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Ganghwaljetongyeum is a traditional Korean herbal medicine used to treat joint pain, limited motion, fever, and swelling; it also inhibits inflammatory processes associated with arthritis. ChondroT, a water extract of Ganghwaljetongyeum, is a new complex herbal medicine. This study investigated the effects of ChondroT using a rat model of monosodium iodoacetate- (MIA-) induced osteoarthritis. Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into three ChondroT groups and a normal, control, and positive control group. Changes in paw edema volume, histopathology, and plantar withdrawal response were analyzed. Further, inflammatory cytokines, arachidonic acids, liver and kidney function, and hematological features were measured. ChondroT significantly decreased paw edema by the 5th day and notably improved articular cartilage damage; it also significantly improved the plantar withdrawal response in terms of both reaction time and force intensity. Moreover, treatment with ChondroT significantly decreased the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and prostaglandin E2 and significantly increased serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels. This study demonstrates that ChondroT has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in a MIA-induced osteoarthritis rat model. These results support the clinical relevance of ChondroT for future use in patients with osteoarthritis. However, further studies are required to elucidate the corresponding mechanisms.

Background ChondroT, a new herbal medication, consists of the water extracts of Osterici Radix, Lonicerae Folium, Angelicae Gigantis Radix, Clematidis Radix, and Phellodendri Cortex (6:4:4:4:3). We previously reported that ChondroT showed significant anti-arthritis and anti-inflammatory effects. Methods This study was designed to evaluate the effect of ChondroT on hyperuricemia. First, the effect of ChondroT was evaluated on xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity in vitro. The anti-hyperuricemic effect of ChondroT was also studied in potassium oxonate (PO)-induced hyperuricemic model mice. Uric acid (UA) and XOD were evaluated in the serum, urine, and liver of the mice. In addition, we measured serum creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels as well as mRNA expression of the mouse urate transporter 1 (mURAT1) to evaluate kidney function and urate excretion in hyperuricemic mice. Results ChondroT showed in vitro XOD inhibitory activity in a dose-dependent manner (P 0.05 and P

Ganghwaljetongyeum (GHJTY) has been used as a standard treatment for arthritis for approximately 15 years at the Korean Medicine Hospital of Dongshin University. GHJTY is composed of 18 medicinal herbs, of which five primary herbs were selected and named new Ganghwaljetongyeum (N-GHJTY). The purpose of the present study was to observe the effect of N-GHJTY on arthritis and to determine its mechanism of action. After confirming arthritis induction using complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) in rats, N-GHJTY (62.5, 125, and 250 mg/kg/day) was administered once a day for 10 days. In order to determine pathological changes, edema of the paws and weight were measured before and for 10 days after N-GHJTY administration. Cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) levels and histopathological lesions in the knee joint were also examined. Edema in the paw and knee joint of N-GHJTY-treated rats was significantly decreased at 6, 8, and 10 days after administration, compared to that in the CFA-control group, while weight consistently increased. Rats in N-GHJTY-treated groups also recovered from the CFA-induced pathological changes and showed a significant decline in cytokine levels. Taken together, our results showed that N-GHJTY administration was effective in inhibiting CFA-induced arthritis via anti-inflammatory effects while promoting cartilage recovery by controlling cytokine levels.

Background Previously, we reported that ChondorT showed significant anti-arthritis and anti-inflammatory effects. ChondroT, a new herbal medication, consists of the water extracts of Osterici Radix, Lonicerae Folium, Angelicae Gigantis Radix, Clematidis Radix, and Phellodendri Cortex (6:4:4:4:3). The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ChondroT in collagenase-induced osteoarthritis rat model. Methods Osteoarthritis was induced by the injection of collagenase into the right knee joint cavity of rats. The samples were divided into seven groups [intact (n = 6), control (n = 6), indomethacin (n = 6), Joins tab (n = 6), ChondroT50 (n = 6), ChondroT100 (n = 6), and ChondroT200 (n = 6)]. The control group was administered normal saline, indomethacin group was administered indomethacin (2 mg/kg), and Joins tab group was administered Joins Tab (20 mg/kg). The ChondroT50, ChondroT100, and ChondroT200 groups were administered 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg of ChondroT, respectively. All oral administrations were initiated 7 days after the induction of arthritis and were continued for a total of 12 days. At the end of the experiment, serum aminotransferase, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, leukocyte, and inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6] were analyzed. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and safranin O-fast green staining of the articular structures of the knee joint were performed. Results TNF-α and IL-1β decreased in the ChondroT100 and ChondroT200 groups compared with those in the control group. IL-6 and aspartate aminotransferase decreased in the ChondroT50, ChondroT100, and ChondroT200 groups compared with that in the control group. Albumin, WBC and lymphocytes decreased in the ChondroT100 and ChondroT200 groups compared with those in the control group. In H&E stain, synoviocytes, cartilage lacunae, and chondrocytes were well preserved in the ChondroT100 and ChondroT200 groups, and safranin O-fast staining showed a clear reaction of proteoglycans in the ChondroT100 and ChondroT200 groups. Conclusions Based on these results, it can be proposed that ChondroT has anti-osteoarthritic effects on collagenase-induced rat model.

