Modern researches on effect of processing of Chinese herb medicine on Chinese medical properties / 中国中药杂志

The processing of Chinese herb medicine( PCHM) is the premise and necessity of treating diseases in traditional Chinese medicine( TCM). After processing,Chinese herbal medicine can achieve the effects of correcting odor,inducing channel tropism,changing drug properties and reducing toxicity. As the most important part of TCM theory system,Chinese medicine property,involving four odors and five flavors,ascending and descending,channel tropism,toxicity and side effects. In recent years,with the development of modern science and technology,many researches on the changes of properties of Chinese herb medicines by PCHM have been reported. In this paper,the researches in four aspects of processing method,chemical composition,medicinal effect and biological effect on properties changes by PCHM were reviewed,so as to discuss the modern research ideas and technologies,and explain the importance of the increase of clinical efficacy of TCM through property changes by PCHM. In the end,the future research ideas and cutting-edge technologies were discussed to make the studies on property changes by PCHM more systematic and deeper.

From Woohwang Cheongsimwon (牛黃淸心元) to Ginseng (人蔘): The History of Medicine Use in the Joseon Era / 의사학

In Korean traditional medicine, though herbal decoction, acupuncture, and moxibustion are all used to treat diseases, restorative medicines are the most widely preferred treatment method. This paper explores the historical background of restorative herbal medicines and ginseng among the Korean public and Korean traditional medicine practice. It also seeks to clarify how social and cultural perspectives on drug use have changed since restorative medicine became mainstream during the Joseon era. Drug use tendencies were affected by the medical system of the Joseon Dynasty, patients' desires for reliable treatment, and perceptions of the human body and the causes of disease. In the late Joseon Dynasty, medicine, an industry originally monopolized by the government, began to be manufactured and traded on the free market, and medical personnel began to participate in medical activities on a large scale. As the healthpreserving theory became more popular and medical personnel became more accessible, medicinal preferences also changed. Specifically, whereas preference was first given to common medicines, such as Cheongsimwon, which are effective for various symptoms, restorative medicines, such as ginseng, gradually became more popular. These restorative medicines were faithful to the basic tenet of East Asian traditional medicine: to avoid disease by making the body healthy before the onset of illness. Patients' desires for safe treatment and growing competition among commercial doctors who wanted stable profits further increased the popularity of milder medicines. Ultimately, as ginseng cultivation was realized, its use expanded even further in a wave of commercialization.

Nivel de conocimiento de los profesores en medicina natural y tradicional en la disciplina de medicina general integral (MGl) / Level of knowledge of the natural and traditional medicine professors in the integral general medicine discipline

Se realizó una estudio descriptivo en el campo de la educación médica superior realizada en la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas Enrique Cabrera, en el período comprendido entre septiembre de 2012 y julio de 2013, con el objetivo de identificar el nivel de conocimiento que poseen los profesores sobre Medicina Natural y Tradicional en la disciplina de Medicina General Integral (MGI). El universo de estudio estuvo conformado por los 60 profesores del departamento docente de MGI. Se realizó un análisis documental a las actas de reuniones del colectivo de año 5to. año, actas de reuniones metodológicas, plan de trabajo metodológico y programas de las asignaturas de la carrera de medicina de los cursos 2011-2012 y 2012-2013. Se aplicó un cuestionario estructurado con preguntas cerradas dicotómicas, a los profesores del departamento docente de Medicina General Integral de la facultad. Se evaluaron los resultados del cuestionario según el nivel de conocimiento y se agruparon en dos dimensiones adecuadas y no adecuadas. Como conclusiones se obtuvo que el nivel de conocimientos de Medicina Natural Tradicional de los profesores estudiados no es adecuado, las áreas del conocimiento de la MNT donde más dificultades presentaron están relacionadas con el uso de la acupuntura en el tratamiento de las enfermedades del sistema nervioso central y en algunas afecciones ginecológicas.

A descriptive study was conducted in Enrique Cabrera medical school in the field of higher medical education from September 2012 to July 2013. The objective was to identify the level of knowledge of the traditional and natural herb medicine professors in the Integral General Medicine specialty. The universe of study was made up of 60 professors from the teaching department of integral general medicine discipline. A documentary analysis was made in the 5th year faculty meeting minutes, methodological meeting minutes, the methodological work planning and curricula of the medical subjects in the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 academic years. The professors answered a structured questionnaire with two-ended closed questions. The results of the questionnaire were evaluated according to the level of knowledge shown and then grouped into two dimensions: adequate and inadequate. It was concluded that the level of knowledge of the traditional and natural herb medicine professors participating in the study was inadequate, being the most difficult areas those related with the use of acupuncture in treating central nervous system diseases and some gynecological diseases.

