Pharmacopuncture Therapy Research Articles

Pharmacopuncture therapy for adhesive capsulitis: A pragmatic randomized controlled pilot study

BackgroundAlthough several studies have reported the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for adhesive capsulitis (AC), research on pharmacopuncture therapy for AC remains limited. We compared the effectiveness and safety of pharmacopuncture and physiotherapy for AC. MethodsThis pragmatic, randomized, controlled, parallel-group pilot study enrolled patients with limitations of shoulder movement and a numeric rating scale (NRS) score for shoulder pain ≥5 randomized (1:1) to the pharmacopuncture therapy (PPT) and physiotherapy (PT) groups. Treatment sessions were administered twice weekly for 6 weeks, and the participants were followed up for 13 weeks after randomization. The primary outcome was the NRS score for shoulder pain, and the secondary outcomes were the visual analog scale (VAS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), range of motion (ROM), patient global impression of change (PGIC), EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L), and Short Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12) scores. The intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis was set as the primary analysis. ResultsAmong 50 participants, for the primary endpoint (week 7) the PPT group showed a significantly superior improvement in NRS, VAS, SPADI, ROM for flexion, ROM for abduction, and EQ-5D-5L scores. The ROM for extension, ROM for adduction, physical component summary, and patient global impression of change were significantly better in the PPT than in the PT group, and these effects were sustained until week 13. ConclusionIn this pilot study, PPT showed better effects than PT, confirming the feasibility of a follow-up main study. Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov (NCT05292482) and cris.nih.go.kr (KCT0007198).

Effectiveness and Safety of Pharmacopuncture Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Study Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

Effectiveness and Safety of Pharmacopuncture Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Study Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

Pharmacopuncture Therapy as an Adjunctive Treatment for Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.

Pharmacopuncture therapy (PPT) combines medicinal extracts with acupuncture and is widely used as an adjunct in clinical practice. This study assessed the safety and feasibility of PPT in addition to conventional Korean Medicine treatment (CKMT), including electroacupuncture, cupping and infra-red, for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Forty patients diagnosed with LSS were randomly assigned to undergo PPT with CKMT (experimental group) or CKMT alone (control group) at a 1:1 ratio, receiving 10 sessions of each intervention over five weeks. The primary clinical outcome was measured using the 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for buttock and leg pain five weeks post-treatment. Secondary outcomes included clinically important difference (CID), Zurich Claudication Questionnaire, self-reported walking capacity, Modified-Modified Schober test, EuroQol 5-dimension 5-level questionnaire, and the patient's global impression of change. The adverse events were assessed at each visit. The analysis of covariance was conducted to compare between two groups. Intervention completion rates were 95% and 100% in the experimental and control groups, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found between groups regarding the primary outcome (adjusted mean difference: 8.0; 95% confidence interval: -1.4-17.4). The mean difference in the 100-mm VAS for low back pain at week 5 (adjusted mean difference: 12.9; 95% confidence interval: 2.4-23.4) and the proportion of patients who reached the minimum CID was higher in the experimental group than in the control group. However, no significant differences were observed with other secondary outcomes. One patient in the experimental group experienced a systemic skin rash that resolved the same day, whereas the adverse events in the other group were mild and transient. This trial demonstrated the feasibility of add-on effects and the safety of pharmacopuncture in patients with LSS. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the add-on effects of PPT in treating LSS. Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS), KCT0007229; registered on April 26, 2022.

A Case Report of a Chronic Adult Atopic Dermatitis Patient Improved by Herbal Medication and Pharmacopuncture Therapy

A Case Report of a Chronic Adult Atopic Dermatitis Patient Improved by Herbal Medication and Pharmacopuncture Therapy

A Study on the Significance of Acupuncture and Pharmacopuncture Therapy for Cold Accumulation Through a Literature Review on the Historical Development Process in Cold Accumulation Treatment

In order to secure clinical evidence for the treatment of cold accumulation (CA), this study reviewed and analyzed 91 records of literature and related records. To perform a classical literature search, the Oriental Medicine Classic databases and the Uibujeonrok electronic data were searched. Books on Immuno-pharmacopuncture (IP) were also reviewed. A common etiology for CA was attributed to the abdomen, while the detailed sites of the abdomen differed. In IP, CA had a more comprehensive list of symptoms of physiological and pathological significance. As for the treatment of CA, typically, herbal medicine was used until the end of the Korean Empire period, and moxibustion treatment on CV4, CV6, CV-12, ST36, EX-B4, and conduction exercise therapy were also reported. Since 1965, acupuncture needle-based invasive treatment such as acupuncture for CA, and IP have been described in IP theory. Consequently, the treatment of CA (as described in the IP theory), was considered to be a more advanced method of treatment compared with the existing classical treatment methods.

