Characteristics and Outcomes of Herbal Medicine for Female Infertility: A Retrospective Analysis of Data from a Korean Medicine Clinic During 2010-2020.

Purpose: Few studies have assessed outcomes associated with the use of traditional medicine therapies to manage infertility in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of and infertility treatment effects among patients who visited a Korean medicine (KM) clinic to aid in achieving pregnancy. This study consisted of a 10-year analysis of patient records from a KM clinic. Methods: A retrospective 10-year (2010-2020) chart analysis was performed using the medical records of infertile patients who visited a KM clinic in South Korea for fertility treatment (ICD-10, infertility symptoms: 59 codes). Results: Of the 6194 patients who visited the clinic during the selected time frame, 1786 were female patients seeking fertility treatment to achieve pregnancy. Among the 1786 infertile women, 586 women succeeded in becoming pregnant (32.8%). Among the 586 patients who became pregnant, 476 women had received KM, 92 had been treated using KM and in vitro fertilization (IVF), and 18 had received KM and undergone intrauterine insemination (IUI). The live birth rates achieved with these treatments were 66.0%, 68.8%, and 66.7%, respectively. The most frequently prescribed medicines were Gamiboher-tang (Jiaweiwuxu-tang), Gamiguibi-tang (Jiaweiguipi-tang), and Gamidanggui-san (Jiaweidanggui-san). Additionally, the most frequent adjunct therapies administered to these patients were acupuncture and moxibustion. Conclusion: Infertility therapies using KM may be a successful option to treat infertility when used alone or in addition to IVF and IUI. However, further pharmacological investigations and clinical trials are required to ensure the objectivity of the efficacy evaluation.

Development of simple and sensitive hydrogel based colorimetric sensor array for the real-time quantification of gaseous ammonia.

A real-time colorimetric sensor array (CSA) offers the advantages of diversity and accuracy for the quantification of multiple analytes; however, traditional sensors require a complex fabrication process. Therefore, to take full advantage of this sensing platform, we have developed a simple CSA system composed of a polymer, a reducing agent, and different pH indicators. Distinctive color response patterns were classified by extracting the hidden information, (i.e., red, green, and blue (RGB) values) from the indicators. This triple-channel sensing platform is further applied for statistical analysis, to quantify different concentrations of ammonia and other analytes. The sensor array showed a limit of detection of 0.3ppm, which is well below the diagnostic criteria for ammonia concentration in the breath of healthy individuals and of patients with end-stage renal disease. As this sensor would be able to quantify gaseous ammonia in the breath, it is relevant to the point-of-care diagnosis of patients with renal diseases.