Anti-anger Effects of Herbal Medicine: A Mini-Review of Rat Studies / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the available data on the anti-anger effects of herbal medicines (HMs) as well as their underlying mechanisms in rat models.@*METHODS@#From 6 electronic databases [PubMed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS), and Research Information Sharing Service (RISS)], relevant animal experiments were searched by using "anger," "rats," and "animal" as search keywords. The last search was conducted on November 22, 2019, and all experiments involving rat models of anger and treatment using HMs published until the date of the search were considered.@*RESULTS@#A total of 24 studies with 16 kinds of HMs were included. Most studies have used the "tail irritating method" and "social isolation and resident intruder" method to establish anger models. According to the included studies, the therapeutic mechanisms of HMs for anger regulation and important herbs by their frequency and/or preclinical evidence mainly incladed regulation of hemorheology (Bupleuri Radix, Paeoniae Radix Alba, and Glycyrrhizae Radix), regulation of sex hormones (Bupleuri Radix, Cyperi Rhizoma, and Paeoniae Radix Alba), regulation of neurotransmitters (Cyperi Rhizoma), regulation of anger-related genes (Bupleuri Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix, and Paeoniae Radix Alba), and other effects. Overall, Liver (Gan) qi-smoothing herbs including Bupleuri Radix and Cyperi Rhizoma were the most frequently used.@*CONCLUSIONS@#This review found the frequent methods to establish an anger model, and major mechanisms of anti-anger effects of HMs. Interestingly, some Liver qi-smoothing herbs have been frequently used to investigate the anti-anger effects of HM. These findings provide insight into the role and relevance of HMs in the field of anger management.

The Effects of the Korean Medicine Health Care Program on Stroke-Related Factors and Self-Care Enhancement

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to examine the effects of the Korean medicine healthcare program on stroke-related factors and self-care enhancement. METHODS: This study was a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design study (N = 58 participants), with 28 in the treatment group (Korean medicine health care program) and 30 in the control group (no intervention). The program was conducted twice a week for 2 hours, for a total of 12 weeks. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in systolic (p = 0.005) and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.006), cholesterol (p < 0.001), blood glucose (p < 0.001), self-esteem (p = 0.001), self-efficacy (p < 0.001), health perception (p < 0.001), and the health behavior (p < 0.001) between the experimental group and the control group. CONCLUSION: Thus, the Korean medicine healthcare program was effective in managing stroke-related factors and enhancing self-care, and should be actively used to develop community health promotion strategies to prevent strokes and prepare long-term measures.

The Korean Traditional Culture and Spirituality: Its Application to Psychiatry / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to examine the characteristics of spirituality in Korean traditional culture and to apply these to the basic concepts of psychiatry. METHODS: The author interpreted books concerning traditional culture, including God-concept, death-concept, world-view of afterlife, Shamanistic thinking, traditional religion, as well as traditional culture in general, such as play, music, art, dance, literature, pottery, architecture, naming method, authentic recordings (Shillock), and Hangul. RESULTS: The common characteristic of spirituality reflected in the reviewed materials was ‘Gegensatzvereinigung’ which means the unification of opposing concepts. The unity of the Western and Eastern cultures, the old and the new, death and life, the rich and the poor, and the concrete and the abstract are examples of ‘Gegensatzvereinigung.’ CONCLUSION: The ultimate goal of psychiatric treatment is to maintain the harmonious interaction among thinking, affect and behavior. Furthermore, the most harmonious interaction is to unify into one. Thus, the spirituality of traditional culture can be applied to psychiatric treatment.

