Suggestion for Objective Evaluation of Comparative Pulse Diagnosis.

Objectives: Pulse is a method of Korean medicine diagnosis and is an important clue to detect the organs, nature, and progress of the disease. Pulse examination is included in the basic examination of Korean medicine doctors, but there is no standardized method for diagnosing pulse although the types and methods of the pulse taking are briefly described in the literature, making it difficult to spread the examination method. In this regard, I would like to propose an objective evaluation method.

Evaluating flavonoids as potential aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer treatment: In vitro studies and in silico predictions.

Aromatase inhibitors are commonly employed in the treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancers, and flavonoids have emerged as a promising alternative to existing drug classes with unfavorable side effects. In this study, we conducted in vitro investigations into CYP19A1 (aromatase) inhibitory potential of 14 flavonoids, including pinocembrin, sakuranetin, eriodictyol, liquiritigenin, naringenin, hesperetin, flavanone, baicalein, chrysin, nobiletin, luteolin, sinensetin, tricin, and primuletin. Flavonoids displaying inhibitory activity were further assessed using in silico tools, such as molecular docking to predict binding affinities, as well as SwissADME, admetSAR, and QED (Quantitative Estimate of Drug-likeness) for drug-likeness prediction.

Investigation of Drug-Interaction Potential for Arthritis Dietary Supplements: Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine, and Methylsulfonylmethane.

Osteoarthritis is one of the leading conditions that promote the consumption of these dietary supplements. Chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, and methylsulfonylmethane are among the prominent alternative treatments for osteoarthritis. In this study, these dietary supplements were incubated with cytochrome P450 isozyme-specific substrates in human liver microsomes, and the formation of marker metabolites was measured to investigate their inhibitory potential on cytochrome P450 enzyme activities.

Neural mechanisms of acupuncture for peripheral facial nerve palsy: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

Background: Peripheral facial nerve palsy (PFNP) is a cranial neuropathy that occurs when the seventh facial nerve is damaged. PFNP seriously affects patients' quality of life, and approximately 30% of patients suffer from sequelae, such as unrecovered palsy, synkinesis, facial muscle contracture, and facial spasm. Many studies have confirmed the effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of PFNP.

Neural mechanisms underlying peripheral facial nerve palsy: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies.

Background: Peripheral facial nerve palsy is a general term used to describe diseases that cause lower motor neuron lesions in the facial nerve. The most common cause of peripheral facial nerve palsy is idiopathic Bell's palsy (BP), accounting for 60% to 70% of all peripheral facial nerve palsy cases. Idiopathic BP is found in various medical conditions, such as ischemia, viral infection, and neuroinflammation; however, the specific pathophysiology remains unclear.

A Severe Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Patient Treated with Integrative Korean Medicine Including Acupuncture, Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture and Herbal Medicine: a case report.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is common in elderly people and severe CSM patients are recommended to receive surgery. However, in some cases, surgery may fail to improve the patients' symptoms. An 80-year-old man diagnosed with CSM complained of right hemiplegia and right arm and leg pain with the presence of a Foley catheter, despite treatment with laminectomy and laminoplasty.

Molecular networking-guided strategy for the pharmacokinetic study of herbal medicines: Cudrania tricuspidata leaf extracts.

In this study, the pharmacokinetic profiles of the bioactive components in the leaf extract of the medicinal herb, Cudrania tricuspidate, were investigated using an MS/MS-based molecular networking system. To identify the major active components of the C. tricuspidate leaf extract (CLE), HPLC-DAD analysis was conducted with a standard mixture of six flavonoids (rutin, isoquercitrin, nicotiflorin, kaempferol 3-O-glucoside, quercetin, and kaempferol).

Tandem Mass Spectrometry Molecular Networking as a Powerful and Efficient Tool for Drug Metabolism Studies.

