Effects of Chaihu-Shugan-San on Small Intestinal Interstitial Cells of Cajal in Mice.

Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS) has been widely used as an alternative treatment for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in East Asia. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are pacemakers in the GI tract. In the present study, we examined the action of CSS on pacemaker potentials in cultured ICCs from the mouse small intestine in vitro and on GI motility in vivo.

Cancer cell‑specific anticancer effects of Coptis chinensis on gefitinib‑resistant lung cancer cells are mediated through the suppression of Mcl‑1 and Bcl‑2.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)‑tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), gefitinib, is an effective therapeutic drug used in the treatment of non‑small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) harboring EGFR mutations. However, acquired resistance significantly limits the efficacy of EGFR‑TKIs and consequently, the current chemotherapeutic strategies for NSCLCs. It is, therefore, necessary to overcome this resistance.

Co-Expression Network Analysis of Spleen Transcriptome in Rock Bream () Naturally Infected with Rock Bream Iridovirus (RBIV).

Rock bream iridovirus (RBIV) is a notorious agent that causes high mortality in aquaculture of rock bream (). Despite severity of this virus, no transcriptomic studies on RBIV-infected rock bream that can provide fundamental information on protective mechanism against the virus have been reported so far. This study aimed to investigate physiological mechanisms between host and RBIV through transcriptomic changes in the spleen based on RNA-seq.

Electroacupuncture for treatment-resistant insomnia: study protocol for a randomised, controlled, assessor-blinded, pilot clinical trial.

Introduction: A considerable number of insomnia patients experience sleep disturbance even with long-term use of hypnotic medication. Previous studies have indicated that electroacupuncture (EA) could be an efficacious treatment for managing insomnia. However, few trials have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EA for treatment-resistant insomnia.

Development of Integrative Medicine Therapy for Gastrointestinal Autoimmune Diseases: A study protocol for a registry study.

Background: Although the incidence of AD, including gastrointestinal AD, increases every year, there is no effective therapy for it yet. This causes high medical costs to be spent on the management of autoimmune patients every year. The aim of this study is to identify the characteristics related to the causes and symptoms of gastrointestinal autoimmune disease (AD) by collecting patients' information and to further contribute to the development of an integrative medicine therapy for gastrointestinal AD.

Individual vs. Group Delivery of Acupuncture Therapy for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in Urban Primary Care-a Randomized Trial.

Background: Acupuncture has been shown to be effective for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal back, neck, and osteoarthritis pain. However, access to acupuncture treatment has been limited in medically underserved and low-income populations.

Objective: Acupuncture therapy delivered in groups could reduce cost and expand access.

The herbal extract ALS-L1023 from Melissa officinalis alleviates visceral obesity and insulin resistance in obese female C57BL/6J mice.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Melissa officinalis L. (Labiatae; lemon balm) has traditionally been used as a medicinal herb to treat stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Current reports suggest that not only chronic stress stimulates angiogenesis, but angiogenesis also regulates adipogenesis and obesity.

Ginseng for Improving Semen Quality Parameters: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: Ginseng has been used as a tonic to improve overall health, restore balance in the body, help the body to heal itself, reduce stress, boost energy, and enhance the immune system. The aim of this review was to assess current evidence that ginseng improves sperm quality.

Materials And Methods: We searched twelve databases (PubMed, EMBASE, AMED, the Cochrane Library, five Korean medical databases, and three Chinese medical databases), using a cut-off date of 1st December 2019.

Western herbal medicines in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Western herbal medicines in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Design: A computer-based search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, GreenFILE, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, and the Cochrane Library was conducted. A hand-search of the bibliographies of relevant papers and previous meta-analyses and reviews was also undertaken.

Efficacy of Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng) for middle-aged and moderate level of chronic fatigue patients: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objectives: Chronic fatigue (CF) is unexplained fatigue lasting more than 6 months. Korean red ginseng (KRG) is known to have higher anti-fatigue substance than white ginseng. However, its efficacy and safety for CF is unknown.

Anthocyanins from L. Inhibit Oxidative Stress-Mediated Apoptosis by Activating the Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway.

L. is distributed widely throughout Eastern and Southern Asia and considered as the national flower of South Korea. The extraction of several plant parts of L.

Extract of Protects Keratinocytes from Particulate Matter-induced Oxidative Stress.

The skin is one of the large organs in the human body and the most exposed to outdoor contaminants such as particulate matter < 2.5 µm (PM). Recently, we reported that PM induced cellular macromolecule disruption of lipids, proteins, and DNA, via reactive oxygen species, eventually causing cellular apoptosis of human keratinocytes.

GSK-3β-Targeting Fisetin Promotes Melanogenesis in B16F10 Melanoma Cells and Zebrafish Larvae through β-Catenin Activation.

Fisetin is found in many fruits and plants such as grapes and onions, and exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and anticancer activity. However, whether fisetin regulates melanogenesis has been rarely studied. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of fisetin on melanogenesis in B16F10 melanoma cell and zebrafish larvae.

A novel tumor suppressing gene, , is an independent prognostic biomarker for bladder cancer.

