CYP2D6, CYP2C19 and CYP2E1 inhibition assay to assess its interaction potential with synthetic drugs. The inhibitory effects of herbal formulas were characterized with $IC_{50}$ values. Results: These six herbal formulas inhibited the activities of CYP3A4, 2C19, 2D6 and 2E1, in a concentration-dependent manner. Among the six herbal formulas, GGT critically inhibited CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP2E1. GMGHT also inhibited CYP2D6 and CYP2E1 to a greater extent than the other CYP450 isozymes. Additionally, SSE and SSHT may change the effects of medicines that depend primarily on the CYP2C19 and CYP2E1 pathways. On the other hand, ISPDS and SCRT were not inhibited CYP3A4, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP2E1-mediated metabolism. Conclusions: These findings provide useful information regarding the safety and effectiveness of herbal formulas.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.251-261
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• 2005

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune/inflammatory disorder with a complex genetic component. RA is characterized by chronic inflammation of the synovial membrane in the joint, which leads to the progressive destruction of articular cartilage, ligament and bone. Several cytokines such as tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}\;TNF-{\alpha}\;and\;interleukin-1{\beta}\;(IL-1{\beta})$ and interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been implicated in the pathological mechanisms of synovial tissue proliferation, joint destruction and programmed cell death in rheumatoid joint. Genome wide screening of subjects suffering from autoimmune diseases especially arthritis revealed linkage to inflammatory molecules like $TNF-{\alpha},\;IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor-kappaB $(NF-{\kappa}B)$ and human leucocyte antigen/major histocompatibility complex (HLA/MHC) locus. The status of the pharmacological mechanism of herbal drugs in the light of genome wide screening results has been discussed to reinforce the therapeutic potential and the pharmacological basis of the herbal drugs.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.365-375
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• 2024

Objectives : Herbal formula consist of multiple herbs, which can potentially interact with conventional drugs. If these interactions are not properly understood, they may reduce treatment efficacy or cause unexpected side effects. Thus, this study collected and analyzed papers on herbal formula and conventional drug interactions from PubMed to analyze various research trends. Methods : To analyze research trends on herbal formula and drug interactions, we first created search queries using a dictionary of herbal formula terms and collected related papers from PubMed using the Entrez API. The PubTator API was applied to identify compound names in the abstracts, recognizing compounds registered in the DrugBank as conventional drugs. Sentences describing interactions between herbal formulas and drugs were extracted using pattern matching, and relevant papers were selected. Trends were then analyzed by year, country, major formulas, major drugs, and interaction networks. Results : Yearly analysis showed a gradual increase in paper counts with a significant rise after 2010. Country analysis revealed that China published the most papers (53), followed by Japan (19) and South Korea (8). formula analysis identified 'sosiho-tang' and 'siryung-tang' as the most frequently mentioned (7 times each). Drug analysis showed '5-fluorouracil', 'acetaminophen', 'entecavir', and 'streptozotocin' were the most frequently mentioned (4 times each). Network analysis revealed 'sosiho-tang and tolbutamide' and 'siryung-tang and prednisolone' as the most frequently, mentioned interactions (3 times each). Disease analysis indicated 'urogenital diseases' were the most discussed (32 mentions), Followed by 'pathological conditions, signs, and symptoms' and 'digestive system diseases' (25 mentions each). Conclusions : Analyzing research trends on herbal formula and conventional drug interactions provides basic data for subsequent research, aiming to reduce side effects and enhance treatment efficacy in clinical settings.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1994

The screening of 150 Chinese drugs which are most frequently prescribed in Korean traditional medicine showed that at least 30% of the drugs affected barbiturate-induced hypnosis. This effect was mainly attributable to the alteration of drug metabolism. Phytochemical works resulted in the isolation of furanocoumarins, lignans, sesquiterpenes and saponins as drug metabolism modifiers. The structure-activity relationship is discussed.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.25-56
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• 2000

