Case Series Study on the Use of BU Pharmacopuncture Treatment in Patients with Acute Lumbar Sprain.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of BU pharmacopuncture therapy consisting of bear's gall(fel ursi) and ox bezoar(bovis calculus) on acute lumbar sprain. METHODS: 12 patients diagnosed as acute lumbar sprain in 6 designated local Korean medicine clinics from October 2017 to February 2018 were treated by BU pharmacopuncture. Several acupoints in abdomen and lumbar region were selected by clinicians at their own discretion. The effectiveness of the therapy was evaluated using VAS and ODI. After that we reviewed the medical records of all these patients to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the therapy. RESULTS: The VAS and ODI scales were significantly decreased after BU pharmacopuncture therapy. And no major complications and adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSION: BU pharmacopuncture showed rapid pain relief in patients with acute lumbar sprain. It is possible to shorten the treatment period of acute lumbar sprain and prevent progressing to chronic back pain in advance. To establish the effects of BU pharmacopuncture therapy, more succeeding clinical and laboratory studies are needed.

Salvia miltiorrhiza extract inhibits TPA-induced MMP-9 expression and invasion through the MAPK/AP-1 signaling pathway in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells.

Cancer cell invasion is crucial for metastasis. A major factor in the capacity of cancer cell invasion is the activation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), which degrades the extracellular matrix. Salvia miltiorrhiza has been used as a promotion for blood circulation to remove blood stasis. Numerous previous studies have demonstrated that S. miltiorrhiza extracts (SME) decrease lipid levels and inhibit inflammation. However, the mechanism behind the effect of SME on breast cancer invasion has not been identified. The inhibitory effects of SME on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced MMP-9 expression were assessed using western blotting, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and zymography assays. MMP-9 upstream signal proteins, including mitogen-activated protein kinases and activator protein 1 (AP-1) were also investigated. Cell invasion was assessed using a matrigel invasion assay. The present study demonstrated the inhibitory effects of the SME ethanol solution on MMP-9 expression and cell invasion in TPA-treated MCF-7 breast cancer cells. SME suppressed TPA-induced MMP-9 expression and MCF-7 cell invasion by blocking the transcriptional activation of AP-1. SME may possess therapeutic potential for inhibiting breast cancer cell invasiveness.