Korean Herbal Medicine Research Articles

진무탕으로 임상적 관해가 유도된 크론병 환자: 증례보고

Crohn’s disease (CD) is an idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with unknown etiopathogenesis. Currently there are no definitive treatment modalities for CD. This case report presents clinical remission and its maintenance of CD induced by Korean herbal medicine treatment. A 56-year-old male patient diagnosed as CD by capsule endoscopy presented to a Korean Medicine clinic with severe abdominal pain as a chief complaint. Despite taking 5-aminosalicylic acid and immunosuppressant for 2 years, his abdominal pain was worsening at the time of visit. Treatment was initiated with Jinmoo-tang based on pattern identification and continued for approximately a year with some modifications according to patient’s symptom changes. He was mainly given Jinmoo-Tang for a year and clinical remission was achieved; he could stop taking western medications. For 6 years since then, he took Korean medicine from time to time when he felt his condition went down and he is still maintaining remission. There were no adverse events reported. This case report suggests that individualized Korean herbal medicine treatment may have the potential for induction and maintenance of clinical remission of CD. Further research is warranted to establish an evidence-base for such approach.

The efficacy of the traditional Korean herbal medicine Tongsayobang for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder with symptoms of recurrent abdominal pain associated with a change in stool frequency or appearance that decreases patient quality of life. Conventional Western medicine has limited efficacy in treating IBS. Tongsayobang (TSYB) is a traditional Korean medicine that has been used to treat lower intestinal problems. This study provides a procedure for conducting a systematic review of the efficacy and safety of TSYB for IBS.Methods and analysis:The main electronic databases will be searched up to May 2021 for randomized controlled trials and quasi-randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of TSYB or modified TSYB on patients with IBS. The primary outcome will be the overall efficacy rate. The secondary outcome will be data such as IBS-related quality of life, global symptom scores, and adverse events. This study will adopt the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement, and will involve a meta-analysis, if possible. The methodological quality of the included studies will be assessed using the Risk of Bias tool from the Cochrane Handbook, version 6.1.0.Ethics and dissemination:Ethical approval is not required because this study does not include any participants’ personal information.OSF registration number:DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/M32BK (https://osf.io/m32bk)

A Review of Korean Medicine Treatment for Postherpetic Neuralgia

The purpose of this study was to analyze the Korean medicine treatment methods for Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN) in Korea. There were 5 online databases searched (OASIS, NDSL, RISS, KISS and KMBASE) for studies which were related to PHN. A total of 12 studies were selected. Various treatments such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, and moxibustion were reported treatments for PHN, some of which included Western medicine and Korean medicine treatment. Korean herbal medicine was the most frequently used treatment method, followed by manual acupuncture. Sipjeondaebotanggami was the most frequently used prescription. Poria Sclerotium was the most frequently used principal herb, followed by Angelicae Gigantis Radix, Zingiberis Rhizoma, and Ginseng Radix. GB44, LI4, LR3 were the common acupoints used for the treatment of PHN. CV12 was the most frequently used moxibustion point, and gabapentin was the most frequently used concomitant Western drug. Additional research on Korean medicine treatment of PHN is expected in the future.

The complete chloroplast genome of Artemisia Montana (Nakai) Pamp. (Asteraceae), a traditional medicinal herb in Korea

Artemisia Montana (Nakai) Pamp. is a widely used heath food and a well-known traditional Korean herbal medicine. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of A. Montana was determined using high-throughput sequencing technology. Chloroplast genome was 151,133 bp in length, with a large single-copy (LSC) region of 98,497 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,352 bp, separated by two inverted repeat (IR) regions of 17,142 bp each. It contained a total of 113 genes, with an overall GC content of 37.5%. The phylogenetic analysis showed that A. montana most closely related to A. feddei. This result will enrich the genetic resources of medicinal plant and useful for future investigation of genetics, evolution and identification of Artemisia species.

