• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.977-981
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• 2005

Most inflammatory disorders are usually treated using anti-inflammatory drugs including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (SAID). In a prolonged use, however, they may frequently produce adverse side-effects. Thus, it is necessarily required to develop a new anti-inflammatory drug with little side-effects. Nephrite has been widely used by traditional oriental medicine to cure the various chronic diseases. In order to verify the anti-inflammatory activity of nephrite, the TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-acetate) or the croton oil-induced edema was developed in the mouse ears and the nephrite powder suspension or the nephrite water was directly applied to the ear edema. It was found that nephrite could significantly reduce the ear swelling implying its strong potential as an active anti-inflammatory agent when comparing to indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.690-696
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• 2006

Houttuynia cordata Thunb, well known as 'E-Sung-Cho' in Korea, is a traditional medicinal plant generally used in Oriental medicine therapy. In the present study, we investigated the effect of water extract of H. cordafa (WEHC) on the growth of human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells. Exposure of MCF-7 cells to WEHC resulted in growth inhibition and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner as measured by MTT assay and fluorescent microscope. The anti-proliferative effect of WEHC was associated with a dose-dependent up-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 in a p53-independent fashion. We found WEHC decreased the levels of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthease (iNOS) expression without significant changes in the expression of COX-1 , which was correlated with a decrease in prostaglandin $E_2{\;}(PGE_2)$ synthesis. Taken together, these findings provide important new insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer activity of H. cordata.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.589-595
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• 2011

In order to analyze principles of taking concoction and make clear the origin of contraindication against five pungent vegetables, the regulations of Guizhitang prescription in "Shanghanlun" the twelfth article and "Wushierbingfang", "Wuweihandaiyijian", "Jinguiyaolue" were researched. Four principles of taking concoction were put in order; strengthening the effect of concoction by eating hot rice gruel and wearing bedclothes, preventing decline of drug effect by food regulations, optimization of elution and effect of material herbs by crushing, low heating, determination of administration time based on manifestations of drug effect by sweating and its aspect. These principles and methods of taking concoctions were developed from boiling to simple processing of material herbs, contraindication in the middle of taking concoction and perspiration by wearing bedclothes and eating hot rice gruel in order from the analysis of medical literatures. The contraindication against pungent vegetables were generalized in early Dong-Han dynasty already, and the five pungent vegetables were inferred as Allium tuberosum, Allium bakeri regel, spring onion, wild rocambole and garlic in medical context to the exclusion of religious idea. The reason of prohibition against five pungent vegetables could be interpreted as optimization of therapeutic effects by pharmacological control of pungent ingredients because the healthy qi damage and evil qi retention were resulted from destroying of harmonious ying and wei by overeating pungent vegetables during disease state. Conclusively the regulations of Guizhitang prescription referred to taking concoction in "Shanghanlun" fulfilled their functions to maximize pharmacological effects through various ways inside and outside and these reasonal principles of taking concoction has been influenced over the traditional medical practice deeply.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.334-340
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• 2019

In order to promote scientification of Korean medicine, two hypothetical scenarios were proposed methodologically. Firstly, the scientification of Korean medicine requires a comprehensive understanding of the process and reality, and new logical procedures and the methods of observation and experiment. Secondly, transformation to revised Korean medicine is to replace traditional Korean medicine with biochemistry-based Western medicine, that is a method of reconstructing the recognition foundation describing symptoms and diseases using anatomical platforms and analytical tools. But there are areas of human training and practice that are not subject to scientification, and there are incommensurable parts as for the methodology between western medicine too. And additionally arbitrary rejection by uniform science with a political reason was done. So these various backgrounds and factors should be considered for the scientification of Korean medicine. And before that, reflection and agreement on the understanding and attitude of the method of scientification within the Korean medical community is necessary.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.311-317
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• 2020

In the present experimental study, cecal ligation and puncture significantly increased the myocardial injury assessed in terms of excess release of creative kinase-MB (CK-MB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), interleukin (IL)-6 and decrease of IL-10 in the blood following 12 h of laparotomy procedure as compared to normal control. Also, a significant increase in protein expression levels of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and decreased phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) was observed in the myocardial tissue as compared to normal control. A single independent administration of telmisartan (2 and 4 mg/kg) and AR-A014418 (1 and 2 mg/kg) substantially reduced sepsis-induced myocardial injury in terms of decrease levels of CK-MB, cTnI and IL-6, HMGB1, GSK-3β and increase in IL-10 and p-GSK-3β in the blood in sepsis- subjected rats. The effects of telmisartan at dose 4 mg/kg and AR-A014418 at a dose of 2 mg/kg were significantly higher than the telmisartan at a dose of 2 mg/kg and AR-A014418 1 mg/kg respectively. Further, no significant effects on different parameters were observed in the sham control group in comparison to normal. Therefore it is plausible to suggest that sepsis may increase the levels of angiotensin II to trigger GSK-3β-dependent signaling to activate the HMGB1/receptors for advanced glycation end products, which may promote inflammation and myocardial injury in sepsis-subjected rats.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.961-967
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• 2011

