• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.288-296
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• 2015

Objectives Purpose of this study was to examine difference of taste score in herbal medicine among Sasang Constitution groups. Methods Seventy-three healthy students tasted salt solution, sucrose solution, four herbal medications (Hyangsayangwi-tang, Yanggyeoksanhwa-tang, Yeoldahanso-tang, and Mihudeungsikjang-tang), and then immediately scored intension of stimuli for each taste which they felt. Data of sixty-four final participant were analyzed by SPSS version 18, as follows: frequency analysis for characteristic data of participants, Kruskal-wallis test for difference in taste score among Sasang Constitution groups, and Pearson correlation analysis for the correlation between taste score of single taste stimuli and taste scores of herbal medications. Results Significant difference was shown in sweet taste score of Hyangsayangwi-tang among Sasang Constitution groups, that Soyangin showed higher sweet taste score of Hyangsayangwi-tang than Soeumin's. No significant difference was shown in other tastes or other herbal medications. Positive correlation between taste score of sucrose solution and sweet taste score of herbal medication was shown in Soemin. Conclusions There is difference in sweet taste score of Hyangsayangwi-tang among Sasang Constitution groups. There is positive correlation between sweet taste score of sucrose solution and herbal medication. This research has limitation, so well-designed research is needed.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.109-119
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• 2012

Objectives : This study is about two patients of drug-induced secondary parkinsonism caused by antipsychotic drugs. The purpose of this study is to report the clinical effects of Sasang constitutional medicine. Methods : These two patients were treated by Sasang constitutional herbal medications based on "Donguisusebowon". We evaluated the symptoms through the score of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale(UPDRS). Results and Conclusions : The patients' chief complaints were improved. This study shows that Sasang constitutional herbal medications are an effective treatment for drug-induced secondary parkinsonism patients, but further studies are still necessary.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1 s.65
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• pp.78-90
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• 2006

Background : Traditional herbal medicine is used extensively among the Korean populations, and other Asian countries employ similar therapies as well. In recent years, extensive focus was laid on adulteration of the herbal medicine with liver damage. The use of herbal preparations as remedies for various medical conditions has continuously increased in Korea. Large proportions of Korean patients use herbal medicinal products, folk remedies, and health food. However, studies on the safety of herbal products are conducted on a less than sufficient basis even in the countries like Korea where herbal medicine is being used extensively. Some of the reports on the safety of herbs were done by the doctors of western medicine but lack of knowledge and misclassification led to misunderstandings. Objectives : This study aims to verify the evidences on safety of frequently used 4 herbal medications (Sipjeondaebo-tang, Bojungikgi-tang, Ohjeok-San, Yukmaijihwang-tang) in the lab animal model. Methods : Sprague-Dawley rats was treated by 4 herbal medications during 31 days. After 1 month, we checked body weight, liver weight, and serum enzyme associated with liver function. Results : There is no significant difference in body weight and liver weight after 1 month of administrations. In all experimental groups, no abnormal findings was observed in histotogical research and lab liver Functions test(AST, ALT etc). Conclusions : These four herbal medications, frequently used in oriental medicine clinics and hospitals, are safe from hepatoxic events in the lab animal model.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.40-48
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• 2010