A Case Report of Hyperhidrosis with Sympathicotonia Detected by Iris Diagnosis

Objective: The aim of this case study was to describe a case of iris diagnosis of primary hyperhidrosis and the use of Korean medicine.Methods: A patient with symptoms of hyperhidrosis was diagnosed as having Taeeumin after assessment using the four basic Korean diagnostic methods. Iris diagnosis was used for further examination. The images obtained showed a remarkably defined collarette and increased nerve rings, which suggested an overactive sympathetic nerve system. Under the diagnosis of Taeeum, a Korean herbal medicine was prescribed with additional herbs to help alleviate the hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system.Results: The patient had been receiving treatment for hyperhidrosis for >30 years, with various medical attempts to relieve her symptoms, which were ineffective. She showed signs of improvement from day 4 into the treatment, and 80% of her symptoms were improved after completing a 6-week treatment course.Conclusion: The herbal medicine prescribed to the patient proved effective for reducing her chronic symptoms that had been unresponsive to previous medical treatments.

A Case Report on Drug-induced Liver Injury Induced by Antilipidemic Agents

Objective: This case report describes a patient who suffered a drug-induced liver injury and was treated with <i>Saengganggeonbi-tang</i>.Methods: A patient was treated with Korean herbal medicine, and the treatment effect was evaluated using liver function tests (LFT) to determine total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.Results: The patient’s LFT levels were normal on 27 July 2021 but became abnormal by 12 August 2021 after taking Western drugs. After 15 days of treatment with Saengganggeonbi-tang, the LFT levels had improved.Conclusion: This study shows that <i>Saenggangeonbi-tang</i> may be an effective treatment for drug-induced liver injury.

A Case Report on the Effects of Gamisachil-tang on an Anorexic Patient with Depression

Objectives: This study examined the effects of <i>Gamisachil-tang</i> on an anorexic patient with depression.Methods: A patient suffering from anorexia and depression was treated with Korean herbal medicine (<i>Gamisachil-tang</i>) for 14 days. To evaluate the therapeutic effect, we measured the daily food intake of the patient and used the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for anorexia.Results: Following treatment, both the patient’s daily food intake of the patient and VAS score for anorexia had improved.Conclusion: These results suggest that <i>Gamisachil-tang</i> has a beneficial effect on both anorexia and depression.

A Case Report of Korean Medicine Treatment of Lateral Medullary Infarction with Central Dizziness and Hypoesthesia

Objectives: The aim of this study was to report the effectiveness of Korean medicine treatment for a patient with lateral medullary infarction who presented with central dizziness and hypoesthesia.Methods: The patient was treated with Korean medicine treatment, including acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine. We measured the progress of the case using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS).Results: After the treatment, the NRS scores for dizziness and hypoesthesia decreased.Conclusions: This study suggests that Korean medicine treatment might be effective for lateral medullary infarction in patients who present with central dizziness and hypoesthesia.

A Combination of Herbal Medicine and Moxibustion Treatment is Effective for a Recalcitrant Cutaneous Warts in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report

Although warts are a common skin condition/disease that recurs in childhood, treatment completion is difficult owing to the pain associated with conventional therapies. In this case, Korean herbal medicine, Guijakjihwang-Tang, and indirect moxibustion was used to treat a recalcitrant cutaneous wart without pain and recurrence. A 7-year-old boy presented with recurrent cutaneous warts on his right hand and received cryotherapy 3 times in the previous year. The wart recurred during the course of cryotherapy treatment, and the patient did not want to suffer any more pain from the previous treatment. Therefore, parents sought an efficient and painless therapy. The patient was treated for 2 months using Guijakjihwang-Tang combined with indirect moxibustion. The prominent lesion separated in the 2nd month of treatment and completely recovered without adverse events in the 3rd month. There was no recurrence over 12 months of follow-up. This report provides meaningful insights into the use of Korean medicine as a safe, painless and efficient treatment for warts in pediatric patients.

Plastid Phylogenomic Data Offers Novel Insights Into the Taxonomic Status of the Trichosanthes kirilowii Complex (Cucurbitaceae) in South Korea.

