Yuk-Mi-Jihwang-Tang, a Traditional Korean Multiple Herbal Formulae, Improves Hippocampal Memory on Scopolamine Injection-Induced Amnesia Model of C57BL/6 Mice.

We evaluated neuropharmacological properties of Yuk-Mi-Jihwang-Tang (YJT) against scopolamine injection-induced memory impairment mice model. Mice were orally administered with YJT (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg) or tacrine (TAC, 12.5 mg/kg) for 10 days. At the first day of Morris water maze task, scopolamine (2 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected before 30 min of it. The hippocampal memory function was determined by the Morris water maze task for 5 days consecutively. Scopolamine drastically increased escape latency and decreased time spent in target quadrant. Pretreatment YJT properly improved them. Regarding the redox status, YJT significantly reduced the oxidative stress and it also exerted much effort to improve both superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in hippocampal gene expression and protein levels. These effects were well coincided with immunohistochemical analysis of 4-hydroxyneal-positive signals in hippocampal areas. Additionally, acetylcholine esterase activities and brain-derived neurotrophic factor abnormalities in the hippocampal protein levels were significantly normalized by YJT, and their related molecules were also improved. The neuronal proliferation in hippocampal regions was markedly inhibited by scopolamine, whereas YJT notably recovered them. Collectively, YJT exerts much effort to enhance memorial functions through improving redox status homeostasis and partially regulates acetylcholine esterase activities as well as neuronal cell proliferation.

A traditional Korean multiple herbal formulae (Yuk-Mi-Jihwang-Tang) attenuates acute restraint stress-induced brain tissue oxidation.

We aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Yuk-Mi-Jihwang-Tang (YJT) against acute restraint stress-induced brain oxidative damage. A water extract of YJT was prepared and subjected to high performance liquid chromatography - diode array detector-mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS). Thirty-six heads of C57BL/6J male mice (7 weeks) were divided into six groups (n = 6/group). The mice were orally administrated YJT (0, 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg) or vitamin C (100 mg/kg) for 5 consecutive days before 6 h of acute restraint stress. In the brain tissue, lipidperoxidation, antioxidant components, and pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured, and the serum corticosterone level was determined. Acute restraint stress-induced notably increased lipid peroxidation in brain tissues, and pretreatment with YJT showed a significant decreased the lipid peroxidation levels (p< 0.05). The levels of antioxidant components including total glutathione contents, activities of SOD and catalase were remarkably depleted by acute restraint stress, whereas these alterations were significantly restored by treatment with YJT (p< 0.05 or p< 0.01). The restraint stress markedly increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-6 in the gene expression and protein levels (p< 0.05 or p< 0.01). Pretreatment with YJT significantly attenuated serum corticosterone (200 mg/kg, p < 0.05). YJT drastically attenuated the levels of 4- HNE, HO-1, Nox 2 and iNOSwhich were elevated during acute restraint stress, whereas the Nrf2 level was increased in brain tissue protein levels. Our data suggest that YJT protects the brain tissue against oxidative damage and regulates stress hormones.

A manual acupuncture treatment attenuates common cold and its symptoms: a case series report from South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate beneficial effects of manual acupuncture on common cold periods and its symptoms depended on the difference onset time of common cold, within 36 h or over than that. To prove effects of manual acupuncture on common cold, a retrospective chart review was conducted. METHODS: Chart data for patients with common cold who were treated with only manual acupuncture with fulfilling Jackson scales and satisfaction at the end of each treatment were collected via multi-centers of Oriental hospitals, Oriental medicine clinics and covalent hospital in South Korea. Totally 187 patients were divided into two groups, Group Ⅰ (115 patients, within 36 h) and Group Ⅱ (72 patients, onset time of cold over than 36 h). Finally 120 patients were observed until entire resolution of cold symptoms. RESULTS: Group Ⅰ showed significant decreases themediandurationsofcompletelyrecovery (3 days; 95% CI 3.0-4.0) as compared with Group Ⅱ (6 days; 95% CI 4.0-7.0, P < 0.001). The manual acupuncture beneficially worked for reduction rate of common cold symptoms by 50% after initial treatment, decreased cold symptoms, and reduced cold duration. CONCLUSION: Manual acupuncture beneficially affected common cold and its symptoms. Moreover it is more susceptibility on the early time of onset cold.

Regular Yoga Practice Improves Antioxidant Status, Immune Function, and Stress Hormone Releases in Young Healthy People: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to highlight the beneficial effects of yoga practice on bio-parameters, such as oxidative stress, antioxidant components, immune functions, and secretion of stress hormones, in healthy young people. STUDY DESIGN: This study was conducted on healthy volunteers recruited from among university students, who were divided into two groups: a control (no yoga intervention, n=13) group and a yoga (n=12) group. Yoga practice was with an instructor for 90 minutes once a week spread over 12 weeks, with recommendations to practice daily at home for 40 minutes with the help of a DVD. The yoga program consisted of yoga body poses (asanas), exercises involving awareness, voluntary regulation of breath (pranayama), and meditational practices. Whole blood samples were collected when the volunteers had fasted for 8 hours at 0 and 12 weeks. The oxidative stress/antioxidant components, immune-related cytokines, and stress hormones were evaluated in serum or plasma. RESULTS: Serum levels of nitric oxide, F2-isoprostane, and lipid peroxide were significantly decreased by yoga practice (p<0.05 or p=0.01), whereas serum total glutathione (GSH) contents, activities of GSH-peroxidase, and GSH-s-transferase were remarkably increased after yoga practice compared with the control group (p<0.05 or p=0.01). Yoga practice also significantly increased immune-related cytokines, such as interleukin-12, and interferon-γ, in serum (p<0.05 or p=0.01). Yoga practice significantly reduced the plasma levels of adrenalin (p<0.05) and increased plasma levels of serotonin compared with the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Regular yoga practice remarkably attenuated oxidative stress and improved antioxidant levels of the body. Moreover, yoga beneficially affected stress hormone releases as well as partially improved immune function.