The Effectiveness and Safety of Wu Tou Decoction on Rheumatoid Arthritis-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease primarily affecting the joints and requires various treatments, including medication, injection, and physiotherapy. Wu tou decoction (WTD) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescribed for RA, with several articles documenting its effectiveness in RA treatment. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of WTD for RA.

The Effectiveness and Safety of Yi Shen Juan Bi Pill on Rheumatoid Arthritis: a Protocol for Systematic Review and/or Meta-Analysis.

Importance: The Yi Shen Juan Bi (YSJB) pill has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with several studies reporting its anti-inflammatory effects and ability to prevent bone destruction. However, the lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness and toxicity of individual components of YSJB limits its widespread use.

Objective: This protocol outlines a systematic review and/or meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of YSJB.

Potential use of polydimethylsiloxane phantom in acupuncture manipulation practice.

Objectives: Sufficient trials of acupuncture manipulations should be practiced to obtain proficiency. However, there is not an adequate quantitative methodology for selecting a tissue-mimicking phantom that effectively reproduces the mechanical behavior that occurs during acupuncture. The objective of this study was to determine the proper mixing ratio of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to obtain tissue phantom that is the most similar to porcine phantoms.

Systemic Analgesic Effects of Electroacupuncture in Healthy Individuals: Thermal Threshhold, Acupuncture Sensation Intensity and De-qi on Quantitative Sensory Test.

Background: Electroacupuncture (EA) has been known to exert analgesic effects according to several reports, but studies investigating the analgesic effect of EA using the quantitative sensory test (QST) are rare.

Primary Study Objective: To investigate the analgesic effects of electroacupuncture through changes in thermal thresholds measured using the QST.

Design: Pilot, randomized, single-blind, parallel design.

Temperature Characteristics of Traditional Indirect Moxibustion and Electronic Moxibustion.

Background: Electronic moxibustion (EM) was developed to minimize the side effects of traditional moxibustion, such as burns, and to overcome therapeutic compliances such as smoke or smell.

Objectives: To investigate distributions and thermal stimulation of EM at various depths using silicon phantom and to compare this methodology to traditional indirect moxibustion (TIM).

Methods: A silicon phantom composed of polydimethylsiloxane was heated and immersed in a hot plate containing warm water to set the phantom's temperature to that of biological tissue.

Effectiveness and safety of electric heating moxibustion for perennial allergic rhinitis: A pilot, randomized, assessor-blind trial.

Background: The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR), an inflammatory disease, is gradually increasing. Studies have reported that moxibustion is effective for treating AR. Electric heating moxibustion (EM) was developed to offer adaptable heat stimulation without the generation of smoke.

The effectiveness and safety of Wu tou decoction on rheumatoid arthritis: A protocol for systematic review and/or meta-analysis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the common inflammatory diseases with arthritis due to a malfunction of the immune system. The treatments for RA include surgery, physiotherapy, occupational therapies, and medication. The representative treatment is medication and its usage has improved through several guidelines.

Thermal Properties of Warm- versus Heated-Needle Acupuncture.

Background: Warm-needle acupuncture (WA) and fire-needle acupuncture are treatment techniques that use the combination of acupuncture and thermal stimulation. In clinical practice, a new method of fire-needle acupuncture called "heated-needle acupuncture (HA)" has been proposed, wherein the needle is directly heated after insertion. WA and HA share similarities in their methods, and no previous study has sought to assess whether their thermal outcomes are also similar.

Effectiveness and safety of electrical moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis: A multicenter, randomized, assessor-blinded, parallel-group clinical trial.

Background: The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is increasing, and it has emerged as a major health issue. Studies have been reported that moxibustion is effective for treating KOA, but conventional moxibustion is difficult to control the intensity of stimulation and causes smoke, harmful gases, or odors. An electrical moxibustion (EM) device was developed to solve these problems, so we conducted this study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EM as a treatment for KOA.

Efficacy and safety of electrical moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a significant health issue because it causes pain and functional limitation. Many studies have reported that moxibustion, a treatment in traditional Korean medicine, is effective in treating KOA. However, conventional moxibustion produces smoke, harmful gases, and odors that can adversely affect the eyes, skin, and throat.

Single-dose Toxicity of Guseonwangdo-go Glucose 5% Intravenous Injection in a Rat Model.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the single-dose intravenous toxicity of Guseonwangdo-go glucose 5% pharmacopuncture (GWG5).

Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of five males and five females per group: an intravenous (IV) injection of 1.0 mL of normal saline solution per animal was administered to the control group; IV injections of 0.

Effect of heating and cooling combination therapy on patients with chronic low back pain: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Clinicians often apply heating or cooling stimulation for treatment of musculoskeletal pain. However, scalding, frostbite and skin ulcers may occur from the excessive use of either therapy alone. Heating and cooling combination therapy may be a suitable alternative for treatment of musculoskeletal diseases, although insufficient research has documented the safety and efficacy of such therapy.

Quantification of the parameters of twisting-rotating acupuncture manipulation using a needle force measurement system.

Background: To date, much research has been conducted to measure needle manipulation quantitatively and objectively. This study was performed to quantitatively measure the differences in the amount of stimulation caused by various rotation frequencies and angles in twisting-rotating acupuncture needle manipulation.

