• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 2019

Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the use of Korean Medicine for treating cauda equina syndrome. Methods We searched for studies of the use of Korean Medicine for the treatment of cauda equina syndrome in 8 electronic databases and analyzed these studies. Results We found 297 studies on cauda equina syndrome from 8 electronic databases. We excluded 230 duplicate studies, 53 studies that did not involve the use of Korean Medicine and 1 review article. In addition, 13 case studies (13 patients) were included. Acupuncture, herbal medicine (13 times), moxibustion (9 times), pharmacopuncture (8 times), physical therapy (6 times), cupping therapy (5 times), and the bladder stimulation technique (4 times) were used. ST36 for acupuncture, Bojoongikgi-tang as a herbal medicine, CV4 for moxibustion, bee venom as a pharmacopuncture material and BL23 in pharmacopuncture point were the most frequently used. Conclusions Korean Medcine for cauda equina syndrome was effective. However, we found limited evidence regarding Korean Medicine for cauda equina syndrome. Thus, we think various type of studies including much more case reports, for cauda equina syndrome should be performed in the future.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.114-120
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• 2022

Objectives: Antivenom serums have been used extensively for over a century and are the only effective treatment option for snake bites and other dangerous animal envenomations. In therapeutic serum centers, a wide range of antivenoms is made from animal serum, mainly equine and sheep, that are immunized with single or multiple venoms. This work aimed to use caprylic acid (CA) to purify therapeutic snake antivenom. Methods: Plasma was obtained from equine immunized with a mixture of venoms. Immunized plasma was obtained by precipitation of different concentrations (2-5%) of CA. This methodology was compared to that based on ammonium sulfate (AS) precipitation. Sediment plasma proteins were purified by ion-exchange chromatography. Protein assay, SDSPAGE, and agar gel diffusion were performed. Results: The total protein precipitation with AS was higher than precipitation with CA, but the best results were obtained when CA was added to the plasma until a final CA concentration of 5% was reached. Chromatography and electrophoresis indicated a stronger band for the 5% CA, and the gel diffusion assay showed antigen-antibody interaction in the purified serum. Conclusion: The use of CA compared to the routine method for purifying hyperimmune serums is a practical and cost-effective method for preparing and producing therapeutic serums. It constitutes a potentially valuable technology for alleviating the critical shortage of antivenom in Iran.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.139-144
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• 2022

Peripheral facial nerve palsy is a neurological condition/disease characterized by unilateral paralysis of the facial muscles. We report the effects of complex Korean medicine treatment in 2 patients diagnosed with Bell's palsy who developed symptoms 3-4 days following vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and who received oral steroids and antiviral medications. Complex Korean medicine treatments including acupuncture, electroacupuncture, bee venom acupuncture, cupping therapy, herbal medicine, and physical therapy were performed. Symptom improvement was evaluated daily using the Numerical Rating Scale, House-Brackmann Grade, and Yanagihara's Score. Patient 1 was hospitalized for 22 days and Patient 2 visited the outpatient clinic 20 times. In both cases, postauricular pain caused by Bell's palsy disappeared, and symptoms of facial paralysis improved following completion of treatment. These findings could suggest that combined Korean medicine treatment may improve symptoms of peripheral facial nerve palsy.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.114-122
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• 2022

Objective : The purpose of this study is to report the effect of Korean medicine treatments of abducens nerve palsy after cancer immunotherapy. Methods : A 63-year-old male patient who was suffering hepatocellular carcinoma had left eye abduction restriction, diplopia, and decreased visual acuity after taking 5^th cancer immunotherapy(atezolizumab + bevacizumab). Western medicine was administered for 3 weeks, but there was no response. The patient was treated with herbal medicine, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, moxibustion and bee venom pharmacoacupuncture for 4 weeks. Result : The patient's eye abduction restriction and diplopia were resolved. Visual acuity was improved from NRS(Numerical Rating Scale) 8 to NRS 2. The patient continued immunotherapy and there was no worsening of symptoms. No adverse events were observed. Conclusions : This study shows that Korean medicine treatments were effective on abducens nerve palsy after cancer immunotherapy.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.22-24
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• 2022

Elapid snakes have neurotoxic venom which causes diverse neuroparalytic manifestations, including fatal respiratory failure. In South Korea, since elapid snakebites are very rare, the cobra antivenom, which is effective against neurotoxicity, was only introduced recently. Most physicians in South Korea have little experience in the treatment of patients who have been bitten by elapid snakes. A 19-year-old man was brought to the emergency department with sudden diplopia, 1 hour after a snakebite on the left 2nd finger. The patient presented with drowsiness and complained of mild dizziness and binocular diplopia. After 1 hour, he had sudden onset of dyspnea and dysphagia and appeared to be agitated. He was immediately intubated and received mechanical ventilation as he was unable to breathe on his own. A total of 2.5 mg of neostigmine diluted with normal saline was slowly infused, and 1 vial of cobra antivenom was infused for an hour, 5 times every 2 hours, for a total of 5 vials. He slowly recovered self-breathing; on the 3rd day of hospitalization, he showed tolerable breathing and was extubated. He was discharged without any neurological deficits or other complications.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.73-76
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• 2022

