• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.740-746
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• 2004

In order to identify the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of natural herbal extracts, widely used in the Korean traditional medicine, an in vitro screening system was designed using pGL3, a luciferase reporter vector, and the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and cyclooxygenase (COX)-II as target genes. The promoter regions of each gene was generated by PCR using the human chromosome as template DNA, and inserted into pGL3 vector with Kpnl and Hindlll. The final construct was transfected into human myleomonocytic leukemia cells (U937) that could be differentiated and activated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Using this system, we tested the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of several herbal extracts being regarded to have the medicinal effects of diminishing the body heat and complementing Qi. The well-known chemicals of PD98059 and berberine chloride were used as controls of the transcriptional inhibitors of TNF-α and COX-II, respectively. Among them, Salvia miltiorrhiza (Dan-Sam) was found to exhibit the significant medicinal properties of anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.880-886
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• 2004

Phellinus igniarius has been clinically used for the treatment of hemorrhoidal fistula, dysmenorrhea and the prevention of cancer in traditional oriental medicine. Recent studies showed that Phellinus igniarius produced anti-cancer, anti-metastasis and immuno-modulatory effects, There is lack of studies regarding the effects of Phellinus igniarius on the immunological activities. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Phellinus igniarius on the regulatory mechanism of cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) for the immunological activities in Raw 264,7 cells. After the treatment of Phellinus igniarius water extract, cell viability was measured by MTT assay, NO production was monitored by measuring the nitrite content in culture medium. COX-2 and iNOS were determined by Immunoblot analysis, and levels of cytokine were analyzed by sandwich immunoassays. Results provided evidence that Phellinus igniarius inhibited the production of nitrite and nitrate (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the activation of phospholylation of inhibitor κBα (p-IκBα) in Raw 264.7 cells activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These findings suggest that Phellinus igniarius can produce anti-inflammatory effect, which may play a role in adjunctive therapy in Gram-negative bacterial infections.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.255-260
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• 2018

Chung-Sang (CS) is an experimental herbal remedy that is formulated to treat respiratory diseases implicated by inflammation. The herbs comprised of CS are frequently prescribed for treating various inflammatory symptoms: Menthae haplocalycis Herba, Magnoliae Flosis, Xanthii Fructus, Herba Asari, and Caryphylli Flos. Here, we prepared the extract of CS with boiling water (wCS) or with 50 % ethanol (eCS) and examined whether the two different extracts of CS exhibit a toxicity to cultured cells and mice. RAW 264.7 cells were treated with wCS or eCS, and the cytotoxicity of these extracts to RAW 264.7 cells was determined by an MTT assay. Although the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species that are detrimental to the cells was not increased by the extracts, the cytotoxicity to the cells was evident from 10 mg/ml of wCS and 100 mg/ml of eCS, suggesting that eCS is less cytotoxic. When mice (n = 10/group) received a single intratracheal wCS or eCS daily for 14 days, wCS yielded 40 % mortality, whereas eCS showed none. Both wCS and eCS did not significantly affect the weight of the body and of vital organs, except the lung. Biochemical analyses of mice blood indicated no damage to liver or kidney. However, unlike eCS, wCS significantly increased the level of IgE in serum. Collectively, our results show that eCS was less toxic than wCS, suggesting that CS prepared with 50 % ethanol is preferential over the conventional way of preparing CS.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1444-1448
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• 2008

Down-regulation of melanin synthesis is required for recovery of pigmentary disorders and it is well known that ${\alpha}$-MSH induced melanin synthesis and dendrite outgrowth on melanocytes. This study was conducted to evaluate the depigmenting properties of ethanol extract from a Lavandula vera. The ethanol extract from Lavandula vera inhibited melanin contents and tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner, compared with untreated group. Treatment of the ethanol extract of Lavandula vera effectively suppressed the ${\alpha}$-MSH-stimulated melanin formation, tyrosinase activity and dendrite outgrowth. Moreover, the ${\alpha}$-MSH-induced mRNA expression of tyrosinase was significantly attenuated by Lavandula vera treatment. These results suggest that Lavandula vera exerts its depigmenting effects through the suppression of tyrosinase and cytoplasmic dendricity. And it may be a potent depigmetation agent in hyperpigmentation condition.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1500-1508
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• 2008