Severe Ulnar Nerve Injury After Bee Venom Acupuncture at a Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic: A Case Report

This case report describes a severe nerve injury to the right ulnar nerve, caused by bee venom acupuncture. A 52-year-old right-handed man received bee venom acupuncture on the medial side of his right elbow and forearm, at a Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) clinic. Immediately after acupuncture, the patient experienced pain and swelling on the right elbow. There was further development of weakness of the right little finger, and sensory changes on the ulnar dermatome of the right hand. The patient visited our clinic 7 days after acupuncture. Electrodiagnostic studies 2 weeks after the acupuncture showed ulnar nerve damage. The patient underwent steroid pulse and rehabilitation treatments. However, his condition did not improve completely, even 4 months after acupuncture.

Analysis of the current status outpatient utilization of medical and Korean traditional medical institutions: focuse on outpatient frequent outpatient diseases

The purpose of this study was to analyze the current status of utilization of medical and Korean traditional medical institutions. In this study, we used a sample cohort database from the National Insurance Service and frequency analysis was performed. The major results are as follows. First, the majority of users of medical institutions were found to use medical facilities. However, patients with three musculoskeletal disorders and two disease of respiratory diseases showed higher utilization rates of Korean traditional medical institutions and a highter overlapping utilization rate than those with other diseases. Second, they also visited medical facilities more often and spent more on medical expenses than those who used only medical institutions. Therefore, there is a need for policies that directly or indirectly restrict the use of overlapping medical care for the same disease so that limited medical resources can be used efficiently.

Efectividad de la terapia Su-Jok en pacientes con dolor por espolón calcáneo / Effectiveness of the Su-Jok therapy in patients with pain due to heel spur

Se realizó una intervención terapéutica en 128 pacientes con dolor por espolón calcáneo, seleccionados aleatoriamente, quienes fueron tratados en el Departamento de Rehabilitación del Hospital General Docente "Orlando Pantoja Tamayo" en el municipio de Contramaestre, de la provincia de Santiago de Cuba, de enero del 2014 a abril del 2015, con vistas a evaluar la efectividad de la terapia Su-Jok. Se conformaron 2 grupos: uno de control, que recibió tratamiento convencional, y otro de estudio, en el cual se aplicó la terapia Su-Jok. Luego de efectuado el análisis estadístico mediante las pruebas de hipótesis de homogeneidad de la Χ² y de diferencias de medias (ambas técnicas con un error permisible de 5 %), pudo concluirse que la terapia Su Jok es efectiva para aliviar el dolor por espolón calcáneo, por lo que se recomendó promoverla para ello debido a su fácil empleo y bajo costo.

A therapeutic intervention was carried out in 128 randomly selected patients with pain due to heel spur, who were treated in the Rehabilitation Department of "Orlando Pantoja Tamayo" Teaching General Hospital in Contramaestre municipality, Santiago de Cuba province, from January, 2014 to April, 2015, with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of the Su-Jok therapy. Two groups were formed: a control group which received conventional treatment, and a study group, in which the Su-Jok therapy was applied. After the statistical analysis was carried out by means of the homogeneity and hypothesis tests of homogeneity of Χ2 and the means differences (both techniques with a permissible error of 5%), it could be concluded that the Su-Jok therapy is effective to mitigate the pain due to heel spur, so it was recommended to promote it taking into account its easy use and low cost.

Terapia combinada de homeopatía y Su Jok en pacientes con herpes zóster / Combined therapy of homeopathy and Su Jok in patients with herpes zoster

Se realizó un estudio cuasi-experimental, de intervención terapéutica, en 60 pacientes con herpes zóster, que asistieron a la consulta de Dermatología del Hospital General Docente "Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso" de Santiago de Cuba, desde julio del 2012 hasta marzo del 2014, a fin de determinar la efectividad de la terapia combinada de homeopatía y Su Jok, para lo cual se utilizaron pruebas estadísticas paramétricas y no paramétricas. Los pacientes fueron asignados aleatoriamente a 2 grupos; en uno se aplicó el tratamiento convencional (grupo de control) y en el otro, la terapéutica alternativa (grupo de estudio) Se emplearon los remedios homeopáticos Sulphur, Apis mellifica, Rhus toxicodendron y Daphne mezereum; las semillas de cardo santo para estimular los puntos de correspondencia de Su Jok y los medicamentos aciclovir, dipirona y difenhidramina. En la serie predominaron las féminas (38,3 %), los grupos etarios de 45-64 años (58,3 %) y la forma clínica intercostal (38,3 %); asimismo, los síntomas más frecuentes fueron el dolor, prurito y ardor, con primacía del primero (51,6 %). La terapia combinada de Su Jok y homeopatía mostró resultados similares (83,3 %) a los obtenidos con la convencional (86,6 %) y produjo mínimos efectos adversos (6,6 %).