Most of ants seem to be beneficial, whereas some of them are annoying or harmful. Among harmful creatures red imported fire ants have been notorious for not only destroying farm plants and domestic animals but also biting and killing human beings. The red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren and Solenopsis richiteri Forel, will feed on the buds and fruits of numerous crop plants. Large nests located in fields interfere with and damage equipment during cultivation and harvesting. They respond rapidly and aggressively to disturbances, and ant attacks inhibit field worker activities. A single fire can sting its target repeatedly. Young and newborn animals as well as humans are especially susceptible to the stings' venom. These pests can damage the environment by displacing native ant species and reducing food sources for wildlife. In Korea Solenopsis invicta Buren were found for the first time in Busan Gamman port in 2017. Then they were found in Incheon port, Pyongtaek port, North Daegu, Ansan in 2018 and Gwangyang in 2021. Once they invaded and occupied the terrestrial area, we have no proper solution to prevent them. I can assume that they have been successfully enlarging their colonies toward inland since they can move freely by flight. Therefore, I strongly suggest that we need to study ants in order not only to control harmful ants properly but also to preserve and use beneficial ants in this country.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.185-192
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to analyze trends in domestic and international clinical research studies on pharmacopuncture treatment for fractures. We searched five online databases (PubMed, CNKI, RISS, KISS, and OASIS), and selected a total of 13 clinical research studies from Korea and China. Selected studies were analyzed according to publication year, subject, intervention, treatment method, evaluation scale, adverse event, risk of bias, etc. A total of 10 case studies and 3 randomized controlled trials were included. The study subjects were more often female, and the most common type of fracture was vertebral compression fracture. In Korea, herbal medicine preparations and bee venom were used for pharmacopuncture solution, whereas in China, both herbal medicine preparations and Western medicine preparations were used. All studies commonly used local acupoint needling, and in most cases, the treatment period for case study was less than 1 month, and the observation period of randomized controlled trials was diverse. The most frequently used evaluation scale was numeric rating scale, adverse events were mentioned in only three studies, and no adverse events were reported. Overall risk of bias of all included randomized controlled trials was judged "some concerns". According to this study, pharmacopuncture treatment for fractures was found to be relatively effective and safe, but research that complements the limitations of this study is needed.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.173-185
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of Bong (a type of stick which is called bong) Chuna manual therapy (CMT) on the correction of posterior inferior (PI) ilium deviation, and evaluate changes of pain intensity and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) for the treatment of low back pain. Methods : We measured leg length inequality (LLI), as an indicator of correction of PI ilium, before and after the Bong CMT twice immediately, and also checked the change of LLI in the course of 10 times of treatment. Ten times of Bong CMT with oriental medical treatment, such as acupuncture and bee venom pharmacopuncture, were performed not only to correct the PI ilium deviation but also to alleviate pain. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswetry Low-back Pain Disability Index (ODI) score were scored to evaluate the pain and function of low back. Results : In this study, LLI was decreased in general while we performed correction of PI ilium deviation immediately, also effectively decreased comparing between before and after 10 times of Bong CMT, Bong CMT with oriental medical treatment improved pain and function of low back. Conclusions : These results suggest that Bong CMT may be an effective method for the correction of PI ilium deviation. However more rigorous study should be followed because of small cases report.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.7-17
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• 2014

Objectives: Condurango is widely used in various systems of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) against oesophageal and stomach ailments including certain types of cancer. However, until now no systematic study has been conducted to verify its efficacy and dose with proper experimental support. Therefore, we examined if ethanolic extract of Condurango could ameliorate benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-induced lung cancer in rats, in vivo to validate its use as traditional medicine. Methods: Fifteen male and 15 female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were treated with 0.28 mg/kg of Sweet Bee Venom (SBV) (high-dosage group) and the same numbers of male and female SD rats were treated with 0.2 mL/kg of normal saline (control group) for 13 weeks. We selected five male and five female SD rats from the high-dosage group and the same numbers of male and female SD rats from the control group, and we observed these rats for four weeks. We conducted body-weight measurements, ophthalmic examinations, urinalyses and hematology, biochemistry, histology tests. Results: A histological study revealed gradual progress in lung tissue-repair activity in Condurango-fed cancer-bearing rats, showing gradual tissue recovery after three months of drug administration. Condurango has the capacity to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which may contribute to a reduction in anti-oxidative activity and to an induction of oxidative stress-mediated cancer cell-death. Condurango-activated pro-apoptotic genes (Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, p53, cytochrome-c, apaf-1, ICAD and PARP) and down-regulated antiapoptotic-Bcl-2 expression were noted both at mRNA and protein levels. Studies on caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage by western blot analysis revealed that Condurango induced apoptosis through a caspase-3-dependent pathway. Conclusion: The anticancer efficacy of an ethanolic extract of Condurango for treating BaP-induced lung cancer in rats lends support for its use in various traditional systems of medicine.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.145-156
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to review experimental studies of Parkinson's Disease in Korean medical journals, which have been published since 1990. Methods: Experimental studies related to Parkinson's disease published in Korean medical journals, registered with Korea research foundation, were searched. Articles were grouped into journal of publication, subject, and publication year. Experimental study subjects and models were analysed. Results and Conclusions: Twenty-two articles about experimental studies of Parkinson's Disease in Korean medical journals were included in our review. There were 13 articles in which herbs were used for treatment, 4 articles in which bee venom was used for treatment, 4 articles in which acupuncture was used for treatment, and 1 article in which pharmacopuncture was used for treatment. Most of the studies used experimental models of MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease and MTT assay was used to analyse cell toxicity and cell viability. Pole test, rotarod test, Morris water maze test, and forced swimming test were commonly used to analyse MPTP-induced behavioral deficits in animals. Analysis on experimental studies of Parkinson's disease was categorized into the subjects of dopaminergic cell protective effect, cell-apoptosis protectiveness, anti-inflammatory effect, and anti-oxidative effect.