Trichosanthes is a genus in Cucurbitaceae comprising 90–100 species. Trichosanthes species are valuable as herbaceous medicinal ingredients. The fruits, seeds, and roots of species such as T. kirilowii and T. rosthornii are used in Korean traditional herbal medicines. T. rosthornii is only found in China, whereas in South Korea two varieties, T. kirilowii var. kirilowii and T. kirilowii var. japonica, are distributed. T. kirilowii var. kirilowii and T. kirilowii var. japonica have different fruit and leaf shapes but are recognized as belonging to the same species. Furthermore, although its members have herbal medicine applications, genomic information of the genus is still limited. The broad goals of this study were (i) to evaluate the taxonomy of Trichosanthes using plastid phylogenomic data and (ii) provide molecular markers specific for T. kirilowii var. kirilowii and T. kirilowii var. japonica, as these have differences in their pharmacological effectiveness and thus should not be confused and adulterated. Comparison of five Trichosanthes plastid genomes revealed locally divergent regions, mainly within intergenic spacer regions (trnT-UGU–trnL-UAA: marker name Tri, rrn4.5–rrn5: TRr, trnE-UUC–trnT-GGU: TRtt). Using these three markers as DNA-barcodes for important herbal medicine species in Trichosanthes, the identity of Trichosanthes material in commercial medicinal products in South Korea could be successfully determined. Phylogenetic analysis of the five Trichosanthes species revealed that the species are clustered within tribe Sicyoeae. T. kirilowii var. kirilowii and T. rosthornii formed a clade with T. kirilowii var. japonica as their sister group. As T. kirilowii in its current circumscription is paraphyletic and as the two varieties can be readily distinguished morphologically (e.g., in leaf shape), T. kirilowii var. japonica should be treated (again) as an independent species, T. japonica.

Gwakhyangjeonggi-san for irritable bowel syndrome: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional bowel disorder characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort, stool irregularities, and bloating. Owing to its atypical symptoms and various mechanisms, there is no standard treatment for IBS. Gwakhyangjeonggi-san (GJS), a traditional Korean herbal medicine, has been used to treat lower intestinal abnormalities in Asia. We will systematically review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of GJS as a complementary treatment for IBS.Methods and analysis:Four English databases, namely, Medline (via PubMed), EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, will be searched for entries up to May, 2021. Additional databases will include 5 Korean databases, 1 Chinese database, and 1 Japanese database. RCTs and quasi-RCTs will be searched for to assess the effectiveness and safety of GJS. The primary outcome measure will be the overall efficacy rate, and the secondary outcome will include data such as global symptom scores, IBS Quality of Life measurements, and adverse events. Data analysis will be performed using Review Manager Version 5.3, and the risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk-of-bias tool. The quality of the results will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach.Conclusion:This systematic review will provide evidence for the efficacy and safety of GJS for IBS.OSF registration number:DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/V93JN (https://osf.io/v93jn).

3 Cases of Cancer Patients Whose Natural Killer Cell Activity Improved with Traditional Korean Medicine Treatment: A Case Series

Objectives: High natural killer cell activity (NKA) is associated with a clinically favorable status in patients with cancer. This study explores whether traditional Korean medicine (TKM) improves NKA in patients with cancer.Methods: We report three clinical cases involving patients with cancer who underwent NKA tests while they received TKM treatment, including acupuncture, moxibustion, wild ginseng pharmacopuncture, and Korean herbal medicines. We analyzed the treatment process and NKA test results of each patient.Results: The NKA of all three patients presented with an increasing tendency during the treatment process. Patient 1, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, received inpatient treatment 3 times between September 16, 2017 and February 27, 2019. The NKA increased from 7.2 pg/mL to 571.7 pg/mL. Patient 2, who had thyroid cancer, was hospitalized 4 times between July 23, 2019 and August 27, 2020. The NKA improved from 317.4 pg/mL to 2000 pg/mL. Patient 3, who had liver cancer, received inpatient treatment 4 times between May 27, 2016 and January 10, 2017. The NKA increased from 22.2 pg/mL to 459.5 pg/mL. The chief complaints of these patients also were alleviated.Conclusions: TKM may be an effective treatment for accelerating NKA. Further research is needed to establish evidence that TKM stimulates NKA.

