• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.149-156
• /
• 2018

Traditional medicines (TM) in Korea, China, and Japan share most of the theories and therapeutic tools, but there are also differences due to their unique histories and cultures. Here, we aim to identify the differences in the utilization of TM theory between three countries by analyzing herb usage data in terms of the related traditional theories. Herb usage data of each country was collected from "Investigation of Korean medicine use and herbal medicine consumption survey" (Korea), "Analytical report on circulation of key Chinese medicinal materials" (China), and "Survey report on raw material crude drug usage" (Japan). Fifty five herbs with sixty features belonging to five theoretical categories (four properties, five tastes, targeting meridians, treatment strategies, and herbal parts) were selected and analyzed. Weight Sum Model (WSM) and Network-Based Group Features (NBGF) were used to compare the theoretical characteristics of TM between three countries. For the statistical evaluation, we developed and applied Herb Set Enrichment Analysis (HSEA) for WSM and NBGF results. HSEA for WSM results revealed the kidney meridian were targeted more in Korea than Japan, while the spleen meridian were targeted more in Japan than Korea. Herbs with sour taste were used more in Japan than China. HSEA for NBGF results found that NBGF including warm, neutral, sweet, and tonifying features were more dominant in Korea and than Japan, while NBGF including cold, bitter, heat-clearing features were more dominant in Japan than the others. These results suggest that TM in Korea, China, and Japan have unique aspects of practice patterns and theoretical utilization.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.11-16
• /
• 2005

Objectives : This study was designed to propose the effective herb-processing method of Ginkgo Folium in the Oriental medicine. Methods : The books, papers and patents were used to examine the recent usage of Ginkgo Folium. Results : The toxic ingredients of Ginkgo Folium should be removed. Accordingly, a detoxification process using a nonpolar solvent and a vinegar-roasting process in sequence are desirable to assure its safety. The previously developed standard extract (e.g. EGb 761) could be used as a powdered Oriental medicine as well. Conclusions : Ginkgo Folium could not be used widely to treat the diseases in ancient Oriental medicine, because the toxic ingredients could not be removed by any method until recent year. However, Ginkgo Folium might be used as a herbal medicine that invigorates the blood without any difficulty using herb-processing methods suggested in this paper.

• Journal of Information Processing Systems
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.1103-1125
• /
• 2017

This paper aims to extract an ObjectProperty-UsageMethod relation, in particular the HerbalMedicinalProperty-UsageMethod relation of the herb-plant object, as a semantic relation between two related sets, a herbal-medicinal-property concept set and a usage-method concept set from several web documents. This HerbalMedicinalProperty-UsageMethod relation benefits people by providing an alternative treatment/solution knowledge to health problems. The research includes three main problems: how to determine EDU (where EDU is an elementary discourse unit or a simple sentence/clause) with a medicinal-property/usage-method concept; how to determine the usage-method boundary; and how to determine the HerbalMedicinalProperty-UsageMethod relation between the two related sets. We propose using N-Word-Co on the verb phrase with the medicinal-property/usage-method concept to solve the first and second problems where the N-Word-Co size is determined by the learning of maximum entropy, support vector machine, and naïve Bayes. We also apply naïve Bayes to solve the third problem of determining the HerbalMedicinalProperty-UsageMethod relation with N-Word-Co elements as features. The research results can provide high precision in the HerbalMedicinalProperty-UsageMethod relation extraction.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.49-59
• /
• 2016