Pharmacopuncture for nerve entrapment syndrome: A protocol for systematic review.

Nerve entrapment syndrome occurs when the nerves become compressed or entrapped and restricted. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of pharmacopuncture in patients with nerve entrapment syndrome. A search will be conducted from inception to August 2022 using the following 11 electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and 6 Korean databases. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating pharmacopuncture treatment for various nerve entrapment syndromes will be considered, with no restrictions regarding the type of pharmacopuncture solution used. Two reviewers will perform the data extraction and quality assessment using a predefined data extraction form. The methodological quality of the included RCTs will be assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. This systematic review will provide high-quality evidence to determine the efficacy and safety of pharmacopuncture therapy for nerve entrapment syndrome. Our findings will be informative for patients with nerve entrapment syndrome, as well as clinicians, policymakers, and researchers.

Current state of research on acupuncture for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A scoping review.

To provide an overview of the range and characteristics of existing evidence, research gaps, and future research priorities in treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with acupuncture. Clinical studies on acupuncture treatment for ALS were searched in 9 databases and two websites. Two independent researchers screened the literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria; extracted the demographic data, interventions, and significant findings of the studies; and comprehensively analyzed the characteristics and limitations of the included articles. A total of 2,326 studies were retrieved, of which 92 were included. Most of the studies were conducted in China, with the number increasing over time. Study designs included case reports, case series, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and before-and-after studies, among which case reports were the most frequently used. A total of 1,388 patients were enrolled, of whom 1,031 had ALS, 274 had progressive bulbar palsy (PBP), 60 had progressive muscle atrophy (PMA), and 23 had primary lateral sclerosis (PLS). Acupuncture interventions included body acupuncture, electroacupuncture, acupoint injection, scalp acupuncture, acupoint massage, Sa-am acupuncture, needle-embedding therapy, auricular acupuncture, venom pharmacopuncture therapy, plum blossom needling, acupoint paste, electroacupuncture, and needle warming through moxibustion. The most frequently used acupoints were ST36, LI4, SP6, and LI11. Acupuncture is often applied in combination with other treatments, such as herbal or Western medicine. The frequency of treatment ranged from once a month to three times a day, and the duration of treatment ranged from 5 days to 3 years. Clinical symptoms, muscle strength, and effective rates were the most frequently used outcomes. Most studies reported significant efficacy, and only a few studies reported adverse events explicitly. Evidence gaps include poor study design, complex interventions, limited significance of the selected outcomes, and limited study reporting. The promotion of acupuncture treatment for ALS still faces several obstacles. Rigorous study design and conduct, standardized intervention and outcome measurements, and normative reporting are needed to investigate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment for ALS.

Effectiveness and Safety of Pharmacopuncture Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial.

PurposeChronic low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder that affects everyday life; moreover, it occasionally causes disability and increases medical expenditure. This pragmatic randomized clinical trial aims to investigate the effects of pharmacopuncture on chronic LBP by comparing the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture and physiotherapy strategies.Patients and MethodsIn this two-armed, parallel, multi-center randomized controlled study, the participants will randomly undergo 10 sessions of pharmacopuncture therapy or physiotherapy over five weeks based on the randomization outcomes. The primary outcome will be the numeric rating scale (NRS) score of LBP. The secondary outcomes will include the NRS score of radiating leg pain, visual analog scale (VAS) score of LBP and radiating leg pain, Oswestry disability index, the Korean version of the Roland–Morris disability questionnaire, patient global impression of change (PGIC), short Form-12 health survey version 2, and 5-level EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D-5L).ConclusionThis protocol aims to examine the comparative effectiveness of pharmacopuncture, which is a widely used therapy in Korean medicine, with respect to the standard therapy through a pragmatic randomized controlled trial to present useful data to facilitate clinical or policy decision making.Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov (NCT04833309); Clinical Research Information Service (KCT0006088).