Effects of Korean Medicine in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients - A Retrospective Chart Review

Objective: This study was designed to analyze the clinical features of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients who attended a Korean medicine hospital and the treatment effects through retrospective chart reviews.Methods: The medical records of 82 outpatients who had been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and visited the Allergy, Immune, and Respiratory System Department of Kyung Hee Korean Medicine Hospital from 8 January 2015 to 8 January 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. To assess the treatment outcomes, we used the FVC (Forced Vital Capacity), DLCO (Diffusing capacity of the Lung for CO), 6-minute walk test, and HRCT (High Resolution Computed Tomography).Results: The study group consisted of 28 females and 54 males. The median age of the patients was 67.98±11.44 years. The chief complaints were cough (n=51) and dyspnea (n=49). Other frequent symptoms were general weakness (n=8), weight loss (n=4), and a fever (n=2). A total of 77 (93.90%) patients were prescribed Korean herbal medicine, and 52 (63.41%) patients were treated with acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping therapy, ICT, or pharmacopuncture. After treatments, FVC, DLCO, the 6-minute walk test, and HRCT were maintained or worsened slightly.Conclusions: This study presented the characteristics of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients treated by Korean medical therapies, and further studies of Korean medical treatments for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients would be valuable.

골다공증의 한방 복합 처방 및 단일 본초에 대한 국내 연구 고찰 : 2013년 이후 발표된 국내 연구를 중심으로

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of single herbal medicines and Korean herbal medicine complex prescriptions for osteoporosis in Korea. We targeted studies published in domestic journals from January 1, 2013 to April 1, 2021. For domestic databases, RISS, NDSL, OASIS, DBpia, KISS, KISTI, and Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal were used. Words such as

Traditional Korean medicine treatment for tamoxifen associated adverse events of breast cancer patient: A CARE – Compliant case report

BackgroundAdverse events of endocrine therapy reduce the breast cancer patient's quality of life and adversely affect treatment compliance. MethodA 50-year-old breast cancer patient complained of several symptoms such as hot flush, hyperhidrosis, urinary frequency, and depression. These symptoms occurred after taking tamoxifen. The adverse events induced by tamoxifen were assessed using both World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre (WHO-UMC) causality categories and the Naranjo probability scale. Traditional Korean herbal medicine was used to treat vasomotor symptoms and vulvovaginal symptoms. And acupuncture was used to manage musculoskeletal symptoms. ResultsAs a result of traditional Korean medicine treatment for 25 days, symptoms and quality of life improved significantly, and improvement was estimated in the Menopause Rating Scale and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life. ConclusionThis case report suggests that traditional Korean medicine interventions might have improved the adverse events of tamoxifen in breast cancer patients.

Modified MYOMI-14 Korean herbal formulations have protective effects against cyclophosphamide-induced male infertility in mice.

Korean herbal formulation, MYOMI-14, has been reported to improve the idiopathic male infertility condition with poor semen. In this study, four MYOMI formulations were modified from MYOMI-14 by reducing the number of constituents. We investigated the therapeutic effect of MYOMI formulations on cyclophosphamide-induced male infertility using mice model. Cyclophosphamide treatment significantly decreased body weight, testicular weight, sperm count, normal-shaped sperm rate and sperm motility compared to untreated control group, whereas MYOMI formulations restore the cyclophosphamide-induced dysfunction, as determined by increased sperm count and motility, and decreased abnormally shaped spermatozoa. In addition, treatment with MYOMI formulations reduced cyclophosphamide-induced apoptosis of germ cells and oxidative stress. MYOMI-treated mice also showed improved spermatogenesis as shown by the increased expression of spermatogenesis-related genes, as cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM) and cAMP response element-binding (CREB) protein. Among the MYOMI formulations, MYOMI-7 showed better results in terms of recovering CP-induced damages to testis and improving the fertility. Taken together, this study is expected to make significant contribution to the literature by exploring various formulations that reduced constituents of MYOMI-14, a Korean herbal medicine, in treating CP-induced male infertility.