Molecular networking (MN) has become a popular data analysis method for untargeted mass spectrometry (MS)/MS-based metabolomics. Recently, MN has been suggested as a powerful tool for drug metabolite identification, but its effectiveness for drug metabolism studies has not yet been benchmarked against existing strategies. In this study, we compared the performance of MN, mass defect filtering, Agilent MassHunter Metabolite ID, and Agilent Mass Profiler Professional workflows to annotate metabolites of sildenafil generated in an in vitro liver microsome-based metabolism study.

Ginkgo biloba leaf extract suppresses intestinal human breast cancer resistance protein expression in mice: Correlation with gut microbiota.

In this study, we investigated the effects of treatment with Gingko biloba leaf extract (GLE) on intestinal transporter expression and gut microbiota composition in mice and the correlation between intestinal transporter expression and gut microbiota composition in mice. When GLE was orally administered to mice, intestinal BCRP expression was significantly suppressed. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that the maximum plasma concentration and area under the curve values of sulfasalazine were increased more than twice by treatment with GLE compared with those in the control group.

Chemical-based primary human hepatocyte monolayer culture for the study of drug metabolism and hepatotoxicity: Comparison with the spheroid model.

Traditionally cultured monolayers of primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) deteriorate within days and thereby become unsuitable for drug-related studies. PHH spheroids (3D PHHs) maintain liver functions for weeks, but are considerably more demanding. Recently, a chemical-based approach (5C PHHs) succeeded in long-term culture of hepatocyte monolayers, but it remains unclear whether the drug-related functions are preserved.

Efficacy and safety of Onkyeong-tang in treating cold hypersensitivity in the feet of Korean women: protocol for a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter clinical study.

Background: Cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet (CHHF) commonly affects Asian women, especially Korean women, and it negatively impacts the quality of life of the affected individuals. One commonly used herbal prescription for treating CHHF is Onkyeong-tang (OKT). Although OKT is widely used clinically in treating CHHF, no randomized clinical trial has been performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of OKT in the treatment of cold hypersensitivity in the feet (CHF).

Determination of Urinary Caffeine Metabolites as Biomarkers for Drug Metabolic Enzyme Activities.

Caffeine is commonly taken via the daily dietary consumption of caffeine-containing foods. The absorbed caffeine is metabolized to yield various metabolites by drug-metabolizing enzymes, and measuring the levels of each caffeine metabolite can provide useful information for evaluating the phenotypes of those enzymes. In this study, the urinary concentrations of caffeine and its 13 metabolites were determined, and the phenotypes of drug metabolic enzymes were investigated based on the caffeine metabolite ratios.

A Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose-Based Solid Dispersion of Curcumin with Enhanced Bioavailability and its Hepatoprotective Activity.

Curcumin is a polyphenol compound derived from the rhizomes of that exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties. However, its low solubility in aqueous solutions, low absorption following oral administration, and rapid degradation limit its use as a functional food material. In this study, a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-based solid dispersion of curcumin (DW-CUR 20) was prepared and its bioavailability was evaluated.

MS-Based Molecular Networking of Designer Drugs as an Approach for the Detection of Unknown Derivatives for Forensic and Doping Applications: A Case of NBOMe Derivatives.

The NBOMe family is a group of new psychoactive substances (NPSs). In this study, the fragmentation patterns of NBOMe derivatives were analyzed using liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF/MS). The MS/MS spectral data was used to establish a molecular networking map for NBOMe derivatives.

Herbal Medicines for Cold Hypersensitivity in the Hands and Feet: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet (CHHF) and Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) are prevalent among Asian populations, especially among women, who exhibit a higher rate of cold hypersensitivity that may be associated with gynecological problems. In several countries, herbal medicine has effectively treated cold hypersensitivity symptoms. This systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of herbal medicine for the treatment of CHHF in adults.

The role of gut microbiota in the pharmacokinetics of antihypertensive drugs.