This study is about 'Ji-Qi-Shang-Chong(其氣上衝)' in Shang-han-lun("傷寒論")'s 15th text. Shang-han-lun is a basic text about pathology of Traditional Korean Medicine written by Zhang-Zhong-Jing(張仲景). In that text, there are so many cases of people having some symptoms, how to treat them, and which herb medicine to give them, and the side effects of wrong treatments. In those cases, there is symptom said 'Ji-Qi-Shang-Chong(其氣上衝)' in the 15th text. But there is no detailed description about that. So this study is aimed at studying exactly meaning of the 15th text's 'Ji-Qi-Shang-Chong(其氣上衝)' by comparing historical medical practitioners and analyzing with the bibliography, pathology, herb pharmacology, herbal medicine, pharmacology part. In the bibliographical analysis, this sentence has been transmitted from original Shan-han-lun written by Zhang-Zhong-Jing(張仲景). Former part of this sentence "太陽病, 下之後, 其氣上衝者, 可與桂枝湯". is most correspondent part with Zhong-Jing(仲景)'s. And there is correctional possibility about latter part.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.567-570
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• 2007

A 72 year-old male patient with Pneumonia and Cerebral infarction was treated. He was suffering from cough, sputum, fever, decreased mentality and dyspepsia. His symtoms were diagnosed as damp and phlegm of the Spleen and the Stomach, and he administered Hwajung-Tang(和中湯). After 23 days, clinical symptoms of Pneumonia had improved. Results of Chest PA and CBC profile also showed improvement. These results support a role for oriental medicine treatment in the treatment of elderly patients with Pneumonia.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1521-1528
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• 2009

This study aimed to know the association between health practices(Alameda 7) and health state according to Sasang Constitution. We recruited 204 subjects whose age were between 10 and 80, excluding individuals who have physically or psychologically serious diseases, and women in pregnancy among Korean population in Traditional Korea Clinics. They were diagnosed by Sasang constitution specialists and confirmed clinically with Sasang constitution drug response with past medical records. We used the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey(SF-36) to estimate health state related with quality of life. We statistically analyzed association using SPSS 17.0K for window. According to Sasang Constitution, smoking and exercising were associated with health degree in Tae-eumin, smoking, drinking, diet and snacking in So-eumin, and past smoking, drinking, sleeping and exercising in So-yangin. These results suggest that there are different health practices for health promotion according to Sasang constitution. Therefore we have to consider the differences of Sasang constitution in health care plan.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1437-1442
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• 2005

Tongue Diagnosis is the important traditional oriental medical diagnosis method that observes not only the general physiological state but also some kinds of disease. However, manual tongue diagnosis is much influenced by surrounding illumination. Therefore, Digital Tongue Inspection System(DigiTis) is needed for the quantification of objective tongue information, In this research, Tongue images of 98 malignant Neoplasm patients and 34 normal persons were collected by Digital Tongue Inspection System. Statistical analysis of tongue images and patient data indicates that cancer group has more blue-purple components in tongue body(舌質) and yellow components in tongue coating than normal group. Also, there are a lot of rose-pink components in the cancer group of second stage and blue-purple components in the cancer group of third or fourth stage. Our study shows that tongue image is a useful index for distinction between disease and health. Furthermore we need more extended research through the additional sampling and various disease.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.206-219
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• 2010

To establish the fundament for EBM of Traditional Korean Medicine, the papers on Sagunja-tang(Sijunzi-tang) frequently used in medical institutions of Traditional Korean Medicine were analyzed through researching domestic and international papers. The papers were classified by the registration of domestic or international journals, the year of publishment, experimental fields and the kinds of studies on biological activities. Of total 228 papers on Sagunja-tang(Sijunzi-tang), 121 volumes were selected according to creteria. 47 volumes were published in domestic journals, 71 in Chinese journal, 2 in Japanese journal, and 1 in Taiwan journal. The papers on instrumental analyses were preceeded by HPLC, MS, GC with standard compounds of herbal medicine in Sagunja-tang(Sijunzi-tang). The papers on biological activities of Sagunja-tang(Sijunzi-tang) showed improvement of gastrointestinal activity and blood circulation, immunoactivity, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-fatigue, anti-stress, pharmacokinetics, hepatic protection, radioprotection, muscular activity, hematopoiesis and nontoxical effect. Further studies including gastrointestinal disorder, immune related disease, cancer, oxidative injury and pharmacokinetic study need to be preceeded to establish the fundament for EBM of Sagunja-tang(Sijunzi-tang).