Comparison of Ultrasound Guided Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy Effect and Unguided Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy Effect on Cervical Facet Joint of Acute Cervical Pain Patient Caused by Traffic Accidents: A Retrospective Study

Comparison of Ultrasound Guided Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy Effect and Unguided Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy Effect on Cervical Facet Joint of Acute Cervical Pain Patient Caused by Traffic Accidents: A Retrospective Study

A Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Pharmacopuncture Therapy for Chronic Neck Pain: A Pragmatic, Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Background: This two-arm, parallel, pragmatic, multicenter, clinical randomized, controlled trial with a 12-week follow-up period aimed to compare the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture therapy and physical therapy strategies for chronic neck pain. Methods: Eight sessions of pharmacopuncture therapy or physical therapy were administered within 2 weeks. The primary outcome was the visual analogue scale (VAS) score for neck pain. The secondary outcomes were the scores of the Northwick Park questionnaire (NPQ), VAS score for radiating arm pain, numeric rating scale (NRS) for neck and arm bothersomeness, neck disability index (NDI), patient global impression of change (PGIC), 12-item short form health survey (SF-12), and EuroQoL 5-dimension 5-level (EQ-5D-5L) instrument. The protocol was registered with Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04035018) and CRIS (KCT0004243). Results: We randomly allocated 101 participants with chronic neck pain to the pharmacopuncture therapy (n = 50) or physical therapy group (n = 51). At the primary endpoint (week 5) the pharmacopuncture therapy group showed significantly superior effects regarding VAS score for neck pain and arm bothersomeness, NRS for neck pain, NDI, NPQ, and PGIC compared with the physical therapy group. These effects were sustained up to 12 weeks after follow-up. Conclusion: Compared with physical therapy, pharmacopuncture therapy had superior effects on the pain and functional recovery of patients with chronic neck pain.

Comparison the Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy Effects of Ultrasound Guided Group and Unguided Group on the Patients' Facet Joint with Acute Low Back Pain Caused by Traffic Accidents: A Retrospective Study

Comparison the Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy Effects of Ultrasound Guided Group and Unguided Group on the Patients' Facet Joint with Acute Low Back Pain Caused by Traffic Accidents: A Retrospective Study

The Effectiveness of Ultrasound-Guided Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy at Acromioclavicular Joint of Shoulder in Patients with Anterior Shoulder Pain: A Retrospective Study

The Effectiveness of Ultrasound-Guided Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy at Acromioclavicular Joint of Shoulder in Patients with Anterior Shoulder Pain: A Retrospective Study

A Retrospective Chart Review of 114 Patients with Knee Pain at a Korean Medicine Hospital Who Had Been Involved in a Traffic Accident

Background: This study aimed to investigate the demographic characteristics of patients with knee pain caused by traffic accidents and test the effectiveness of Korean medicine (KM) treatment.Methods: The medical charts of 114 inpatients with knee pain caused by a traffic accident were reviewed from July 1, 2019 to October 31, 2019 at Bucheon Jaseng Hospital of KM. The patients’ demographics including gender, age, period of hospitalization, and type of pharmacopuncture and herbal medicine prescribed were reviewed. The Numeric Rating Scale scores and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores were used to assess subjective knee pain.Results: There were more females (55%) than males in this study. Patients were more likely to be in their 30s (27.2%), be hospitalized for 11-14 days (41.2%), treated with Hwangryunhaedok pharmacopuncture (78.1%), and be prescribed Hwalhyeoljitong decoction (62.3%).The mean Numeric Rating Scale score for patients with knee pain caused by a traffic accident decreased significantly from 4.26 ± 1.39 to 2.53 ± 1.60 (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and the mean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score also decreased significantly from 32.72 ± 18.36 to 23.40 ± 15.80 (<i>p</i> < 0.001) following KM treatment.Conclusion: As a result of analyzing 114 hospitalized patients with knee joint pain due to TAs, inpatients were more likely to be female (55%), a patient in their 30s (27.2%), and be a patient hospitalized for 11-14 days (41.2%). KM treatment of traumatic knee injury using pharmacopuncture therapy and herbal medicine can be an may be effective at reducing pain, and healing functional disorders of the knee.