A quasi-experimental study of therapeutic intervention in 60 patients with herpes zoster who attended the Dermatology department of "Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso" Teaching General Hospital in Santiago de Cuba was carried out from July, 2012 to March, 2014, in order to determine the effectiveness of the combined therapy of homeopathy and Su Jok, for which parametric and not parametric statistical tests were used. The patients were randomly assigned into 2 groups; in one the conventional treatment was applied (control group) and in the other, the alternative therapy (study group) . The homeopathic remedies Sulphur, Apis mellifica, Rhus toxicodendron and Daphne mezereum; the thistle saint seeds to stimulate the correspondence points of Su Jok and the medications acyclovir, dipirone and diphenhydramine were used. In the series females (38.3%), the age group 45-64 years (58.3%) and the intercostal clinical form (38.3%) prevailed; also, the most frequent symptoms were pain, pruritus and ardour, with primacy of the first one (51.6%). The combined Su Jok therapy and homeopathy showed similar results (83.3%) to those obtained with the conventional therapy (86.6%) and it produced minimum adverse effects (6.6%).

Adverse Events Associated with Metal Contamination of Traditional Chinese Medicines in Korea: A Clinical Review

This study was performed to review studies carried out in Korea reporting toxic reactions to traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) as a result of heavy metal contamination. PubMed (1966-August 2013) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1965-August 2013) were searched using the medical subject heading terms of "Medicine, Chinese Traditional," "Medicine, Korean Traditional," "Medicine, Traditional," "Metals, Heavy," and "Drug Contamination". For Korean literature, Korea Med (http://www.koreamed.org), the Korean Medical Database (http://kmbase.medric.or.kr), National Discovery for Science Leaders (www.ndsl.kr), Research Information Sharing Service (http://www.riss.kr), and Google Scholar were searched using the terms "Chinese medicine," "Korean medicine," "herbal medicine," and "metallic contamination" in Korean. Bibliographies of case reports and case series, identified using secondary resources, were also utilized. Only literature describing cases or studies performed in Korea were included. Case reports identified clear issues with heavy metal, particularly lead, contamination of TCMs utilized in Korea. No international standardization guidelines for processing, manufacturing and marketing of herbal products exist. Unacceptably high levels of toxic metals can be present in TCM preparations. Health care providers and patients should be educated on the potential risks associated with TCMs. International advocacy for stricter standardization procedures for production of TCMs is warranted.

Effects of Fusion-Food Cooking Activity on Elementary School Students' Knowledge, Preferences and Perceptions of Korean Traditional Foods / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to develop a fusion-food cooking program and apply that to sixth grade elementary school students, and to investigate its' effects on their knowledge, preferences, and perceptions of Korean traditional foods. The program focused on ten components. Students learned the general features of Korean traditional foods and Western foods in the 1st lesson. They learnt about kinds, nutrition value, and histories of kimchi, Tteok (rice cake), and Jeon (pan fried food), and cooked two fusion-foods of kimchi, Tteok, and Jeon each. As a result of learning about those food items, the students advanced their knowledge (p < 0.001) of kimchi, Tteok, and Jeon. Their preferences for Tteok (p < 0.05) and Jeon (p < 0.01) were increased, but those for kimchi remained unchanged. The interest (p < 0.05) and preferences (p < 0.01) for the general Korean traditional foods were increased. In conclusion, our results suggested that the fusion-food cooking program had the ability to improve elementary school students' perceptions of Korean traditional foods by increasing their knowledge, preferences, and interest in them. Furthermore it was considered that the program could help students understand the value of Korean traditional foods and in turn may encourage them to consume such food items more frequently. Since the fusion-food cooking activity program can be a good learning program as shown by the results of this study, more fusion-foods cooking activity programs, which are not discussed in this study, should be evaluated and developed in the future.

