• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.465-472
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• 2021

Background: Ginseng can help regulate brain excitability, promote learning and memory, and resist cerebral ischemia in the central nervous system. Ginsenosides are the major effective compounds of Ginseng, but their protein targets in the brain have not been determined. Methods: We screened proteins that interact with the main components of ginseng (ginsenosides) by affinity chromatography and identified the 14-3-3 ζ protein as a potential target of ginsenosides in brain tissues. Results: Biolayer interferometry (BLI) analysis showed that 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD), a ginseng saponin metabolite, exhibited the highest direct interaction to the 14-3-3 ζ protein. Subsequently, BLI kinetics analysis and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) assay showed that PPD specifically bound to the 14-3-3 ζ protein. The cocrystal structure of the 14-3-3 ζ protein-PPD complex showed that the main interactions occurred between the residues R56, R127, and Y128 of the 14-3-3 ζ protein and a portion of PPD. Moreover, mutating any of the above residues resulted in a significant decrease of affinity between PPD and the 14-3-3 ζ protein. Conclusion: Our results indicate the 14-3-3 ζ protein is the target of PPD, a ginsenoside metabolite. Crystallographic and mutagenesis studies suggest a direct interaction between PPD and the 14-3-3 ζ protein. This finding can help in the development of small-molecular compounds that bind to the 14-3-3 ζ protein on the basis of the structure of dammarane-type triterpenoid.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.361-369
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• 2015

Benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH) is a common disease among male. However, its cause and treatment are not known and it is easy to relapse to the patients again after some treatment. Chinese has got an active research on BPH of traditional Chinese medicine. We researched the Chinese clinical papers from 2000 to 2014. After translating those papers, we analyzed total 45 papers by classifying those according to frequently used prescriptions, differentiation of symptoms, signs, addition and subtraction of each medicine and the quantity of frequently used medicines. Through this study it was to provide evidence in the diagnosis and treatment of BPH. The prescription of BPH was classified according to its stage. Mainly damp heat patterns(濕熱型) induce dysuria, Qi-stagnation and blood stasis patterns(氣滯血瘀型) induce pain, While Kidney deficiency patterns(腎虛型) induce sexual function disorder. This analysis report would be able to provide the basis of taking a research on BPH. In addition, it could be applied on a stereotype of BPH as well as a variety of symptoms with frequently used prescription and addition and subtraction of each medicine.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.721-727
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to review the current situation of Sasang typology studies and get a recommendation for ameliorating it by systematically reviewing articles published in Korea from 2000 to 2009. Six hundred seventy-seven articles were found by searching the representative Korean databases such as KISS, RISS, KISTI, DBPIA, NDSL and also by hand search. Yearly analysis was performed by academic field, journal, author and affiliation, type of article and content. The analysis showed that the number of published articles has increased from 61 in 2000 to 86 in 2009. 607(89.6%) were related to medical field, 627(92.6%) were published in Korean Citation Index-listed journals, and 413(68.8%) were published in the Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine. The authors listed on one article were 3.98 persons and affiliated in 1.66 departments in average. Sixty six percents are for the clinical studies or case reports, and twenty-five for Sasang type diagnosis. This study showed that more active collaborations with diverse research fields and various research methods are needed for the improvement of Sasang typology studies and the scope expansion of Korean traditional medicine.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2020

This paper suggested MyeonGu(面垢), symptom of Baekho-tang(白虎湯) in text 219 of Shang-Han-Lun(傷寒論), could be reinterpreted. There were 4 cases, 1 case on atopic dermatitis and 3 cases on psoriasis. All of them were diagnosed by Ying-Ming-Bing(陽明病) symptom. After taking Baekho-tang, SCORAD index of atopic dermatitis in case 1 improved 62.8 to 12.8 and PASI score of psoriasis in case 2, 3, and 4 improved 13.0 to 2.4, 10.8 to 0.8, and 8.6 to 1.0 respectively. Since Baekho-tang was effective for certain skin disease with Ying-Ming-Bing(陽明病) symptom, MyeonGu could be related on skin problem. MyeonGu was mainly translated in 'someone's face seems to be covered with dirt'. However if Myeon(面) is translated in 'surface of the body' and Gu(垢) is translated in 'inflammation', it means the surface of the body suffered from papules, erythema, white scales, etc. These are features of chronic inflammatory cutaneous disease like atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. This study is meaningful in case of giving specific clinical case of MyeonGu of Baekhotang text of Shanghanlun.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2017