Trace element are involved in enzymatic activities, immunological reactions. physiological mechanisms. Deficiency in some trace elements, such as iron and iodine. is still an important health problem, The role of trace elements deficiency is suspected in various clinical situations and is now confirmed by well designed supplementation studies. However, the importance of trace elements as chinese herbal constituents is not sufficiently appreciated by the oriental medical profession, although in recent years a significant increase of new finding on their essential character in chinese herbal medicine occurred. It is well known that herbal medicine contains a variety of trace elements which would show therapeutic effects with active components in herbal medicine . In china, recent work showed some positive correlation between trace element and traditional chinese medicine (TCM) in terms of therapeutic effects even if their role in therapeutic effects is still obscure. In korea, not much attention has been on the therapeutic importance of trace element contained in herbal medicine Here, the therapeutic effects of trace element in TCM were reviewed and summarized. 1. Iron, copper, zinc and manganese are mainly contained in TCM. In addtion, chromium, magnesium, molybdenum, nickel, alminium, cobalt, arsenic and selenium has been studied for their therapeutic effects 2. Zinc, is decreased in patients who have deficiency of kindney(腎虛) and chronic disease. Fe is decreased in patients who have deficiency of blood(血虛). However copper is increased in patients who have chronic disease and hepatic disease.3 Iron concentration is high in herbs used for tonifying and nourishing yin or blood(補陰補血藥) Zinc concentration is high also in herb used for tonifying kidiney and vital essence(補腎補精藥). In addition. copper concentration Is high in herb used for replenishing qi(補氣藥) 4 In herbal drugs, the therapeutic substances in TCM are not only organic but also inorganic. It seems that trace elements would be one of components in herb for its therapeutic effects. This indicates that therapeutic effects of TCM should be extended not only to herb itself, bur also to trace elements contained in herb.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.10-24
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• 2021

Objectives: Yongdamsagan-tang (YST) and Paljung-san (PJS) in traditional medicine and finasteride in modern medicine are used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In recent, the use of combination herbal remedies with conventional drugs has been increasing. Therefore, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of these drugs to treat BPH and the influence of herbal formulas on finasteride metabolism. Methods: The inhibitory effects of the herbal formulas and finasteride on the production of inflammatory mediators and cytokines were determined in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Additionally, the influence of herbal formulas on activities of human drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) was assessed using human microsomal enzymes. Results: We observed that YST, PJS and finasteride inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in RAW 264.7 cells. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of YST on PGE₂ production was calculated to be below 25 ㎍/mL. YST inhibited the activity of uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransterase (UGT) 1A4 with an IC₅₀ value of 49.35 ㎍/mL. The activities of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C19, CYP3A4, and UGT1A1 were inhibited by PJS (IC₅₀ < 100 ㎍/mL, each). Although PJS and YST inhibited the activities of CYP3A4 and UGT1A4, respectively, these formulas may not influence the metabolism of finasteride because the IC₅₀ values of herbal formulas on DMEs are too high to affect metabolism. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the combination of finasteride and YST or PJS might not influence their drug metabolism and that the drugs may have synergistic effects against BPH.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.22-26
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• 1998

The medicinal plants have been used as drugs for thousands of years and many of them are used in traditional medicines. How long are these medicinal plants used as drugs\ulcorner Ebers papyrus (BC 1550) is one of the oldest documents which described more than 700 kinds of herbal drugs. Some of herbal medicines described in the papyrus are familiar and ‘Opium’ is a good example. Some of the drugs described in the papyrus are hardly recognized as drugs by the standard of present day. We can trace back the history of medicinal plants from quite different approach. The investigations on group behavior of chimpanzees in Africa by ‘The Primate Institute of Kyoto University’ has revealed that chimpanzees suffered illness take specific plants which are not taken as daily food stuff. The chemical analysis clarified that the plants contain very bitter constituents and suggested that chimpanzees take medicinal plants to cure their illness. It is worth to note that young chimpanzees just learn what elder ones take when they suffer illness, but elders never teach to their children! It is no doubt that the chimpanzee's medicinal plants were found by random, and try and error screening. The medicinal plants found in this study have been used as herbal medicines by the peoples in the region.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2009

Medicinal herbs are significant source of synthetic and herbal drugs. In the commercial market, medicinal herbs are used as raw drugs, extracts or tinctures. Isolated active constituents are used for applied research. For the last few decades, phytochemistry (study of plants) has been making rapid progress and herbal products are becoming popular. According to Ayurveda, the ancient healing system of India, the classical texts of Ayurveda, Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita were written around 1000 B.C. The Ayurvedic Materia Medica includes 600 medicinal plants along with therapeutics. Herbs like turmeric, fenugreek, ginger, garlic and holy basil are integral part of Ayurvedic formulations. The formulations incorporate single herb or more than two herbs (poly-herbal formulations). Medicinal herb contains multitude of chemical compounds like alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, resins, oleoresins, sesquiterpene, lactones and oils (essential and fixed). Today there is growing interest in chemical composition of plant based medicines. Several bioactive constituents have been isolated and studied for pharmacological activity. R. cordifolia is an important medicinal plant commonly used in the traditional and Ayurvedic system of medicine for treatment of different ailments. This review illustrates its major constituents, pharmacological actions substantiating the claims made about this plant in the traditional system of medicine and its clinical applications.