• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.101-118
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• 2000

Introduction : In spite of the use of Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture in the clinics, the scientific evaluation on effects is not enough. Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture is used according to the stimulation of acupuncture point and the chemical effects of Bee Venom. The aims of this study is to investigate the analgegic effects of the Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture, through the change of writhing reflex Materials and Methods : Pain animal model was used acetic acid method. The changes of writhing reflex of the mice which were derived pain by injecting acetic acid into the abdomen, after stimulating Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture on Chungwan($CV_{12}$) and non acupuncture point on the backside were measured. Results : 1. It showed that the writhing reflex were appeared on the groups which injected aceticacid only, and saline-acetic acid group(sample I), but not on the group bee venom-saline group(sample II). 2. The change of writhing reflex by Chungwan($CV_{12}$) Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture showed significant decrease in the order of Chungwan($CV_{12}$) Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture group III($2.5{\times}10^{-3}$g/kg), II($2.5{\times}10^{-4}$g/kg), and I($2.5{\times}10^{-5}$g/kg), compared with control group. There were significant decrease of number of writhing reflex in $5{\sim}10,\;10{\sim}15\;and\;15{\sim}20$ minutes intervals of Chung wan($CV_{12}$) Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture group I, and in $0{\sim}5,\;5{\sim}10,\;10{\sim}15\;and\;15{\sim}20$ minutes intervals of II and III, compared with control group. 3. The change of writhing reflex by non acupuncture point Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture showed significant decrease in the $0{\sim}5\;and\;5{\sim}10$ minutes intervals and the total number of writhing reflex in $2.5{\times}10^{-4}$g/kg group, compared with control group 4. The effects of writhing reflex of Chungwan($CV_{12}$) Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture group showed significant decrease, compared with non acupuncture point Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture group. Conclusion : This study shows that the Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture on Chungwan($CV_{12}$) decreases the numbers of writhing reflex. As the analgegic effects of Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture is recognized. Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture treatment is expected for pain modulation. In order to use it in many ways, more researches are needed for the dose and stability of Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.153-168
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• 2000

Introduction : In spite of the use of Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture in the clinics, the scientific evaluation on effects is not enough. Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture is used according to the stimulation of acupuncture point and the chemical effects of Bee Venom. The aims of this study is to investigate the analgegic effects of the Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture, through the change of writhing reflex and the change of c-fos in secondary neurons in the spinal cord. Materials and Methods : Pain animal model was used acetic acid method. The changes of writhing reflex of the mice which were derived pain by injecting acetic acid into the abdomen, after stimulating Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture on Chungwan(CV12) were measured. We used Fos immunohistochemical technique to study the neuronal activity in the spinal cord. Results : 1. Expression of c-fos in superficial dorsal horn(SDH), nucleus proprius(NP) and neck of dorsal hom(N) on 6~9th thoracic spine decreased significantly at $2.5{\times}10-4$g/kg Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture, compared with saline-acetic acid group. 2. The numeral change of Fos-LI neurons on the NP, N, and ventral gray(V) on 6-9th thoracic spine, SDH on 9-11th thoracic spine, and SDH and V on 11~13th thoracic spine decreased significantly at Chungwan(CV12) Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture, compared with saline-acetic acid group. 3. The correlation between the numbers of writhing refleax and Fos-LI neurons in T6-13 segment was statistically statistically significant at Chungwan(CV12) Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture. Conclusion : This study shows that the Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture on Chungwan(CV12) decreases the numbers of Fos-LI neurons. As the analgegic effects of Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture is recognized. Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture treatment is expected for pain modulation. In order to use it in many ways, more researches are needed for the dose and stability of Bee Venom aqua-acupuncture.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.85-97
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• 2003