A study on the customer's perception of Korean traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do

This study was conducted to investigate the consumption pattern and perception of traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products in male and female adults aged 19 and over in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas in order to promote the development of the products' industry. The survey was conducted between October 1 to October 15, 2011 among 294 male and female adults aged 19 years and over in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas. The gender distribution of the subjects was 33.3% males and 66.7% females. For a perception on traditional dietary life, the degree for enjoying meals with cooked rice as the staple food revealed that 32.3% of the subjects responded 'strongly agree'. The intake frequency of traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products in the subjects of the study showed that in the case of doenjang, 49.7% of the participants consumed it twice a week and 21.4% consumed it once a week. For gochujang, 59.9% consumed it twice a week and 19.0% consumed it once a week. The perception on the preparation method for traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products showed a low level for traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products. The reason for purchasing traditional foods showed that 77.6% of the subjects made purchases for convenience and 8.2% purchased it for its small package. For the subjects, the priority for purchasing traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products was as follows: in the first rank, ingredients & origin made up 33.7% and price comprised of 26.2% of the priority. Regarding satisfaction for soy sauce and soybean paste products in the market, the degree of satisfaction was high for gochujang. With regard to gender difference, female subjects showed a significantly lower satisfaction for cheonggukjang and kuk-ganjang, and a significantly higher satisfaction for chin-ganjang, compared to the male subjects. The results of the study depicted that consumer's requirement was high for traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products in the market, particularly for the safety of the products in the market. Consumer satisfaction was relatively positive yet, some efforts are needed in order to improve the quality of cheonggukjang and kuk-ganjang.

Nurse Characteristics related to Level of Use of Essential Oriental Nursing Terms in Oriental Medicine Hospitals / 간호행정학회지

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the level of use of essential oriental nursing terms and related characteristics among nurses in oriental medicine (OM) hospitals. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey design with convenience sampling was employed. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 315 nurses in seven university-affiliated OM hospitals. The questionnaire included 174 oriental nursing terms about actions, tests, drugs, and theories. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with the level of use. RESULTS: The response rate was 98.1% (n=309). Overall mean score for use of essential oriental nursing terms was 2.7(+/-0.7) on a five-point Likert scale. Significant factors associated with the level of use were workplace and knowledge of oriental nursing theory terms. Nurses who worked in nursing care wards and those who had a higher level of knowledge of oriental nursing theories had a higher level of use. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that level of use of essential oriental nursing terms were below average. Educational programs to enhance knowledge of oriental nursing theories need to be implemented for nurses in OM hospitals, considering their workplace, in order to facilitate nursing data sharing and communication among healthcare providers.

The Publication of Hyangyakjipseongbang and the Chosnization of the Chinese medicine / 의사학