Ginseng, a Korean native herb, has been a symbol of mystic cure-all which provides longevity benefits throughout Korean history. According to Chinese historical records, a major source of wild ginseng has been described as Korean peninsula, which is the most suitable ginseng production area, and the Manchu region near Mt. Baekdu and the Maritime Province. Since Tang dynasty period (618-917 CE), Chinese has also called ginseng as "Goryeo Ginseng", which is named after "Goguryeo" (37 BCE-668 CE), an ancient kingdom of Korea, from which they mainly imported the herb as the region was famous for its high quality of ginseng. To date, it refers to Korean ginseng. This study compares the medicinal properties of ginseng as stated in the ancient Korean medical books with the major Korean historical records regarding the usage of ginseng and its symbolism of longevity in everyday life. By contrasting these findings, we tried to figure out how the actual medicinal properties of ginseng and the anticipation of longevity are related. It was confirmed that the expectations about longevity were widely applied to everyday life. In addition, the study investigates the various usage of ginseng as a motive for decorative patterns and as an ingredient for daily products including snacks, health drinks, various types of food, clothing patterns, and so on. Finally, the usage of ginseng ingredients in the cosmetic products fulfilled the desire of Korean people to purchase, showing the aesthetic recognition and medicinal understandings about the herb. These findings suggest that ginseng is an important medicinal agent that not only symbolizes longevity and good health but also has a great influence on the lives of Koreans.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.99-113
• /
• 2014

Objectives: To provide theoretical basis for the classification of medicinal moxibustion(藥灸劑) in Health Insurance Medical Benefit in Korea through investigating trend of judicial precedents on indirect moxibustion and usage of medicinal moxibustion in "Donguibogam". Methods: We analyzed statistical data of moxibustion from Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service and National Health Insurance Statistical Yearbook. We investigated major judicial precedents on indirect moxibustion to find out some trend and we searched the usages of medicinal moxibustion in "ZhenJiuDaCheng" and "Donguibogam". Results: According to recent judicial precedents, indirect moxibustion with equipment is no loner regarded as Korean Medical Procedure. In composition of 'Oriental Health Treatment', amount for acupuncture has gradually decreased instead, amount for moxibustion has increased steadily for 5 years. Medicinal moxibustion(藥灸劑) is often used as a form of indirect medicinal moxibustion with moxa in "Donguibogam". Argyi Folium, Moschus, Natrii Chloridium, Radix Preparata, Realgar and Olibanum are most frequently used for medicinal moxibustion in "Donguibogam". Medicinal moxibustions are composed of simple prescription or herb-pair or multiple prescription in "Donguibogam". Conclusions: In Health Insurance Medical Benefit in Korea, under the division of moxibustion, direct medicinal moxibustion and indirect medicinal moxibustion should be classified in addition.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.7-18
• /
• 2015

Objectives: Loranthus ferrugineus (L. ferrugineus) from Loranthaceae, a mistletoe, is a medicinal herb used for a variety of human ailments. Traditionally, decoctions of this parasitic shrub have been mainly used to treat high blood pressure (BP) and gastrointestinal complaints; usage which is supported by experimental based pharmacological investigations. Nonetheless, there is still limited data available evaluating this plant's traditions, and few studies have been scientifically translated toward evidence based phytomedicine. We therefore provide a concise review of the currently available L. ferrugineus literature and discuss potential directions for future areas of investigation. Methods: We surveyed available literature covering ethnopharmacological usage of L. ferrugineus and discussed relevant findings, including important future directions and shortcomings for the medicinal values of this parasitic shrub. Results: Evidence based pharmacological approaches significantly covered the medicinal application of L. ferrugineus for hypertension and gastrointestinal complaint management, with a particular focus on the active hydrophilic extract of this herb. Conclusion: Understanding the sites of action of this plant and its beneficial effects will provide justification for its use in old traditional treatments, and potentially lead to the development of therapies. Other medicinal applicative areas of this parasitic shrub, such as wound healing, gerontological effects, and antiviral and anticancer activities, are yet to be researched.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.14-18
• /
• 2023