Screening for genes or markers relevant to bladder cancer (BC) tumorigenesis and progression is of vital clinical significance. The present study used reverse-transcription quantitative PCR reaction assays to examine the expression of mRNA encoding Rho GTPase-activating protein 9 (ARHGAP9) in BC tissue samples and to determine whether is an independent prognostic biomarker for non-muscle invasive BC (NMIBC) and muscle invasive BC (MIBC). The results revealed that the downregulation of expression in the tissue of patients with NMIBC or MIBC was significantly associated with a poor prognosis.

Association between severity of depressive symptoms and chronic knee pain in Korean adults aged over 50 years: a cross-sectional study using nationally representative data.

Objectives: To identify the association between the presence and severity of depressive symptoms and those of chronic knee pain.

Design: A retrospective cross-sectional study.

Participants: We used data from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VI-2) performed in 2014.

Macmoondongtang modulates Th1-/Th2-related cytokines and alleviates asthma in a murine model.

Objective: Macmoondongtang has been used as a traditional medicine to treat pulmonary disease in Korea. However, the mechanism underlying its therapeutic effect has yet to be reported. In the present study, the role of macmoondongtang as a respiratory medicine, especially as an anti-asthmatic agent, has been attributed to the down-regulation of interleukin (IL)-4 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α.

Anti-inflammatory effect of bee venom in phthalic anhydride-induced atopic dermatitis animal model.

Globally, many people have been affected with atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic inflammatory skin disease. AD is associated with multiple factors such as genetic, inflammatory, and immune factors. Bee venom (BV) is now widely used for the treatment of several inflammatory diseases.

Does Integrative Medicine Reduce Prescribed Opioid Use for Chronic Pain? A Systematic Literature Review.

Background: Chronic pain (CP) is a major public health problem. Many patients with CP are increasingly prescribed opioids, which has led to an opioid crisis. Integrative medicine (IM), which combines pharmacological and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), has been proposed as an opioid alternative for CP treatment.

Difference in gait recovery rate of hemiparetic stroke patients according to paralyzed side: A cross-sectional study based on a retrospective chart review.

In Donguibogam, a representative encyclopedic source of knowledge on traditional Korean medicine, left-sided hemiparesis due to stroke is called "Tan" as a sort of "Heyol-Byeong," while right-sided hemiparesis due to stroke is called "Tan" as a sort of "Gi-Byeong." According to the theory of Donguibogam, diseases on the left or right side of the human body must be treated differently. Clinically, the symptoms caused by left and right hemisphere lesions in stroke patients differ, as the functions of the left and right hemispheres differ.

Thread-embedding acupuncture for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Lumbar herniated intervertebral disc (LHIVD) is a frequent disease among patients attending Korean medicine hospitals, and it is associated with considerable medical expenses for the patients. Although several recent randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have reported that thread-embedding acupuncture (TEA) has a more favorable therapeutic effect on LHIVD than other types of acupuncture or other treatments, the evidence remains limited because these trials used poor assessment methods and had a high risk of bias. This study aims to evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness and safety of TEA for LHIVD.

Fermented Oyster Extract Promotes Osteoblast Differentiation by Activating the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway, Leading to Bone Formation.

The Pacific oyster, , is well-known as a nutritious food. Recently, we revealed that fermented extract of (FO) inhibited ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis, resulting from suppression of osteoclastogenesis. However, since the beneficial effect of FO on osteogenesis is poorly understood, it was examined in mouse preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells, human osteosarcoma MG-63 osteoblast-like cells, and zebrafish larvae in this study.

SP600125 enhances C-2-induced cell death by the switch from autophagy to apoptosis in bladder cancer cells.

Background: A natural compound Jaspine B and its derivative possess potential anti-cancer activities; However, little is known about the underlying mechanism. Here, the role of a new autophagy inducer Jaspine B derivative C-2 in suppressing bladder cancer cells was researched in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: The underlying mechanisms and anticancer effect of C-2 in bladder cancer cells were investigated by MTT, western blotting, immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence assays.

Carnosine exerts antitumor activity against bladder cancers in vitro and in vivo via suppression of angiogenesis.

Carnosine, a naturally occurring dipeptide, was recently reported to exhibit anticancer activity; however, the molecular mechanisms and regulators underlying its activity against tumor-associated angiogenesis remain unidentified. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of carnosine in EJ bladder cancer cells and EJ-xenografted BALB/c nude mice, respectively. In addition, in vitro capillary tube formation of HUVECs, ex vivo aortic ring and in vivo Matrigel plug assays were employed to examine the antiangiogenic potential of carnosine.

Cross-sectional analysis of self-reported sedentary behaviors and chronic knee pain among South Korean adults over 50 years of age in KNHANES 2013-2015.

Background: An increasing amount of evidence supports an association between sedentary behaviors and chronic knee pain. However, the association between the total daily duration of sedentary behavior and chronic knee pain in the general population remains unclear. We aimed to analyze the association between sedentary behavior and chronic knee pain in a study population representative of the general Korean population aged > 50 years while also considering the physical activity or body mass index (BMI).

Anthocyanins from L. Inhibit Melanogenesis by Activating the ERK Signaling Pathway.

L. exhibited promising potential as a new source of food and colorants containing various anthocyanins. However, the function of anthocyanins from L.