Introduction : In this study, the analgesic effect and its mechanism of bee venom aqua-acupuncture on complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats was investigated. It has been reported from a neurochemical standpoint that bee venom exerts antinociceptive effects on inflammation and that the opioid system and adrenergic system play important roles in acupuncture analgesia. however, it is not known whether central opioid and ${\alpha}2$-adrenergic components of the intrinsic descending analgesic system are activated after bee venom aqua-acupuncture. Methods : Bee venom(1mg/kg) was subcutaneously aqua-acupunctured into Joksamni($ST_{36}$) of rats with complete Freund's adjuvant(CFA)- induced arthritis and was checked of increase in TFL. Opioid and ${\alpha}_2$-adrenergic neurotransmitter system were examined by naloxone as an opioid receptor antagonist, and yohimbine as ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor antagonist prior to bee venom aqua-acupuncture. Results : The following results have been obtained. 1. The tail flick latency in the rat model with adjuvant-induced arthritis was significantly decreased in 2 weeks. 2. The tail flick latency in the rat model with adjuvant-induced arthritis was increased in bee venom aqua-acupuncture group compared to the normal saline aqua-acupuncture group. 3. Analgesic effect of bee venom was antagonized by yohimbine not by naloxone pretreatment in the rat model adjuvant-induced arthritis. Conclusions : Bee venom aqua-acupuncture has an analgesic effect on the rat model of adjuvant-induced of adjuvant-induced arthritis and has antinociception mediated by ${\alpha}_2$-adrenergic system.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.228-235
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• 2003

Objective : Psoriasis is a common skin disease and the difficulty of its medical management is well known. This study was designed to investigate the effect of bee venom aqua-acupuncture on psoriasis. Methods : Bee venom aqua-acupuncture was performed two times a week. The following points were selected: LI-11(曲池), LI-15, K-9(築賓) on both sides of body. For herbal medicine, YanHyulJiHwangTang-gami was given. We checked involvement in plaque, erythematous popules and invasiveness according to psoriasis area severity index(PASI). Results :After 9 weeks of treatment, the patient showed that itching symptoms was disappeared and score of PASI changed from 26.2 to 0. Conclusions : These results suggest that bee venom aqua-acupuncture and herbal medicine has good effect on psoriasis. But further studies are required to concretely prove the effectiveness of bee venom aqua-acupuncture for treating psoriasis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.28-40
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• 2000

Objectives : This study was purposed to investigate the effect of honey bee venom aqua-acupuncture on decreased immune response by its production from Korea, North America and China. Methods : ICR-mouse was exposed with four minute sublethal 60Co- $\gamma$ -ray irradiation onto the body and got a series of each country's 0.1 ml honey bee venom aqua-acupuncture to Choksamni(ST36) every other day for three times. Thereafter the numbers of WBC, delayed type hypersensitivity, hemagglutinin titers, hemolysin titers, quantitation of T-cell and B-cell, lymphocyte transformation, natural killer cell activity, interleukin-2 productivity and interferon productivity were measured. Results : The numbers of WBC, delayed type hypersensitivity, hemagglutinin titers, hemolysin titers, quantitation of T-cell and B-cell and lymphocyte transformation were increased respectively with statistical significance in Korean, North American and Chinese honey bee venom aqua-acupuncture groups as compared with the control group. The natural killer cell activity was increased with statistical significance in Korean honey bee venom aqua-acupuncture group, and Interleukin-2 productivity and interferon productivity were not shown any statistical significance in all experimental groups as compared with the control group. Conclusions : According to the results, honey bee venom aqua-acupuncture has significant effect on decreased immune response, and Korean bee venom can be substituted for North American and Chinese one.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.41-50
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• 2002

Objective : To study anti-inflammatory, analgesic effect and molecular biological mechanism of honey bee venom for aqua-acupuncture, human mast cell line(HMC-1) and human glioma cell line(HS683) were treated with bee venom. Methods : Cell viability of bee venom was tested by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) asssay. To explore whether anti-inflammatory, analgesic effects of bee venom are associated with the control of gene expression, quantitative RT-PCR analysis of inflammation and pain related genes was performed. Results : The MTT assay demonstrated that cell viability was not decreased by treatment with 10-9 ug/ml bee venom in comparison with 10-2, 10-3, 10-4, 10-5, 10-6, 10-7, 10-8, 10-9, 10-10 and 10-11 ug/ml. sPLA2 and COX-l were down-regulated by treatment with 10-9 ug/ml bee venom in HS683 Cell line in comparison with control. COX-2 was up-regulated by treatment with 10-9 ug/ml bee venom in HS683 Cell line and HSP-2 was up-regulated by treatment with 10-9 ug/ml bee venom in HMC-1 Cell line in comparison with control. sPLA2, COX-1 and COX-2 showed no significant regulation in HMC-1 Cell line and cPLA2 also showed no significant regulation in both HMC-l and HS683 Cell line between control and bee venom treated group.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.251-262
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• 2004