오령산 정제 개발 및 항염증 효과

Oryeong-san (ORS) is a traditional Korean herbal medicine widely used for renal associated diseases, composed of five medicine herbs; Atractylodes japonica Koidzumi, Cinnamomum cassia Presl, Polyporus umbellatus Fries, Poria cocos Wolf and Alisma orientale Juzepzuk. We studied to improve the convenience of intake and portability by developing modernized dosage forms, and examined the effect on anti-inflammation of ORS. In order to develop the tablet formulation of ORS (ORS-F), the tablets were evaluated on the basis of physical characteristics include diameter, thickness, weight variation, hardness, friability and disintegration. To analyze the marker components of ORS-F, eight index markers from five herbal medicines were chosen. And the method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode-array detector method was established for the simultaneous analysis. The biological activities were examined the effect of ORS-F on pro-inflammation mediated by LPS-stimulation. The production of nitric oxide (NO) and cytokines were determined by reacting cultured medium with griess reagent and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) were investigated by Western blot and RT-PCR. The anti-oxidant activities of OJS-F increased markedly, in a dose-dependent manner. and, The total phenolic compound and flavonoids contents of OJS-F were 10.20±0.09 ㎍/㎎ and 12.86±0.86 ㎍/㎎. OJS-F which is LPS has diminished in the LPS-induced release of inflammatory mediators (NO, iNOS, COX2 and PGE2) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β) from the RAW264.7 macrophages. Therefore, the developed formulation for tablet of ORS-F provide efficiency and usability, and indicated effect of anti-inflammation.

Dissection for Floral Micromorphology and Plastid Genome of Valuable Medicinal Borages Arnebia and Lithospermum (Boraginaceae).

The genera Arnebia and Lithospermum (Lithospermeae-Boraginaceae) comprise 25–30 and 50–60 species, respectively. Some of them are economically valuable, as their roots frequently contain a purple-red dye used in the cosmetic industry. Furthermore, dried roots of Arnebia euchroma, A. guttata, and Lithospermum erythrorhizon, which have been designated Lithospermi Radix, are used as traditional Korean herbal medicine. This study is the first report on the floral micromorphology and complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequences of A. guttata (including A. tibetana), A. euchroma, and L. erythrorhizon. We reveal great diversity in floral epidermal cell patterns, gynoecium, and structure of trichomes. The cp genomes were 149,361–150,465 bp in length, with conserved quadripartite structures. In total, 112 genes were identified, including 78 protein-coding regions, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. Gene order, content, and orientation were highly conserved and were consistent with the general structure of angiosperm cp genomes. Comparison of the four cp genomes revealed locally divergent regions, mainly within intergenic spacer regions (atpH-atpI, petN-psbM, rbcL-psaI, ycf4-cemA, ndhF-rpl32, and ndhC-trnV-UAC). To facilitate species identification, we developed molecular markers psaA- ycf3 (PSY), trnI-CAU- ycf2 (TCY), and ndhC-trnV-UAC (NCTV) based on divergence hotspots. High-resolution phylogenetic analysis revealed clear clustering and a close relationship of Arnebia to its Lithospermum sister group, which was supported by strong bootstrap values and posterior probabilities. Overall, gynoecium characteristics and genetic distance of cp genomes suggest that A. tibetana, might be recognized as an independent species rather than a synonym of A. guttata. The present morphological and cp genomic results provide useful information for future studies, such as taxonomic, phylogenetic, and evolutionary analysis of Boraginaceae.

Filum Terminale Lipoma with Herniated Intervertebral Disc Treated with Traditional Korean Medicine: A Case Report

Filum terminale lipoma is an inherited lumbosacral abnormality that can cause tethered cord syndrome. This report describes an unusual case of lumbago and sciatica, pain suspected to be caused by a filum terminale lipoma where a herniated intervertebral disc had occurred. The patient was hospitalized for 43 days and received integrative Korean medicine treatment, including acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, Chuna therapy, cupping therapy, physiotherapy and herbal medicine. Treatment effectiveness was assessed using the numerical rating scale, Oswestry Disability Index, European Quality of Life 5-Dimensions, and patient symptoms. After inpatient treatment, the pain the patient suffered was significantly reduced, and the evaluation indices scores reflected this. Integrative Korean remedies may be an effective option for lower back pain and lower extremity symptoms which are caused by filum terminale lipoma where a herniated intervertebral disc has occurred. Additional clinical research is required to support this observation.

A Survey on Acute Traffic Injury Patient's Perception on Korean Herbal Medicine

A Survey on Acute Traffic Injury Patient's Perception on Korean Herbal Medicine