The author investigated whether Chwiyeon-tang(PC), Haengso-tang(PH), Jawanchihyo-san(PJ) and Gamisocheongryong-tang(PS) significantly affect both PMA-induced mucin production and MUC5AC gene expression in airway epithelial cells and sulfur-dioxide-induced airway goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus hypersecretion animal model using rat. Possible cytotoxicity of each herbal medicine was assessed by measuring the survival and proliferation rate of NCI-H292 cells. Confluent NCI-H292 cells were pretreated for 30 min in the presence of PC, PH, PJ and PS, respectively, and treated with PMA(10 $ng/m{\ell}$), to assess the effect of each herbal medicine on PMA-induced mucin production by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Effects of each herbal medicine on PMA-induced MUC5AC gene expression from the same cells were investigated. Also, hypersecretion of airway mucus and goblet cell hyperplasia were induced by exposure of rats to $SO_2$ during 3 weeks. Effects of orally-administered PC, PH, PJ and PS during 1 week on intraepithelial mucosubstances and hyperplasia of goblet cells were examined using histological analysis after staining the epithelial tissue with PAS-alcian blue. (1) PC, PJ, PS and PH did not show significant effects on the survival and proliferation of NCI-H292 cells ; (2) PC, PJ and PS significantly decreased PMA-induced mucin production from NCI-H292 cells ; (3) PC, PJ and PS significantly inhibit the expression levels of PMA-induced MUC5AC gene in NCI-H292 cells ; (4) Among PC, PJ, PS and PH, only PS decreased $SO_2$-induced hyperplasia of airway goblet cells and intraepithelial mucosubstances. This result suggests that PC, PJ and PS can not only affect the production of mucin but also affect the expression of mucin gene and this can explain, at least in part, the traditional use of PC, PJ and PS for controlling airway diseases showing hypersecretion of mucus in oriental medicine.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.55-65
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• 2010

The narration of "Donguibogam" is focused on humans whilst medical books before it focused on diseases. This is shown from the first subtitle of External Body(身形門) chapter, [The Origin of Hyung-Ki(形氣之始)]. The contents of [The Origin of Hyung-Ki] explains that the human body is composed of 'Hyung(形)' and 'Ki(氣)' This perspective is shown throughout "Donguibogam". First, in the aspect of construction, the viewpoint is shown from the JipRye(集例). It divides the body into inside and outside, which is a result of Hyung-Ki perspective. This continues in the table of contents. Naegyeongpyeon(內景) and Oehyeongpyeon(外形) describes the inside and outside of the body, in other words 'Hyung-Ki'. Japbyeongpyeon(雜病) describes complex illnesses with mixed insides and outsides. Tangaekpyeon(湯液) and Chimgupyeon(鍼灸) can be understood as division of treatment methods into inside and outside. When we look at the contents, the human body is created on the basis of the essence and vital energy of the world. Cheon-Ki becomes the 'Ki' that forms the functions of the body, while Ji-Ki becomes the 'Hyung' that constructs the bodily structure. It is considered that 'Hyung' is composed of SaDae(the body essence, vital energy, mentality and blood), and 'Ki' is composed of OSang(the five Jang organs and six Bu organs). 'Hyung' and 'Ki' show various appearances according to physiology and pathology. 'Hyung' is especially shown by obesity or thinness, 'Ki' by color. The obese may have Ki deficiency, coldness, dampness or phlegm. The thin could have blood deficiency, heat, fire or dryness. The color could show the pathology of the five Jang organs by the five colors, but it can simply be divided into black and white, where black means Eum deficiency, and white means Yang deficiency. It is said that the distinctive feature of traditional Korean medicine is that it is a constitutional medicine. In this perspective, further study on 'Hyung-Ki' is of value. If "Donguibogam" was the foundation of the Sasang Constitutional Medicine(四象醫學), study on 'Hyung-Ki' means searching for the origin of the Sasang Constitutional Medicine. Also, the study on Sasang Constitutional Medicine and Hyungsang medicine(形象醫學) will show the modern image of "Donguibogam". Hence, interchange study between "Donguibogam", Sasang Constitutional Medicine and Hyungsang medicine through the term 'Hyung-Ki' could hopefully lead to academic progression.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1192-1198
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• 2004

Sasang Constitutional Medicine is a major branch of Korean Traditional Medicine. The differences of disease susceptibility to be shown in Sasang constitution may be due to genetic factors. Therefore, I examined interrelationship among cerebral infarction (CI), apolipoprotein E (apo E) gene polymorphism, and Sasang constitutional classification. Apo E is a key protein modulating the highly atherogenic apoB containing lipoproteins and is a candidate gene for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). The ε2 and/or ε4 alleles were the first to be implicated in premature CAD, which resulted in this polymorphism being extensively studied. I investigated the association between apo E genotype and CI by case-control study in a Korean population. I also classified CI patients and control group into groups according to Sasang Constitutional Medicine. 218 CI patients and 379 controls without CI were examined. Apo E genotype was determined by 8% polyacrylamide gel separation after DNA amplification. A frequency of apo E ε3/ε3 in the apo E genotype distribution was higher in the CI patients compared with that in controls. Also, it was widely known that Taeumin was easily attacked with CI, but there was no association between apo E polymorphim and Taeumin. However, the Taeumin constitution did not enhance the relative risk for CI in the subjects with apo E ε2 and/or ε4 alleles. No differences in the apo E genotypes frequencies were observed in the Taeumin compared with that in the other constitutions. In addition, I investigated whether the DD(deletion/deletion) or ID(insertion/deletion) genotype of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene, a candidate gene for CI, was associated with CI, Taeumin constitution, and apo E polymorphism. As a result, the frequency of Taeumin constitution was significantly higher in CI patients with both apo E ε3/ε4 and ACE ID/DD genotypes than in the remaining Sasang constitutions. In summary, it was concluded that the apo E polymorphism is a major risk factor for CI in Koreans and the ACE ID/DD genotype enhanced the relative risk for CI in the subjects with apo E ε3/ε4 genotype and Taeumin constitution.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1179-1185
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• 2004