This article explores the Hyangyakjipseongbang, which was published in 1433, in view of the Chosnization of the Chinese medicine. This study discusses the structure of combination between the Chosn medicine and the Chinese medicine by analyzing the process of publication, the transmission of the Korean traditional medical books, the diseases and the prescriptions of Hyangyakjipseongbang. Most prescriptions of Hyangyakjipseongbang had been collected from the Chinese medical books. And the editors of Hyangyakjipseongbang, Chosn medical scientists, made an intensive investigation into the Chinese medicine and reconciled the official names of the Hyangyak(Korean traditional herbs) with the Chinese herbs. With the acception of the Chinese disease system including gynecology and pediatrics, Hyangyakjipseongbang was similar to the Chinese medical books such as Seonghyebang and Seongjechongrok. So Hyangyakjipseongbang became a general medical book which aimed to treat all kind of the East Asian diseases with the Hyangyak. However Hyangyakjipseongbang was one of the famous Chosn medical books. This book was regarded as the revised edition of Hyangyakjesaengjipseongbang, which was published in 1399. The list of chapters, formation of texts of Hyangyakjipseongbang and Hyangyakjesaengjipseongbang were much alike, besides some sentences of two books were coincided. An important point is that new diseases were created with the Publication of Hyangyakjipseongbang. Various symptoms like jaundice and nonstop runny nose of the Chinese medicine were recognized as the diseases in Chosn, and the proper treatments should be needed. Even though the formation of Hyangyakjipseongbang complied with that of the Chinese medical books on the whole, Chosn medical scientists chosen the prescriptions and decided the chapter order. And some diseases of Hyangyakjipseongbang were related with the infectious diseases and diabetes which were rampant in the late Kory period and the early Chosn period. It's certain that the Chinese medicine was adopted in accordance with the real state and demand of the Chosn society. So it can be said that new diseases had been created with the acception of the Chinese medicine and chosen with the circumstances of the Chosn society. It was the way of the Chosnization of the Chinese medicine.

A Comparative Study on Cognition and Preference of Korean Traditional Food Classified by Age in Busan / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was carried out to investigate the Korean traditional foods cognition and preference classified by age in Busan. The survey was conducted from January 2 to March 31, 2008, by questionnaires and data analyzed by SPSS program. The results are summarized as follows: Thirty-four point nine percent of the subjects were interested the Korean traditional foods. Over 40's were more interested in the foods than under 30's. Most of the subjects (65.5%) were proud of the Korean traditional foods and the most proud food was kimchi in all of the subjects. The improvement for Korean traditional foods was indicated as cooking method. There was a significant positive correlation between preference of bab, juk, guksu, gug, jeon-juk-sun, gui-jjim, jigae, jorim, bokeum, kimchi, namul, eumcheong and cognition degree of the Korean traditional foods. Therefore, the understanding of the requirements and preference of the subjects according to age and sex is needed to develop our traditional food.

Korean Traditional Medicines as Novel Drugs for Neuropsychiatric Disorders / 대한정신약물학회지

This paper reviews history of new drug development in Korea as well as researchs on development of new psychotherapeutic drug from traditional medicines or natural products in Korea. Korea has a long history of traditional medicine and accumulated knowledge of natural resources. However, only a few new drug have been developed from those natural products. Now many researchers in Korea are devoting themselves to test the possibility of natural products as antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants, anxiolytic drugs and cognitive enhancers. However, only a few graduates from traditional medical schools in Korea are engaging in research on developing new drug from natural products and they are not familiar to research methods of western medicine and pharmacology. For research and development of new drug from natural products or traditional medicines, many researchers should be trained for methodology of basic medicine, pharmacology, pharmacognosy, and oriential pharmacy. Government and pharmaceutical companies need to provide more investment for R & D for new drug from natural products including establishment of data base for component of traditional medicines and natural products, system development integrating information technology, bio-technology and nanotechnology, and international collaboration with advanced countries which have common interest in new drug development from natural products.