Objectives The purpose of this study is to get the basic information about the actual amount of consumption of the Health supplements and Herbal Medicines. Also, we investigated the consumption differences according to the regions. Methods 500 questionnaires were handed out to parents of elementary students in O O, Gyeonggi-do province, and 331 questionnaires were collected and evaluated for this study. Results Among the 331 students, 58.4% were female, and 41.6% were male. The percentages of the subjects consuming health supplements and herbal medicines were 67.4% and 59.2% respectively. The maximum period of taking the health supplements were from 1 month to 6 month (49.5%), and the maximum period of taking the herbal medicine was within one month (55.6%). The total cost of the health supplements was less than 100,000won (43.7%), which was the most common while herbal medicine cost was between 100,000won and 200,000won (40.6%). The most common age of consuming the health supplements and herbal medicine for the first time was six to ten years old (47.3%); the case of herbal medicine was one to six years old (64.0%). Most of people purchased health supplements from pharmacy (48.0%), and purchased the herbal medicine from the oriental medical clinic (61.8%). Among those people who purchased health supplements, they bought nutritional supplements (82.8%), red ginseng or ginseng products (43.4%), plum extract products (10.9%), and chlorella products (6.8%). The reason for consuming health supplements was to be healthier even though there is no ongoing illness (47.1%), which was the most common reason. The reason for consuming herbal medicine was to cure weakness (39.3%). For the responses about effectiveness after taking medications, people thought herbal medicine seemed to be more effective compare to health supplements (72.3%, 63% respectively). Only 1.4% of the subjects consuming the health supplements showed adverse effects while herbal medicine showed 4.6%. The most common adverse effects were 'general reaction' caused by the health supplements and dermatologic problems caused by the herbal medications. Conclusions Among 331 subjects, the percentage of consuming the health supplements (67.4%) was higher than the Herbal Medicine (59.2%). The total consuming cost of the herbal medications was higher than general health supplements. Also, the maximum period of consuming the health supplements was longer than herbal medications. Therefore, it is shown that herbal medications have no price competitiveness compare to health supplements. The age of using the herbal medicine for the first time was younger than the health supplements. Even though many people can purchase both health supplements and herbal medication from pharmacies and local oriental medical clinic, it is also shown that some people thought that the health supplements should be purchased from oriental medical hospital (13.9%). The most commonly taken forms of the health supplement was nutrition-supplying products, and the second common health supplements were ginseng and red ginseng. The health supplements were commonly consumed for preventing illness and for maintaining healthy life rather than for cure diseases. On the other hand, the herbal medicine was more commonly consumed to be taller or to treat diseases. More than half of the entire people replied as 'satisfied' for their purchase. Some adverse effects and general reaction were common with the subjects consuming health supplements while dermatological adverse reaction was common with the subjects consuming herbal medications.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.135-158
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• 2010

The purpose of this survey was to find out the actual condition and the problems of combined medications of patients who have general diseases, respiratory diseases. The objects of this survey were 1,769 outpatients who visited 8 Oriental hospitals and Seoul national university hospital respiratory clinics. SPSS program was used to analyze the survey data. The mean age of patients was lower in oriental hospital than in western hospital. The monthly family incomes were higher in oriental hospital patients than in western hospital patients. The condition of patients was better in oriental hospital than western hospital and self-assessed health status was more positive in oriental hospital patients than in western hospital patients. The percentage of having experienced of treated in oriental and western hospital at the same time was 21% in western hospital patients and 45% in oriental hospital patients. In patients with respiratory diseases, the percentage of having taken combined medications was 40.2% in oriental hospital and 13.7% in western hospital. In patients with non-respiratory diseases, the percentage of having taken combined medications was 27.4% in oriental hospital and 8.3% in western hospital. And in the patients with two different diseases, the percentage of having taken combined medications was 27.9% in oriental hospital and 6.3% in western hospital. The percentage of having experienced synergistic effects was 33.0% in western hospital and 56.3% in oriental hospital. The percentage of side effects was 12.6% in western hospital and 12.2% in oriental hospital. This survey was meaningful in that it reported the actual condition of combined medications of patients who have general diseases, respiratory diseases. For the deep study on synergistic and side effects of combined medications, it is necessary to collect many cases of synergistic and side effects by doctors in western and oriental hospitals.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.131-140
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• 2022

Objectives This study aimed to investigate whether the concurrent use of conventional and herbal medications affects liver and kidney function, by examining blood test data. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of 590 inpatients with musculoskeletal diseases between 2013 and 2017. We investigated cases of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) according to the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method criteria and cases of drug-induced kidney injury (DIKI) based on the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes definition. Results One case (0.17%) of DILI and one case (0.17%) of DIKI were identified. Significant improvements in serum laboratory data were observed after the concurrent use of both types of medications (p<0.05). The kappa coefficients ranged from 0.26 to 0.72, indicating that the values after the concurrent use of conventional and herbal medications showed a fair similarity to the baseline values of the patients. The linear regression test showed that female sex and high body mass index (BMI) were risk factors for an increase in the serum blood levels of liver function parameters. Conclusions The concurrent use of conventional and herbal medications for musculoskeletal disorders is relatively safe; however, clinicians should exercise caution when prescribing these medications to female patients and patients with a high BMI because of their potential effect on hepatic function.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.161-170
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• 2021