Plants considered useful for hypoglycemic, antihypertensive or hypolipidemic treatments by patients with peripheral vascular diseases / Plantas consideradas útiles como hipoglicemiantes, antihipertensivas o hipolipemiantes por pacientes con enfermedades vasculares periféricas

INTRODUCTION: knowing patients 'believes about the medicinal utility of plants may provide a basis for educating them for a rational use of herb preparations. OBJECTIVE: to characterize the plants that are considered useful for antidiabetic, antihypertensive or hypolipidemic treatment among patients with peripheral vascular diseases. METHODS: a survey was performed among patients of the National Institute of Angiology and Vascular Surgery from February through April 2007. The characteristics of the use of plants as medicinal remedies and the names of species considered useful for the treatment of diabetes, arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia were recorded. RESULTS: two hundred and forty five both sex adult volunteers (142 female/103 male), aged 44 to 72 years) were included in the study. More than 80 % of them used medicinal plants at least occasionally and confided on their efficacy to treat different illnesses Fifteen species, mainly Allium sativum L., Citrus aurantifolia Ch., Justicia pectoralis Jacq.., Morinda citrifolia L., Ocinum sanctum L and Salvia officinalis L, from 11 botanical families, were mentioned by participants. Most patients' claims about plants´ properties have been scientifically supported in some extent, nevertheless, the majority of the pharmacological evidence relays on pre-clinical studies and results of clinical trials are not conclusive. The lack of standardized plant preparations with identified active principles and demonstrated clinical effectiveness are limitations for recommending their therapeutic use. CONCLUSION: this study has provided the first characterization of the use of plant products by patients with peripheral vascular diseases for medicinal purposes and confirmed that physicians should be aware about the possibility of herb-drug interactions that should be diagnosed. This information would aid the scientifically supported integration of Phytotherapy to the clinical practice.

INTRODUCCIÓN: el conocimiento tradicional de los pacientes sobre la utilidad de las plantas medicinales puede servir de base para su educación en el uso racional de las preparaciones herbarias. OBJETIVO: caracterizar las plantas que los pacientes con enfermedades vasculares consideran útiles para el tratamiento de la diabetes, la hipertensión y como hipolipemiante. MÉTODOS: se realizó una encuesta a los pacientes del Instituto Nacional de Angiología y Cirugía Vascular entre febrero y abril de 2007. Las características del empleo de las plantas con fines medicinales y los nombres de las especies consideradas útiles para tratar la diabetes, la hipertensión arterial y la dislipidemia fueron tabulados. RESULTADOS: doscientos cuarenta y cinco adultos voluntarios de ambos sexos (142 femeninos/103 masculinos, edad 44 a 72 años) fueron incluidos en el estudio. Más del 80 % de ellos utilizaban las plantas medicinales al menos ocasionalmente y confiaban en su eficacia para tratar diferentes enfermedades. Quince especies, fundamentalmente Allium sativum L., Citrus aurantifolia Ch., Justicia pectoralis Jacq., Morinda citrifolia L., Ocinum sanctum L. y Salvia officinalis L., pertenecientes a 11 familias botánicas, fueron mencionadas por los participantes en la encuesta. La mayoría de los planteamientos de los pacientes sobre las propiedades de estas plantas tienen algún fundamento científico, sin embargo, las evidencias farmacológicas disponibles son fundamentalmente de tipo pre-clínico y los resultados de los ensayos clínicos efectuados no son concluyentes. La carencia de preparaciones derivadas de plantas estandarizadas, con principios activos identificados y efectividad clínica demostrada, son limitaciones para recomendar su utilización terapéutica. CONCLUSIONES: esta es la primera caracterización del uso de productos de plantas con fines medicinales por pacientes con enfermedades vasculares periféricas, y confirma que los facultativos deben conocer sobre la posibilidad de interacciones planta-medicamento que deben ser diagnosticadas. Esta información ayudaría a la integración de la Fitoterapia a la práctica clínica sustentada científicamente.