Education, Clinical Practice, and Research on Psychiatric Illnesses in Korean Traditional Medicine / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to obtain the basic information on how oriental psychiatric specialists have learned oriental psychiatry, have been trained as a clinician and have conducted recent psychiatric researches. METHODS: We reviewed textbooks, references and annual reports, which have been used and published at the Korean colleges of oriental medicine and the Ministry of Health and Welfare. We also applied detailed questionnaires to 30 oriental physicians for identifying the current situation of local oriental clinics. In addition, we inspected the reports related with oriental psychiatry from 2000 to 2004. RESULTS: The number of oriental hospitals and clinics was 8,638 (12.9% of the total number of hospitals and clinics), and 14,480 oriental physicians have been licensed in 2003 and 16,182 in 2005. Since 2003, 62 oriental psychiatric specialists have been produced. The number of national medical insurance claims for mental disorders from oriental hospitals and clinics in 2002 was 9.0% of the total number of claims. At local oriental clinics, 29.8 patients with psychiatric problems were treated monthly. 2.6% in men and 11.0% in women visited local oriental clinics due to psychiatric symptoms. One hundred fifty-one papers associated with psychiatry have been published during recent 5 years, and 54.7% of them were pertinent to case studies. CONCLUSION: The current status of oriental psychiatric education and training system could be rather inadequate to produce competent oriental doctors who can perform psychiatric practices. In addition, the objective and scientific research data should be accumulated to confirm the hypothesis and effectiveness of psychiatric evaluation and treatment of oriental medicine.

A Comparison of Korean Traditional Child-rearing Practices between Generations of Young Mothers and Grandmothers / 아동간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in Korean child-rearing practices between the generations of young mothers and grandmothers. METHOD: The participants were 98 mothers who were 20 to 39 years old and had raised one-year-old child and 103 grandmothers who were over 60 years old and had raised their children in a small city. Data were collected through self-report questionnaire based on the Korean traditional child-rearing practice from Yoo(1986). The data were analyzed using the SPSS Win 10.0 program. RESULTS: Of 37 items in the categories of feeding and weaning, health management and taboo matters, play, and baby celebrations, the grandmothers practiced 13 items (35%) more frequently than the young mothers. However, no generation differences were found in 21 items (57%), and 3 items were practiced more frequently by the young mothers. For the young mothers, there were 15 items (41%) which were practiced over 70%, 7 items (19%) which were practiced less than 30%. CONCLUSION: It seems that some Korean traditional child-rearing practices were transferred to modern child-rearing practices. Therefore pediatric nurses need to pay attention to traditional child-rearing practices for the best health, growth and development of children.

Assessing Relative Importance of Korean Traditional Food Tour Program Attributes Based on Conjoint Analysis / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to assess the structure of the decision and the importance of the attributes in choosing food-related tour program. Questionnaires were developed in three languages- Japanese, Chinese, and English- given to 300 foreign tourists who have visited Korea in 2002. Statistical data analysis was completed using SPSS Win (ver 11.0) for descriptive analysis and conjoint analysis. The results of this study showed that the 'price' was the most important attribute (35.62%) in choosing a hypothetical food tourism program, followed by 'place' (27.35%), 'time' (26.01%), and 'type of program' (10.22%). With respect to the relative importance values for each attribute by different groups, English- and Chinese-speaking tourists considered 'price' more than other factors, while 'time' was regarded as the most important factor for Japanese tourists. Therefore, it indicated the need to recognize the different needs among tourists and put these factors into consideration in developing the programs.

A Study on the Intake Patterns of Health Food of the Elderly Aged over 60 Years in the Chuncheon Area / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was carried out to investigate the intake patterns of health food according to the kind of disease of the elderly aged over 60 years living in the Chuncheon area. This study was conducted by using a questionnaire from December 1999 to the March 2000. The data was analyzed using a SPSS program. The results were summarized as follows : The poorer the self-perceived health condition, the lower the level of activity of daily living(ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living(IADL) were the higher. the frequency score of health food intake. The incidence of disease, such as arthritis(44.7%), hypertension(18.8%), digestive diseases(17.1%), diabetes(10.5%) were found to be higher. than other chronic diseases among the elderly. The frequency score of health food intake was not significantly different according to self-perceived health status, disease status, or the level of ADL and IADl.. The must important source of information for health food intake was the recommendation of friends and relatives(68.7%). Twenty eight point two percent of the elderly considered health foods to be effective, however 8.3% of the elderly considered them to be ineffective. The elderly with chronic diseases had taken health floods in the descending order of neuralgia-arthritis, hypertension, digestive disease, diabetes. The elderly with digestive diseases, diabetes, renal disease, neuralgia-arthritis and respiratory disease were inclined to habitually take health floods once or twice per year. Intake of Korean traditional folk food was as high as intake of registered health food and Chinese tonic medicine. The most frequently taken health food was tonic medicine, which is fo11owed by pumpkin, ginseng products, herbal tea formula with black goat, deer antler and Kye-so-ju. Intakes of health food such as tonic medicine, blood of the deer, royal jelly, aloe were found to be higher among the elderly with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and digestive disease. However, intakes of ginseng products, deer antler, pumpkin, herbal tea formula with black goat and Kye-so-ju were found to be higher among the healthy elderly. The elderly with neuralgia-arthritis had taken sixteen kinds of health foods. From these results, a wide consumer education program should be developed to convince people of the importance of well-balanced diet and to choose proper health foods according to the elderly's health conditions. Also, comprehensive and scientific research into Korean traditional folk foods are needed for the correct use.