Objective: Ths research was to investigate the efficacy of bee venom theraphy on peripheral facial paralysis. Methods: Thirty patients were deyided into two groups with fifteen patients each. Group A and B were both treated with basic oriental medicine treatment, and also group A was treated with bee venom aqua-acupunture additionaly. The groups were evaluated by Yanagihara's unweighted grading system before treatment, and at every one week till four weeks after treatment. Results: The Yanagihara's scores of group B were higher than those of group A before treatment, after one week and two weeks, but not statistically significant. After three and four weeks, the Yanagihara's scores of group A were higher than those of group B, but not statistically significant. The improvement indexes of group A were higher than those of group B from the first week and statistically significant after three and four weeks. Conclusion: Combinding bee venom aqua-acupunture theraphy on peripheral facial paralysis was more efficacious than the only use of basic oriental medicine treatment.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2000

To study anti-cancer effect and molecular biological mechanism of bee venom for aqua-acupuncture, the effects of bee venom on cell viability and apoptosis were analyzed using MTT assay, tryphan blue assay, $[^3H]$thymidine release assay, flow cytometric analysis, and activity of caspase-3 protease activity assay. To explore whether anti-cancer effects of bee venom are associated with the transcriptional control of gene expression, quantitative RT-PCR analysis of apoptosis-related genes was performed. The obtained results are summarized as follows: 1. The MTT assay demonstrated that cell viability was decreased by bee venom in a dose-dependant manner. 2. Significant induction of apoptosis was identified using tryphan blue assay, $[^3H]$thymidine release assay, and flow cytomet1 ric analysis of sub $G_1$ fraction. 3. In analysis of caspase-3 protease activity, the activity had increased significantly, in a dose-dependant manner. 4. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of the apoptosis-related genes showed that Bcl-2 and Bcl-$X_L$ were down-regulated whereas Bax was up-regulated by bee venom treatment.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.57-72
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• 2002

Objectives : This study was undertaken to determine the cytotoxic effects of crude bee venom which is widely used for aqua-acupuncture in oriental medical clinic. Methods : We compared the effects of crude bee venom, apamin, melittin and MCD peptide on cellviability by MTT asssay. Results : The obtained results are summarized as follows: 1. Bee venom, apamin, melittin and MCD peptide showed concentration--dependent cytotoxic effect in some human cell lines(human glioma cell line과 neuroblastorna, human mast cell line) for 24 and 48 Hour treatment. 2. Bee venom, apamin, melittin and MCD peptide showed dose-dependent cytotoxic effect in some human cell lines for 24 and 48 Hour treatment. 3. Bee venom treatment for 24 and 48 hour showed higher cytotoxic effects than apamin, melittin and MCD peptide. Conclusions : These results suggest that bee venom, apamin, melittin and MCD peptide have concentration- and dose- dependent cytotoxic effect in some human cell lines. But further study is needed for optimal concentration and dose.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.236-243
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• 2003

Objective : The purpose of this study is to report the patient with radial nerve palsy, who improved by oriental medical treatment. Methods : The patient was managed by bee venom aqua-acupuncture, sclp acupuncture and herbal medicine. We took picture of the patients's wrist and checked the power of muscles. Results : After 4 week treatment, the movement and power of wrist was restored of nearly normal range. also the numbness of hand was removed. Combined oriental medical treatment can treat radial nerve palsy earlier than other methods. Conclusions : The results suggest that combination of bee venom aqua-acupuncture, scalp acupuncture and herbal medicine is good method for treatment of radial nerve palsy. But further studies are required to concretely prove the effectiveness of this methods for treating radial nerve palsy.