Jukyeo (竹茹; Bambusae Caulis in Taeniam: BCT) is an herbal medicine made from the inner part of the bamboo stem of Phyllostachys nigra Munro var. henonis Stapf ex Rendle or Phyllostachys bambusoides Siebold et Zuccarini. Although medical literature published in China and Korea decades ago introduced BCT as a remedy for reducing vomiting, fever, and hematemesis, decoctions containing BCT as a main herb (君藥) in Korea have been approved only for treating neurologic symptoms. Here, we discuss the anti-inflammatory function of BCT. Combined with the clinical usage of a BCT-containing decoction in treating inflammatory diseases in Japan, we raise the possibility of repurposing the BCT-containing decoctions for treating inflammatory diseases. The anti-inflammatory activity of BCT was mainly assessed by using RAW 264.7 cells. The regulation of NF-κB, Nrf2 and A20 activities was determined by western blot and quantitative RT-PCR. The list of decoctions containing BCT currently approved in Korea was obtained from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (KFDA). BCT suppressed the activity of pro-inflammatory factor NF-κB elicited by LPS, activated an anti-inflammatory factor Nrf2, and induced A20 that is known to block several inflammatory pathways simultaneously, suggesting that BCT can suppress inflammation via at least 3 different pathways. KFDA approved 11 decoctions containing BCT as a major herb, including Gamiondam-tang (加味溫膽湯; GOT), for treating neurologic disorders. Interestingly, Jukyeoondam-tang (竹茹溫膽湯; JOT), whose composition is almost identical to GOT except for one herb, has been used to treat inflammatory pulmonary disorders including Covid-19 pulmonary infection in Japan Given the anti-inflammatory function of BCT evidenced by medical literature and experimental results and the clinical usage of JOT in treating inflammatory pulmonary disorders, we suggest a repurposing and extension of the BCT-containing decoctions approved in Korea to treating inflammatory diseases.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.149-158
• /
• 2006

Objectives : This study was carried out to characterize the 'Kaolinitum' used as mineral medicine before and after physical and chemical manipulation. Methods : The mineralogy of the original raw kaolinitumes with different localities was identified by X-ray diffraction analysis. The concentrations of major, minor and trace elements of samples, furthermore, measured by the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). In order to understand the variety of kaolinitum after thermal treatment, the differential thermal analysis (DTA) and the thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) were carried out. Results : According to the result of X-ray diffraction analysis, the kaolinitumes are composed ofcalcite, alunite and quartz. Si and Al are the major ions and heavy metals such as Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn, As, Ni and Cu are included in the kaolinitumes as trace ions. The concentration of these metals in the samples decreased after physical and chemical manipulation. The weight of kaolinitum was also decreased at $500^{\circ}C$ and about $700^{\circ}C$during experiment of TGA. Conclusion : The results of this study can be used to provide the scientific basis of the medical usage of kaolinitum.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.241-245
• /
• 2006

The biofunctional properties of traditional Doenjang supplemented with the extract of herb medicines (refer as DHM) were examined DHM divided to four groups, I, II, III and IV according to herb medicines were added. Nitrite scavenging-activities from all 4 groups of DHMs were significantly higher than that of control. Also hydrogen donating-activities from all 4 groups of DHMs were slightly higher than that of control. Antibacterial activities against pathogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus mutant and Salmonella enteritidis and fibrinolytic activity of all DHMs on fibrin plate were higher than those of control. On the other those of groups III and IV were higher in sensory score, biofunctional and antimicrobial activities than those of group I, II and control. Therefore, the usage of extract of Korean herb medicines instead of water to make Doenjang will effective in development of traditional soybean Doenjang with the biofunctional properties.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.88-102
• /
• 2014

Objectives This study is to know the current usage of Ha-Taedok Method in Korean pediatrician. Methods 69 questionnaires were statistically analyzed by using PASW Statistics 18. Results 55 Korean Medicine doctors knew Ha-Taedok Method, but only 2 doctors were using Ha-Taedok Method in their practice. The doctors tend not to use Ha-Taedok Method because it was hard to get permission from the patient's caregiver. 11 Korean Medicine doctors used Ha-Taedok Method to their own children though. The pediatricians felt satisfied from the effect of Ha-Taedok Method especially because it can prevent from disease. They reported no side effect and adverse effect. Coptidis Rhizoma is a preferred herb to use along with Ha-Taedok Method. For a better result from Ha-Taedok Method, it is recommended to start within 3 days old of patient. Conclusions Ha-Taedok Method may be effective as preventive method.