A study of HLA-DR polymorphism in four physical constitution groups classified by Korean traditional medicine / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: In Korean traditional medicine, human beings are classified into 4 groups accordance with the characteristics of physical constitution, named; Taeum, Taeyang, Soum, and Soyang. Most of Korean traditional doctors believe that the back ground of pathophysiology is differ among each group in many diseases. HLA is the most polymorphic gene and related with human immune response. It has been used for determination of individual identification, genetic diversity and a study of disease association in different ethnic group. It has well known that the most human inflammatory disease which thought to have some autoimmune basis are in some way promoted by genes of the HLA region. The purpose of this study is to observe the distribution of HLA-DR genotypes in 4 types of physical constitution in Korean traditional medicine. METHODS: Three hundred and ten Korean subjects(Soyang : 58cases, Soum :142cases, Taeum : 92cases, Taeyang : 18cases) were enrolled for this study. Genomic DNAs extracted by phenol/chroloform were amplified with allele specific primers and determined by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis with ethidium bromide staining for analysis of HLA-DR polymorphism. RESULTS: The genotype frequency of HLA-DR in a total or 310 Koreans was DR1 ; 7.2%, DR 2; 10.5%, DR 3;1.7%, DR 4; 19.9%, DR 5; 11.9%, DR 6;19.9%, DR 7; 7.0%, DR 8; 10.6%, DR 9; 8.7%, DR10;1.9%. There was no significant diffrence of HLA-DR genotype distribution among four physical constitution groups classified by Korean traditional medicine. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the classification of physical constitution in Korean traditional medicine is not related to HLA-DR genotypes.

The History of Korean Traditional Medicine / 의사학

Records of ethnic medicine in the Kokuryo, Baekjae and Shilla dynasties can be found in foreign literature, and evidence that a medicine unique to Korean was being developed in the Koryo dynasty can be found in Korean historical records. With the founding of Chosun, Hyang-yak medicine was established, and a medicine purely and uniquely Korean took root. The Chosun dynasty saw the development of a new form of medicine called Dong-Ui medicine, and an independent system emphasizing practicality was established as the new tradition of Korean medicine. Korean medicine continued in the Chosun dynasty without significant changes from the Koryo dynasty. However, tides of enlightenment brought Western medicine onto the shores of the Korean peninsula. Western medicine began to gain the recognition and trust of part of the royal court. Nonetheless, ordinary people still preferred Dong-Ui, Korean medicine, and they did not have a full understanding of Western medicine. As Chosun began to adopt enlightenment policies in the footsteps of Japan through the Kabo (1894) Revolution, Japan drove the Ching rulers out of the Korean peninsula and openly started interfering in Chosun's internal affairs. After repelling Russia, Japan's intervention in the Korean peninsula became even more aggressive, taking over Chosun's politics, diplomacy and military. Its encroachment on Chosun's sovereignty was at times even more cruel than during Japan's Meiji period.