The intestine is one of the most important sites for the metabolism of several xenobiotic compounds. In addition to intestinal drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters, gut microbial enzymes modulate the biotransformation of orally administered drugs in the gastrointestinal tract. Antihypertensive drugs such as amlodipine and nifedipine could be metabolized by gut microbial enzymes, which may influence drug absorption, leading to changes in pharmacological potency of the drug and eventual failure of the appropriate blood pressure control or unexpected side effects.

Inhibitory Effects of Garcinia cambogia Extract on CYP2B6 Enzyme Activity.

This study assessed the inhibitory effects of extract on the cytochrome P450 enzymes extract was incubated with cytochrome P450 isozyme-specific substrates in human liver microsomes and recombinant CYP2B6 isozyme, and the formation of the marker metabolites was measured to investigate the inhibitory potential on cytochrome P450 enzyme activities. The results showed that extract has significant inhibitory effects on CYP2B6 activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the inhibition was potentiated following preincubation with NADPH, indicating that extract is a time-dependent inhibitor of CYP2B6.

A Pilot Study of Psychological Traits in the Sasang Constitution According to the Braverman Nature Assessment.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological characteristics of the Sasang constitutions by using Braverman nature assessment (BNA).

Methods: One hundred seventy-four students participated in this study, and among them, the 142 individuals who had clearly identified Sasang constitutional types were used for the analysis. Sasang constitutions and the Braverman temperaments of the subjects were determined by using a questionnaire for the Sasang constitution classification (QSCC) II and BNA, respectively.

Study of Intravenous Single-Dose Toxicity Test of Bufonis venonum Pharmacopuncture in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Objectives: Bufonis venonum (BV) is toad venom and is the dried, white secretions of the auricular and the skin glands of toads. This study was performed to evaluate the toxicity of intravenous injection of Bufonis venonum pharmacopuncture (BVP) through a single- dose test with sprague-dawley (SD) rats.

Methods: Twenty male and 20 female 6-week-old SD rats were injected intravenously in the caudal vein with BVP or normal saline.

Intramuscular Single-dose Toxicity Test of Bufonis venonum Pharmacopuncture in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Objectives: Bufonis venonum (BV) is the dried white secretions of the auricular and skin glands of the toads Bufo bufo gargarizans or Bufo melanosticus Schneider. This study was performed to evaluate the toxicity of intramuscularly- administered Bufonis venonum pharmacopuncture (BVP) and to calculate its approximate lethality through a single-dose test with Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.

Methods: Twenty male and 20 female 6-week-old SD rats were injected intramuscularly with BVP or normal saline.

Intravenous Toxicity Study of Water-soluble Ginseng Pharmacopuncture in SD Rats.

Objectives: Radix Ginseng has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide variety of diseases. Radix ginseng has also been used as a traditional medicine for boosting Qi energy and tonifying the spleen and lungs. Traditionally, its effect could be obtained orally.

Intravenous Single Dose Toxicity of Sweet Bee Venom in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Objectives: Anaphylactic shock can be fatal to people who become hypersensitive when bee venom pharmacopuncture (BVP) is used. Thus, sweet bee venom (SBV) was developed to reduce these allergic responses. SBV is almost pure melittin, and SBV has been reported to have fewer allergic responses than BVP.

Single-dose Intravenous Toxicology Testing of Daebohwalryeok Pharmcopuncture in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Objectives: The aims of the study were to test the single-dose intravenous toxicity of Daebohwalryeok pharmacopuncture (DHRP) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and to estimate the crude lethal dose.

Methods: The experiments were conducted at Biotoxtech Co., a Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) laboratory, according to the GLP regulation and were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Biotoxtech Co.

Single-dose Intramuscular Injection Toxicology of Danggui Pharmacopuncture (DGP) in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to assess both the approximate lethal dose and the single dose intramuscular injection toxicity of Danggui (Angelica gigantis radix) pharmacopuncture (DGP) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.

Methods: The experiments were conducted at the good laboratory practice (GLP) laboratory, Biotoxtech Co., which is a laboratory approved by the ministry of food and drug safety (MFDS).