Prolonged exposure to solar ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation has been known to cause premature skin aging (photo-aging). UVA radiation generates ROS thereby induce degenerative changes of skin such as degradation of dermal collagen, elastic fibers. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), the proteolytic enzymes have been implicated as a major player in the development of UVA-induced photo-aging. Many studies have been conducted to block the harmful effects of UV radiation on the skin. Recently, we are interested in the availability of fermented red ginseng (FRG) as natural matrix metalloproteinases inhibitors (MMPIs). The efficacy difference between red ginseng and FRG has been compared. Both RG and FRG have no cytotoxic effects below the concentration of $300{\mu}g/ml$. Human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) were pretreated with FRG or RG for 24h, followed by irradiation of UVA. Then, we measured the intracellular ROS production and the expression of MMP, $IL-1{\beta}$ at the mRNA level. We also examined the intracellular localization of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and MMP-9 on the FRG or RG treated and UVA-irradiated HDFs. FRG decreased the intracellular ROS production elicited by UVA. In addition, FRG decreased the mRNA expression of MMP-3, MMP-9, and $IL-1{\beta}$ more efficiently than RG. Furthermore, FRG suppressed the nuclear localization of $NF-{\kappa}B$, and the expression of MMP-9. Taken together, our results suggest that FRG is promising agents to prevent UVA-induced photo-aging by suppressing MMP expression and inflammation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.327-337
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to review the current clinical studies about the effect of herbal medicine for Parkinson's disease in China over the last 5 years and then to suggest the foundation for treatment and further studies. We had searched for studies in China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI, http://www.cnki.net) and PubMed from January 2010 to December 2014. Key words were the various combinations of '帕金森', '湯', '丸', '散', '中醫藥', 'Parkinson's disease', and 'herbal medicine'. Total 53 clinical studies were selected and analyzed. The most frequently used diagnostic criteria of Parkinson's disease was the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale(UPDRS). The most frequently used medical herb was Paeoniae Radix alba(白芍藥) more 30 times and the highest amount was Astragali radix(黃芪) 100g per day. The most frequent syndrome differentiation was liver kidney yin deficiency(肝腎陰 虛). We found out there are many clinical studies of herbal medicine for Parkinson's disease in China. These studies would be able to provide the basis of clinical research on Parkinson's disease, and also applied to the treatment of Parkinson's disease in Korea.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.313-327
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to predict the effects of macroscopic and integrative therapies by finding active ingredients, potential targets of Astragalus membranaceus (Am) and Cornus officinalis (Co) for diabetic nephropathy. We have constructed network pharmacology-based systematic and network methodology by system biology, chemical structure, chemogenomics. We found several active ingredients of Astragalus membranaceus (Am) and Cornus officinalis (Co) that were speculated to bind to specific receptors which had been known to have a role in the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Four components of Am and eleven components of Co could bind to iNOS; two ingredients of Am and six ingredients of Co could docking to cGB-PDE; one component of Am and nine components of Co could bind to ACE; three ingredients of Co with neprilysin; three components of Co with ET-1 receptor; four ingredients of Am and fourteen ingredients of Co with mineralocorticoid receptor; one component of Am and seven components of Co with interstitial collagenase; one ingredient of Am and ten ingredients of Co with membrane primary amine oxidase; one component of Am and four components of Co with JAK2; two ingredients of Am and one ingredient of Co with MAPK 12; one component of Am and five components of Co could docking to TGF-beta receptor type-1. From this work we could speculate that the possible mechanisms of Am and Co for diabetic nephropathy are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antihypertensive effects.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.130-137
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• 2022

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, appropriate management of sequelae and treatment of infectious symptoms became increasingly important healthcare issues. Although the practice guidelines and treatment cases based on the East Asian traditional medicine have been reported, there are rare studies on the use of Korean medicine in Korea. Therefore, this study aimed to present the progress of non-contact Korean medical treatment for infected patients at a local public health center using retrospective chart review. A total of 18 patients were prescribed with 5 days of herbal decoction and medicine extract covered by the national health insurance. With the questionnaire form, the progression and improvement of symptoms before and after treatment were evaluated using the numerical rating scale (NRS), and the treatment satisfaction and opinions were obtained. The symptoms such as cough (5.56±2.23 to 2.89±2.14), sputum (6.11±1,75 to 3.28±2.47), sore throat (6.06±2.70 to 1.47±1.62), anorexia (5.56±2.63 to 1.94±2.21), nausea (3.75±1.71 to 1.17±1.11), diarrhea (3.40±2.63 to 1.50±1.51), chest tightness (4.93±2.46 to 2.29±2.30) and fatigue (6.44±1.79 to 2.67±1.88) all improved according to the NRS, and the satisfaction with herbal medicine treatment on a 5-point Likert scale was 4.24±0.90. No side effects and adverse reactions were reported. Thereupon non-contact Korean medical treatment can be concluded that it effectively reduces the COVID-19 infection mild symptoms in restrictive extent. Since the retrospective data does not include a control group, the more confirmative data is needed by multicenter and large-scale controlled clinical study afterwards.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.543-552
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• 2010

The objectives of this study are to examine the current status and problems of herb-drug interaction (HDI) information and information database in Korea and suggest the better way to establish useful HDI database. We collected HDI studies that published in Korea and analyzed according to objective, methods, selection criteria of herbs, number of study, correlation between study subject and frequently used herbal medicine (HM). Then we selected representative HM database on the internet made by Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) among the several databases and analyzed its contents related to HDI. Several HDI studies were carried out from laboratory based research to clinical trials and HM databases have been developed for providing information about different aspects of traditional Korean medicine. But the information of HDI and information database are still far from practical applications because there are no coherence to select study subjects and methods among researchers. So, it is necessary to build up HDI database led by the government for providing systematic HDI information. HDI information database is expected to be able to provide useful evidence for health professionals in prescription and consultation to reduce the chance of adverse effects and improve the quality of medical care.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.691-698
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• 2008

The aims of this study are to search herbal medicines that have anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, anti-oxidant and whitening effects. This is preliminary study as a finding for excellent and specific natural agents which inhibit the skin aging and whitening formation. In this study, the articles and the documents, which have been published in domestically or internationally, have been searched and analyzed. Articles were gathered by taking advantage of Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea's documents, Pub med database, Korean Medical Database and Korean Studies Information Service System. Among the many species of herbal medicines, we selected the herbal medicines showing superoxide scavenging activities, and 1.1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) scavenging effects. The herbal medicines were showed anti-wrinkle effects on Metrixmetallo proteinase (MMP-1) inhibition activity and elastase inhibition activity. Also we found herbal medicines that have highly effect of tyrosinase inhibition, L- DOPA inhibition and melanin synthesis inhibition.