항암화학요법 유발 말초신경병증에 대한 봉독 약침 요법의 효과 및 기전에 대한 실험연구 고찰

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most common dose-limiting side effects of neurotoxic chemotherapeutic agents that lead to decreased quality of life and dose reduction, delay or even cessation of treatment. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the effect and the underlying mechanisms of bee venom (BV) pharmacopuncture therapy for CIPN in animal models. We searched for the available experimental literature using BV for CIPN through the Pubmed databases. Ten experimental studies were finally included in this review. In the oxaliplatin or paclitaxel-induced CIPN animal model, BV significantly relieved pain caused both mechanical and cold stimulation. It was suggested that the effect of BV is mediated by the stimulation effect of spinal α1- and α2-adrenergic receptors as a potential mechanism. In the future, more experimental studies are needed.

The Research Trends of Pharmacopuncture Therapy on Cervical Pain Caused by Traffic Accidents.

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study is to comprehensively review Korean domestic studies and investigate the research trends of pharmacopuncture therapy on cervical pain caused by traffic accidents.MethodsDomestic studies between February 1999 and May 2020 from four Korean databases were searched with combinations of keywords ‘cervical pain’, ‘traffic accident’, ‘whiplash injury’, and ‘pharmacopuncture’.Results17 studies were selected for review, including 7 randomized controlled trials, 5 retrospective observational studies, 3 case reports, and 2 non-randomized controlled trials. Each study was reviewed by published year, study type, types of pharmacopuncture solutions, selected acupuncture points, dosage of pharmacopuncture solutions, frequency of treatment, concurrent treatments, outcome measurements, and the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture therapy. The results are as follows (1) It showed that the total number of published studies had increased slightly in the last 10 years compared to the previous decade. (2) The pharmacopuncture solutions used in the studies were in the following order Bee-Venom (蜂毒), Jungsongouhyul (中性瘀血), Hwangryunhaedoktang (黃連解毒湯) and Soyeom (消炎). Frequently used acupuncture points were GB20, GV21, A-shi point, GV16, EX-B2, and SI15 in order. (3) The most commonly used total injection dosage was 1.0 cc at a time, and the frequency of treatment was twice a week. (4) Concurrent treatments such as acupuncture, herbal medication, physical therapy and Chuna manual therapy were performed in all 17 studies. (5) Pharmacopuncture therapy showed positive effects on cervical pain caused by traffic accidents in all 17 studies reviewed.ConclusionPharmacopuncture therapy was effective in cervical pain caused by traffic accidents in all 17 studies selected. Further studies will be needed using more larger scales and more objective data to confirm the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture therapy and to generalize its application.

The Analysis of Korean Clinical Studies on the Effect of Pharmacopuncture for Whiplash Injury after Traffic Accidents.

ObjectivesWhiplash injury is one of the major diseases in recent times because of increasing traffic accidents. This review aims to analyze the overall trend of studies on pharmacopuncture for whiplash injury after traffic accidents.MethodsWe searched through 4 Korean electronic databases from 2001 up to October 2020 for relevant clinical studies for whiplash injury after traffic accidents, regardless of the patients’ age, gender, or race. We included studies that had an intervention group receiving pharmacopuncture therapy with or without other additional treatments, and also included studies that had a control group receiving sham treatment or active treatment such as physical therapy and herbal medication. For the clinical outcomes, we did not place any restrictions on evaluation scales if they are objective metrics.ResultsWe included 6 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 10 non-randomized controlled trials (nRCTs). 10 nRCTs were divided into 4 categories that were case-control studies, case series, case report, and retrospective observational study. In RCTs, Hwangryun-haedoktang (黃蓮解毒湯) pharmacopuncture was the most frequently used. In nRCTs, Jungsong-ouhyul (中性瘀血) pharmacopuncture, and bee venom pharmacopuncture were the most frequently used. As target points of Hwangryun-haedoktang pharmacopuncture, Ashi-points, Jianjing (GB21), and Fengchi (GB20) were the most frequently used. As target points of Jungsong-ouhyul pharmacopuncture, Ashi-points were the most frequently used. And as target points of Bee venom pharmacopuncture, Fengchi (GB20) was the most frequently used.ConclusionHwangryun-haedoktang pharmacopuncture, bee venom pharmacopuncture, and Jungsong-ouhyul pharmacopuncture were mainly used for whiplash injury, and their usual target points were Jianjing (GB21), Fengchi (GB20), and Ashi-points. However, a high level of evidence should be conducted through studies with systematic methodology in the future.