Preliminary Study on Effect of Chinese Herb Medicine Compound on Bone-muscle System in Rats under Simulated Weightlessness / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To study the effect of Chinese herb medicine compound on general state and bone-muscle system in simulated weightlessness rats, and to observe the synergistic action of other ingredients in the compound on calcium. Methods Thirty Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups:control group, tail suspend group, tail suspend and medicine group which were given Chinese herb medicine compound by intragastric administration. After 3 weeks simulated weightlessness, body weight (BW), muscle weight (MW) and index (MI) of posterior limb, bone length (BL), wet weight (BWW), index (BI), dry weight (BDW), content of organic (ORG) and inorganic (INO) substance, bone mineral density (BMD), and mechanical properties (MEC) of femur were observed. Results At the middle-later stage of the experiment, BW of tail suspend group decreased significantly (P

Herb Medicine-induced Adverse Effects in Dermatological Field

Herb or folk medicine has readily been assumed to have a little or no adverse effects because people have taken or applied it for a long time. However, such an assumption can be dangerous. Generally herb medicine has a shorter time of action both in terms of its pharmacological efficacy and toxic effects than occidental medicine because its ingredient is less potent. Therefore herb medicine does not induce adverse reactions in a short time, but the frequency of its side effects increases along with the accumulation of medicinal substances when taken for a long time. Many doctors of Oriental medicine claim that the development of skin eruption is not a side effect of herb medicine. Rather they argue that it is a result of emission of heat or toxic materials from inside the body. Sometimes the author experience patients who suffer from drug eruptions caused by herb medicine, but usually the patients have little idea what herb medicine they have taken. This article will introduce some cases of herb medicine-induced adverse effects reported in dermatology journals, written in Korean or in English. Most cases are systemic contact dermatitis caused by ingestion of chicken boiled with lacquer, which has been used as a folk medicine and a healthy food. I will introduce what the Rhus lacquer is and discuss its adverse reactions. Lastly, I will report the cases of contact dermatitis caused either by applying crushed insect and medicinal herbs such as buttercup, fig leaf, garlic, pasqueflower, aloe and herbal ointment or by practicing bee sting therapy for treatment of neuralgia, arthralgia, tinea pedis, facial paralysis, pruritus and paresthesia.

The Survey of the Concept about Using Herb-Medication & the Effect on Treatment-Seeking Behavior in Psychiatric and Non-Psychiatric Patients / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The anthors examined health-seeking behavior about using herbal medicine in psyciatric and other clinical patients. The effect, side effect and motives in selecting herbal medicine were examined also. This study aimed at presenting treatment guide for psychiatric patients hereafter. METHOD: Subjects were consisted of 277 patients who were 93 medical, 81 surgical, and 102 psyhiatric patients. We made a questionnaire checking circumstances on taking herbal medicine. The investigating psychiatrist conducted person to person semi-structured interview using this questionnaire. RESULTS: Psychiatric patients preferred herbal medicine to western medicine, as other clinical patients did. In their health seeking behavior, classical illness model of oriental herbal medicine occupied a central position. In addition, psychiatric patients not only regarded herbal medicine as a more symtom-specific therapeutic medication, but also accepted side effects of herbal medicine uncritically than other clinical patients. CONCLUSIONS: As it is known that many psychiatric patients take both oriental and western medical treatment, we should not have exclusive attitude to emphasize one side between oriental and western medicine. Rather, we should deepen our understandings about oriental herbal medicine.

The Evaluation of the Treatment Modality in Low Back Pain / 대한척추외과학회지

OBJECT: The Authors compaired the treatment interval, the motive of admission and costs of episodes of back pain care between different provide type in a population representation of the Korea. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We reviewed 100 different patients undergone back pain care from October 1997 to March 1998 in Wonkwang Medical Center. This study was a prospective, nurse community based and observational design. Male were 42 and female were 58, mean age was 51(18-81)years. Patients with back pain had been treated with 62 patients operation and 38 patients conservative treatment. RESULTS: The results were as follows 1. The from preadmmision treatment to admission treatment time is consume over 6 months, that makes chronic phase of back pain until 72%, more than 80% of the patients were admitted after the herb medical treatment. 2. The cost of preadmission treatment is average 1,000,000 won. In the cases of herb medicine are average 1,300,000won. The medical fee in the herb medicine is seven times as much as in the medical clinics for a visit. 3. The motive of admission is recommended by neighbour that major to 89%, 62 patients were operated that showed 12 excel-lent, 35 good, 13 fair and 2 poor results. CONCLUSION: There were correlations of three factors, that is high cost, patients chronicity and preference of the herb medicine.

Lead Poisoning by Administration of Herb Medicine / 대한산업의학회지

No abstract available.