Introduction Hand eczema is dermatitis that occurs on the hand and fingers. In this case, the patient had chronic hand eczema that had relapsed for 3 years, worsened for 6 months, and did not improve even with standard dermatological treatment. We report significant improvement of the patient with chronic hand eczema, diagnosed with Soeunmin Greater Yin Symptomatology based on Sasang Constitutional Medicine. Methods We prescribed herbal medicine, Sibimigwanjung-tang(十二味寬中湯), and the western medications were continued throughout the treatment period. To evaluate the treatment progression, we observed objective and subjective symptoms and took pictures of the patient's hands. Results At the first time of the outpatient visit, the patient complained of pain, oozing, scaling and severe itching even though she had taken dermatological medication for over 6 months. After 8 weeks of Korean medicine treatment, most symptoms showed improvement, and after about 47 weeks of treatment, the symptoms maintained 90% improvement even after stopping western medications and herbal medications. Conclusion The patient in this case showed a significant improvement of chronic hand eczema and the improvements have been maintained even stopping western medications and herbal medications during follow-up for 15 weeks. In addition, the patient showed improvement and maintenance of general conditions as well as skin-related symptoms. In this case, we can concern the effect of the Sasang Constitutional Medicine focused on treating the patient's general pathology as well as the patient's chief complaint at chronic hand eczema not responding to standard dermatological treatment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.95-104
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• 2012

Objectives: There are some controversies over the safety of herbal medication in relation to liver function. This report, therefore, aimed to analyze the safety issue of herbal medications by scrutinizing the liver function tests (LFT) results of 82 psoriasis patients on herbal medications for 3 months at an oriental medical clinic. Methods: We tested psoriasis patients' liver function periodically with Reflotron Plus of Roche during the herbal medication. Then we statistically analyzed the LFT results to see if there was any negative change. Results: Statistical analysis on the LFT results of 82 psoriasis patients showed no meaningful change caused by herbal medication over 3 months. Conclusions: From this result we conclude that herbal medication for 3 months does no harm to patients' liver function.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.43-58
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• 2020

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of various herbal medicin on gut microbiota. Methods Electronic searches were performed using NDSL, OASIS, KISS, KMBASE, K-portal, Pub med, Cochrane, CNKI. Results we analyzed 25 experimental studies on the effect of herbal medicine on microbiota. Diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease have been frequently studied in micobiota-related disease. The most common experimental animal model used in the studies C57BL/7 mouse. Among the studies wherein single herbal medication were used, Gynostemma pentaphyllum was most commonly studies, and different herbal medications were used in the studies wherein complex herbal medications were studied. Next generation sequencing was performed using Illumina MiSeq system, and gut microbiota analysis was performed using QIIME and Ribosomal Database Project (RDP). In most studies, the herbal medicines exerted regulatory effects on gut microbiota and improved the symptoms of the experimental groups. Conclusions This review provides basic data on the correlation between korean medicine and gut microbiota, as well as information for the development of korean medicine.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.402-411
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• 2011

1. Objectives: This study is about three vascular dementia patients with disorientation, memory impairment and cognitive disorder. In this study, we evaluated the effects of Sasang constitutional treatment and suggested using the Mini Mental Status Examination - Korea (MMSE-K), Global Deterioration Scale (GDS). 2. Methods: These three patients were treated by Sasang constitutional herbal medications based on "Donguisusebowon". Acupuncture and west medications were limited as much as possible. We evaluated the symptoms through the Mini Mental Status Examination - Korea (MMSE-K), GDS (Global Deterioration Scale). 3. Results and Conclusions: Disorientation, memory impairment and cognitive disorder that were these three patients chief complaints were improved. This case study shows that Sasang constitutional herbal medications are an effective treatment for vascular dementia patients.