Usage of informed consent form for Bee-venom pharmacopuncture Therapy at korean medicine hospitals and Proposal for development of a standard informed consent form.

Usage of informed consent form for Bee-venom pharmacopuncture Therapy at korean medicine hospitals and Proposal for development of a standard informed consent form.

A study on the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture for chronic neck pain

Neck pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder that impacts individuals' daily life, and might sometimes lead to disability and increased medical costs. Pharmacopuncture combines acupuncture with herbal medicine, in which herbal extracts are administered on the acupoints. We designed a pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture and physical therapy as a treatment for chronic neck pain. This study is a 2-armed, parallel, multi-center RCT. The participants will be randomly assigned to pharmacopuncture or physical therapy group to receive their respective 8-session treatments for 4 weeks. The primary outcome is the visual analogue scale of neck pain. Secondary outcomes is the Northwick Park questionnaire, visual analogue scale of radiating arm pain, numeric rating scale of the neck and arm bothersomeness, neck disability index, patient global impression of change, short form-12 health survey version 2, and 5-level EuroQol-5 dimension. This is a protocol for a pragmatic RCT that would attempt to present evidence conducive to clinical decision or policy-making by investigating the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture therapy, a widely used approach in Korean medicine clinical practice, in comparison to the standard therapy.

Pharmacopuncture for Stroke: An Overview of Meta-Analyses

Objectives This study is an overview of the meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials investigating the clinical effectiveness and safety of pharmacopuncture for patients with stroke. Methods Core electronic databases were searched from their inception to 21 May 2019. A measurement tool to assess systematic reviews (AMSTAR 2) was applied to screen high-quality studies. The results of these studies were summarized, and additional meta-analysis was conducted. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to evaluate the certainty of evidence. Results Sixteen studies met eligibility criteria. Four were excluded owing to insufficiency of AMSTAR 2 or low data reliability. The finally selected 12 studies were about pharmacopuncture using either a single herb extract, such as Dengzhan xixin, Sanch, Ginkgo biloba, or Acanthopanax, or a mixture of herbs, such as Compound danshen, Shenxiong, Xingnaojing, or Mailuoning. Most of the patients were from China, with acute ischemic stroke. All the studies using a pharmacopuncture versus a non-pharmacopuncture design reported the significant superiority of pharmacopuncture on every outcome measure. On the other hand, in a few studies, pharmacopuncture was inferior to active control in improving neurological deficit. Few studies reported adverse events. Conclusions It is difficult to apply the results of this study directly to Korea, because the level of evidence is generally low and the clinical settings and social acceptance of pharmacopuncture therapy differ in Korea and China. Further studies are warranted to confirm the domestic applicability of evidence generated in China and to create evidence that supports the domestic situation. Keywords: stroke, cerebrovascular attack, pharmacopuncture, herbal drug injection, overview of systematic reviews

A Comparative Study on the Pain and Treatment Satisfaction between Korean Medical Treatment Combined with Ultrasound Guided Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy in Thoracic Paravertebral Space and Non-Guided Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy on Patients with Ribs Fracture: A Retrospective Study

A Comparative Study on the Pain and Treatment Satisfaction between Korean Medical Treatment Combined with Ultrasound Guided Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy in Thoracic Paravertebral Space and Non-Guided Soyeom Pharmacopuncture Therapy on Patients with Ribs Fracture: A Retrospective Study