The Korean traditional medicine, Seonghyangjeonggisan (SHJGS) has long been used for acute cerebral infarction (Cl). However, scientific investigation has been carried out a little. Cytokines, involved in the regulation of inflammatory reactions and immune responses, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of Cl. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of SHJGS on the production of various cytokines in the patients with acute Cl. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from the patients with acute Cl were cultured for 24hr in the presence or absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). The amount of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8, in PBMC culture supernatant, was significantly increased in the LPS and PHA treated cells, compared with unstimulated cells (P<0.05). This study showed that increased TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 level stimulated by LPS and PHA was inhibited by SHJGS (0.01-1 ㎎/㎖) in a dose-dependent manner but IL-8 level was not inhibited significantly at 1㎎/㎖ (P>0.05). The maximal inhibition rate of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 by SHJGS (1㎎/㎖) was 68% (P<0.05), 53.9% (P<0.05), 45.5% (P<0.05), 46.7% (P>0.05) respectively. These results suggest that SHJGS might have anti-inflammatory effects through cytokine modulation. which might explain its beneficial effects in the treatment of acute Cl.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1449-1455
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• 2004

Bufonis venenum (dried toad venom; Chinese name, Chan su) is a traditional Chinese medicine obtained from the skin venom gland of the toad. It has long been used in treating arrhythmia and other heart diseases in China and other Asian countries. Additionally, Bufonis venenum has been reported to selectively inhibit the growth of various lines of human cancer cells. In the present study, it was examined the effects of extract of Bufonis venenum (EBV) on the growth of human bladder carcinoma cell line T24 in order to investigate the anti-proliferative mechanism and induction of apoptosis by EBV. Treatment of T24 cells to EBV resulted in the growth inhibition, morphological change and induction of apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that EBV treatment caused G2/M phase arrest of the cell cycle and down-regulation of cyclin A, cyclin B1 and Cdc2, which was associated with a marked up-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) inhibitor p21 (WAF1/CIP1) in a p53-independent manner. The Cdc25C expression was also significantly inhibited by EBV treatment, however Wee1 kinase expression was not affected. The induction of apoptotic cell death by EBV was connected with down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-XS/L expression without alteration pro-apoptotic Bax expression. Taken together, these findings suggest that EBV may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the control of human bladder carcinorma cells and further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds that confer the anti-cancer activity of EBV.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2005

This paper is mainly on the medical comments in ${\ulcorner}$Sanbeon-bang(刪繁方)${\lrcorner}$. Among the medical comments in ${\ulcorner}Sanbeon-bang{\lrcorner}$, the Ojang-noron(五臟勞論) which deals with the Hanyeolheosil(寒熱虛實) of Ojang(五臟) and Yukgeuknon(六極論) which deals with the Hanyeolheosil of 'Geun-Maek-Yuk-Gi-Gol-Jeong(筋脈肉氣骨精)', remain perfectly. By way of these theories, it argues on various types of pathogenic states and syndromes. Related to the Ojang-noron, ${\ulcorner}Sanbeon-bang{\lrcorner}$ suggests a characteristic tonifying method which is 'Exhaustion syndromes should tonify the son organ(勞則補子法)'. It is the supplement of traditional 'Reinforcing the mother organ when treating cases of deficiency(虛則補其母)'. With the Ojang-noron, the comments about 'Samcho(三焦)' remain relatively intact in ${\ulcorner}Sanbeon-bang{\lrcorner}$. The contents are based on ${\ulcorner}$Yeongchu Yeongwisaenghoe(靈樞 營衛生會)${\lrcorner}$, combined the contents of ${\ulcorner}$Nangyeong 31st difficulty(難經 三十一難)${\lrcorner}$ and the meridian line in ${\ulcorner}$Yeongchu Gyeongmaek(靈樞 經脈)${\lrcorner}$. They were quoted untouched in ${\lrcorner}Cheongeumyo-bang{\lrcorner}$ by Son Sa-mak, and became the fundamental structure of Samcho-theory of after ages. Among the medical comments in ${\ulcorner}Sanbeon-bang{\lrcorner}$, there has been much dispute over the problem about 'Chu-Tae-eum(秋太陰), Dong-So-eum(冬少陰)'. This study will pay attention to the connection between Wang Bing's views of ${\ulcorner}Sanbeon-bang{\lrcorner}$ for compilation of ${\ulcorner}Chaju-Hwangje-Naegyeong-Somun{\lrcorner}$ and the original ${\ulcorner}Sanbeon-bang{\lrcorner}$. Judging from this study, Wang Bing may have referred to ${\ulcorner}Sanbeon-bang{\lrcorner}$, ${\ulcorner}Oedaebiyo-bang{\lrcorner}$ or another medical book of similar stock, and from this he may have reconstructed the attribute of Eum-Yang(陰陽) which is related to Pye and Sin. Wang Bing's disciples may have referred to ${\ulcorner}Sanbeon-bang{\lrcorner}$, or with Wang Do, the writer of ${\ulcorner}Oedaebiyo-bang{\lrcorner}$, building up the main medical current in those days.