Methods: The torque force exerted on a tissue was measured at various rotation frequencies and angles by rotating a needle with a needle force measurement system attached to a needle insertion tissue model.

Single-dose Toxicity of Guseonwangdo-go Glucose 20% Intravenous Injection in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate the single-dose intravenous toxicity of Guseonwangdo-go glucose 20% pharmacopuncture.

Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of five males and five females per group: an intravenous (IV) injection of 1.0 mL of normal saline solution per animal was administered to group 1 (G1, control group); an IV injections of 0.

A Pilot Study on Single-dose Toxicity Testing of Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Objectives: This study was performed to analyze single dose toxicity and the lethal dose of Scolopendrid Pharmacopuncture in rats.

Methods: All experiments were conducted at the Korea Testing & Research Institute (KTR), an institution authorized to perform non-clinical studies, under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). Sprague-Dawley rats were chosen for the pilot study.

Study of Single-dose Toxicity of Guseonwangdo-go Glucose Intramuscular Injection in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Objectives: This study was performed to analyze single-dose intramuscular toxicity of Guseonwangdo-go glucose pharmacopuncture.

Methods: Eighty six-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two large groups of forty rats; Guseonwangdo-go glucose 5% and Guseonwangdo-go glucose 20% groups. Each group was sub-divided into four smaller groups of five males and five females, with the following dosages of pharmacopuncture being administered by intramuscular (IM) injection in each group: group 1 (G1, control group): 1.

Single Dose Toxicity of Chukyu (spine-healing) Pharmacopuncture Injection in the Muscle of Rats.

Objectives: This study was performed to analyze the single dose toxicity of Chukyu (spine-healing) pharmacopuncture.

Methods: All experiments were conducted at the Biotoxtech, an institution authorized to perform non-clinical studies under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) regulations. Sprague-Dawley rats were chosen for the pilot study.

Effects of electroacupuncture on capsaicin-induced model of atopic dermatitis in rats.

Background: Electroacupuncture (EA) is used as a prescription to treat pruritus and atopic dermatitis. Whether EA affects experimental itch in rat models of immunologic or neuronal damages, however, is unknown.

Objectives: The present study was designed to determine the therapeutic effects of high-frequency EA on atopic dermatitis-like lesions in rats.

Auricular acupuncture for prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension: study protocol for a pilot multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Background: Hypertension, a worldwide public health problem, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease, and the medical and economic burden of hypertension is increasing. Auricular acupuncture has been used to treat various diseases, including hypertension. Several studies have shown that auricular acupuncture treatment decreases blood pressure in patients with hypertension; however, the scientific evidence is still insufficient.

Comparing the effects of individualized, standard, sham and no acupuncture in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Background: Acupuncture is an effective yet complex therapy, integrating syndrome differentiation, selection of appropriate acupoints and skillful needling techniques. Clinicians carefully tailor acupuncture treatment to each patient. However, most clinical trials of acupuncture have been based on a standardized formula of points for every patient without properly accounting for individualdifferences and, as a result, have not been reflective of the true efficacy of clinical practice.

Study on a Single-Dose Toxicity Test of D-Amino Acid Oxidase (DAAO) Extracts Injected into the Tail Vein of Rats.

Objective: This study was performed to analyze the single-dose toxicity of D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) extracts.

Methods: All experiments were conducted at the Korea Testing & Research Institute (KTR), an institution authorized to perform non-clinical studies, under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). Sprague-Dawley rats were chosen for the pilot study.

Study to establish Ojeok-San (Five Accumulation Powder: wu ji san) administration criteria and a questionnaire to evaluate the holistic effects of Ojeok-San on patients with low back pain.

Objectives: The study objectives were to establish ojeok-san (Five Accumulation Powder: wu ji san) administration criteria and a questionnaire to evaluate the holistic effects of ojeok-san on patients with low back pain (LBP).

Methods: Texts and literatures, recommended by specialists, were searched to gather ojeok-san-related symptoms. Then, the opinions of Oriental medicine doctors (OMDs) practicing in Seoul were surveyed to ask which symptoms they consider the most in clinical practice.

Acupuncture for the treatment of dry eye: a multicenter randomised controlled trial with active comparison intervention (artificial teardrops).

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of acupuncture compared to a control group using artificial tears.

Setting & Design: multicenter randomised controlled trial (three local research hospitals of South Korea).

Study Population: 150 patients with moderate to severe dry eye.

Acupuncture for dry eye: a multicentre randomised controlled trial with active comparison intervention (artificial tear drop) using a mixed method approach protocol.

Background: Previous studies of acupuncture show favourable results for both subjective and objective outcomes of dry eye. However, firm conclusions could not be drawn from these studies because the quality of the trials was too low to establish concrete evidence. Therefore, this study was designed both to avoid the flaws of the existing trials and to assess the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and qualitative characteristics of acupuncture treatment for dry eye.

Efficacy of pharmacopuncture using root bark of Ulmus davidiana Planch in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to determine whether pharmacopuncture is a clinically effective and safe method for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Patients were recruited between August 2008 and December 2008 at the Ilsan Hospital associated with Dongguk University. Patients were randomly assigned to one of the two groups.