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to report that Korean medical treatment is good for deteriorated moderate allergic skin after taking lotus root while getting treatment for contact dermatitis by pain relieving patch. Methods : A 54-year-old woman patient with allergic contact dermatitis received treatment with acupuncture, herbal medicine, etc. We used observation and Visu al Anologue Scale(VAS) to evaluate recovery from erythema, pruritus and skin damages. Results : A visible symptoms to the naked eye and VAS scale were effectively decreased after Korean medicine treatments. Conclusions : Korean medical treatments were effective for allergic contact d ermatitis deteriorated by lotus root while getting treatment contact dermatitis by pain relieving patch.Key words : Allergic contact dermatitis; Pain Relieving Patch; Lotus root ⓒ 2015 the Society of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology & Otolaryng ology & DermatologyThis is an Open Access journal distributed under the terms of t he Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/license/by-nc/3.0/) which permits u nrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

본 연구는 보건복지부 한의약선도기술 사업의 지원에 의하여 이루어진 것임 (과제고유번호 : HI13C2285).RECEIVED June 16, 2015REVISED July 10, 2015ACCEPTEDJuly 15, 2015CORRESPONDING TOSeon-Jong Kim, Department of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation, Mokpo Oriental Hospital of Dongshin University, 313 Baengnyeon-daero, Mokpo 530-822, KoreaTEL (061) 280-7905FAX (061) 280-7788E-mail mofoster@hanmail.netCopyright © 2015 The Society of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation

Background Ganghwaljetongyeum (GHJTY) is a complex herbal decoction comprising 18 plants; it is used to treat arthritis. In order to develop a new anti-arthritic herbal medication, we selected 5 out of 18 GHJTY plants by using bioinformatics analysis. The new medication, called ChondroT, comprised water extracts of Osterici Radix, Lonicerae Folium, Angelicae Gigantis Radix, Clematidis Radix, and Phellodendri Cortex. This study was designed to investigate its chondroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects to develop an anti-arthritic herb medicine. Methods ChondroT was validated using a convenient and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography–photodiode array (HPLC–PDA) detection method for simultaneous determination of its seven reference components. The concentrations of the seven marker constituents were in the range of 0.81–5.46 mg/g. The chondroprotective effects were evaluated based on SW1353 chondrocytes and matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1) expression. In addition, the anti-inflammatory effects of ChondroT were studied by Western blotting of pro-inflammatory enzymes and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells. Results ChondroT enhanced the growth of SW1353 chondrocytes and also significantly inhibited IL-1β-induced MMP-1 expression. However, ChondroT did not show any effects on the growth of HeLa and RAW264.7 cells. The expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was induced by LPS in RAW264.7 cells, which was significantly decreased by pre-treatment with ChondroT. In addition, ChondroT reduced the activation of NF-kB and production of inflammatory mediators, such as IL-1β, IL-6, PGE2, and nitric oxide (NO) in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. Conclusions These results show that ChondroT exerted a chondroprotective effect and demonstrated multi-target mechanisms related to inflammation and arthritis. In addition, the suppressive effect was greater than that exhibited by GHJTY, suggesting that ChondroT, a new complex herbal medication, has therapeutic potential for the treatment of arthritis.

