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Objective: This study was conducted to investigate whether acupuncture and moxibustion treatment could improve proteinuria in immunoglobulin A nephropathy.Methods: A 25-year-old man diagnosed with immunoglobulin A nephropathy had severely increased proteinuria. We conducted acupuncture treatment and moxibustion treatment on the abdominal area between the abdominal aorta and kidney at level L2.Results: After five months of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, the patient’s urine albumin/creatinine ratio and urine protein/creatinine ratio had improved from 0.571 to 0.28 and 0.79 to 0.47, respectively.Conclusions: This case report suggests that acupuncture and moxibustion treatment may ameliorate proteinuria in immunoglobulin A nephropathy.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the hypoglycemic effect and safety of herbal extracts in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods: We investigated 19 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were administered Banhasasim-tang (BST), Gumiganghwal-tang (GGT), or Pyeongwee-san (PWS) at Kyung Hee University Korean Medical Hospital for at least three days between January 2012 and December 2021. Their clinical characteristics and laboratory tests were reviewed retrospectively. The glucose-lowering effect of the herbal extracts was assessed by comparing blood glucose levels, including fasting blood sugar (FBS), two-hour postprandial glucose (PP2) levels, and glycated hemoglobin levels. To evaluate the safety of the herbal extract, liver function test and kidney function test results were compared, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (Cr).Results: After taking herbal extracts, PP2 and HbA1c levels significantly decreased from 205.82 mg/dL to 171.41 mg/dL and 7.58% to 6.62%, respectively. The safety profile reported no significant difference after taking herbal extracts.Conclusions: BST, GGT, and PWS may have hypoglycemic effects in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus taking hypoglycemic medication.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether Korean medicine could improve unilateral testicular pain caused by recurrent varicocele without unfavorable side effects.Methods: A 46-year-old man diagnosed with varicocele, identified with a scrotal ultrasound scan, had right-side testicular pain. We administered Banchong-san and Eunhoebanchong-san to observe changes in the degree of pain.Results: After one month of taking Banchong-san and Eunhoebanchong-san, testicular pain improved.Conclusion: This study suggests that Korean medicine might be effective for managing testicular pain caused by varicocele.

Objectives: The combined use of herbal and Western medicine is increasing. However, herbal medicine is highly likely to interact with Western medicine making it important to understand the effects of co-administration. This study investigates the ratio of patients who take Western medicine with herb...