BACKGROUND Arthritis is the most common disease in elderly individuals. Many medications for osteoarthritis treatment have the potential for side effects. Using a bioinformatics tool and preclinical studies, ChondroT, 5 herbal complexes, was identified from Ganghwaljetongyeum, which is a18 herbal complex, which has often used to treat osteoarthritis. The goal of this study is to evaluate short-term safety of ChondroT. METHODS This will be a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial. There will be a 2-week run-in period before random allocation to 3 groups, ChondroT 1.0 g, 2.0 g, and placebo groups. Total duration of the clinical trial will be 14 weeks including a 4-week washout follow-up. Participants will be followed-up every 4 weeks, and the effect and the safety will be assessed at visit 2, 3, and 4. All participants are asked to maintain the medication schedule in this protocol. The primary outcome will be measured using pain visual analog scale (VAS) after 8 week treatment and secondary outcomes will include pain VAS score after 4 week treatment, SF-36 survey score, patient's global assessment, physical function test, and the change of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein. The repeated-measure analysis will be used for the primary efficacy based on full analysis set and per-protocol. DISCUSSION This study has restrictive inclusion, exclusion criteria, and a well-controlled intervention, and it will be the first randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ChondroT formula in osteoarthritis patients. The trial according to this protocol may provide a new intervention in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Obesity is a worldwide individual and public health issue, and contributes to the development of numerous chronic diseases. In particular, maternal obesity has harmful effects on both the mother and child during and after pregnancy. The digestion and metabolism of food are controlled by endocrine factors, including insulin, glucagon and estrogen. These hormonal factors are differentially regulated during pregnancy due to the specialized hormonal environment during this period. In the present study, we examined the effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3), an active hormonal form of nutritional vitamin D3, on lipid metabolism in pregnant rats. The body weight of rats treated with VD3 was significantly reduced compared to that of the rats in the control group. In addition, histological analysis demonstrated that the amount of fat stored in adipocytes was reduced by treatment with VD3. To determine the role of VD3 in lipid metabolism, the expression levels of lipid metabolism‑associated genes were measured in the rat adipose tissue and liver. VD3 negatively regulated the expression of various lipogenic genes, including fatty acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), in both the adipose tissue and liver. However, the regulators of lipogenic enzymes such as, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) and insulin-induced gene 2 (INSIG2) were differentially regulated by VD3 in a tissue‑specific manner. On the whole, these findings suggest that VD3 regulates lipid metabolism and deposition in the liver and adipose tissue, and thereby reduces fat in pregnant animals, as well as body weight. Our results suggest that the alteration of lipogenesis through the administration of VD3 may help to reduce excessive weight gain during pregnancy and prevent obesity‑related pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, hypertension and issues with labor.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of 2 Kobangs. Daecheongryong-tang and Samhwangsasim-tang on to two psoriasis patients each. The improvement of the skin condition was observed by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score. The patient treated with Daecheongryong-tang showed significant improvement after the patient's state of sweating improved and the PASI score of the patient reduced from 17.6 to 1.8 after five months of treatment. The patient treated with Samhwangsasim-tang showed gradual improvement after the patient's defecation was improved and the PASI score of the patient reduced from 27.3 to 3.6 after three months of treatment. According to the results, we obtained clinically positive effects from 2 Kobangs applied on 2 psoriasis cases respectively. Although there were few reports on psoriasis treated with Kobang, we can suggest effective treatment on psoriasis.

Summary Introduction For the evaluation of voice disorders, direct observation of vocal cord vibration is important. Among the various methods, laryngeal videostroboscopy (LVS) is widely used, but it was not a true image because it collects images from different cycles. In contrast, high-speed videoendoscopy and videokymography have much higher frame rates and can assess functional and mobility disorders. Objective The purpose of the study is to describe real-time, simultaneous digital kymography (DKG), two-dimensional scanning (2D) DKG, and multi-frame (MF) LVS system using a high-speed digital camera, and identify the efficacy of this system in evaluating vibratory patterns of pathologic voice. Methods The pattern of vocal fold vibration was evaluated in a vocally healthy subject and in subjects with vocal polyp, vocal nodules, vocal cord scar, and vocal cord paralysis. We used both quantitative (left-right phase symmetry, amplitude symmetry index) and qualitative (anterior-posterior phase symmetry) parameters for assessment of vocal fold vibration. Results Our system could record videos within seconds and required relatively little memory. The speed of replay in the DKG, 2D DKG, MF LVS, and high-speed videoendoscopy was controllable. The number of frame per cycle with MF LVS was almost the same as the fundamental frequency. Conclusion Our system can provide images of various modalities simultaneously in real time and analyze morphological and functional vibratory patterns. It can be possible to provide a greater level of information for the diagnosis and treatment of vibratory disorders.