Objectives : The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Curcuma longa LINNE pharmacopuncture at ST36 on Complete Freund's Adjuvant(CFA)-induced arthritis in rats. Materials and methods : Arthritis was induced by injecting CFA subcutaneously into the left knee joint and paw, and Curcuma longa LINNE pharmacopuncture(CLL-A. 0.0343 ㎍/㎏; CLL-B. 0.171 ㎍/㎏; CLL-C. 0.343 ㎍/㎏) was injected at ST36 each other day for 5 times beginning on day 10 after the CFA injection. Paw edema, withdrawal response, hematological, serological and histological observation were assessed. Results : In paw edema volume all 3 groups(CLL-A, CLL-B, CLL-C) showed significant decrease compared to the CFA control group. In withdrawal response to reaction time and withdrawal response to force all 3 groups(CLL-A, CLL-B, CLL-C) showed significant increase compared to the CFA control group. In serum AST, group CLL-C showed significant decrease compared to the CFA control group. In histological observations, in all 3 groups, more normal chondrocytes were observed compared to the CFA control group and safranin O stain showed high positive reaction in the cartilage tissue close to the bone tissue. Conclusions : The results suggest that Curcuma longa LINNE Pharmacopuncture at ST36 has a suppressing inflammation effect on Freund's adjuvant arthritis in rats.

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to examine whether Eucommiae Cortex pharmacopuncture may affect to the neuropathic pain in a rat model. Methods : To produce the model of neuropathic pain, under isoflurane 2.5 % anesthesia, underwent tight ligation by 6.0 silk thread and transection of the tibial and sural nerves, leaving the common peroneal nerve intact. After neuropathic surgery, the author examined if the exhibited the behavioral sign of allodynia. The allodynia was assessed by stimulating the plantar with Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer. Three days after the neuropathic surgery, Eucommiae Cortex pharmacopuncture was injected at Sinsu(BL23) once every week for 6 weeks. After that, the author examined the withdrawal response of neuropathic rats' leg by Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer. And also the author examined Bax, Bcl-2, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in the spinal cord of neuropathic rats and the change of WBC, RBC, HGB, HCT count in the blood of neuropathic rats. Results : 1. The Eucommiae Cortex pharmacopuncture decreased the withdrawal response of mechanical allodynia that assessed with Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer in EC2-BL23 group as compared with control group. 2. The Eucommiae Cortex pharmacopuncture decreased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in EC1-BL23, EC2-BL23 group.But The Eucommiae Cortex pharmacopuncture injected at Sinsu(BL23) didn't change Bax, Bcl-2 expression level in the all group. 3. The Eucommiae Cortex pharmacopuncture decreased WBC count in EC1-BL23, EC2-BL23 group. Conclusions : We have noticed that Eucommiae Cortex pharmacopuncture decreased mechanical allodynia in the model of neuropathic pain compared with the control group. Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in spinal cord of that group was also decreased compared with the control group. This study can be used as a basic resource on a study and a treatment of neuropathic pain.

Objectives : There are few reports on treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome in the field of traditional Korean medicine. The aim of this study is to report a case of a 29-year-old male patient diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, whose symptoms were relieved after 3-week integrated Korean medical treatment. Methods : A patient diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome was admitted into the Korean medicine hospital. The patient had left shoulder pain and left arm numbness. The pain was worse if it had become cold. The patient was treated using Sa-am acupuncture(Daejangseunggyeok), sweet bee venom acupuncture, herbal medicine and other treatment including physical therapy from September 7th to 27th of 2012. Improvement of the patient's symptoms was evaluated by verbal numerical rating scale(VNRS), skin surface temperature difference between the left and right symmetric part of digital infrared thermographic image(DITI). Results : After 3-weeks of treatment, VNRS decreased and skin surface temperature difference between the left and right symmetric part of DITI showed moderate improvement. Conclusions : The results suggest that integrated Korean medical treatment may affect to reduce the symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome. Further study is needed to evaluate the importance of this report.

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to report the effect of Korean medical treatment on a patient with relapsing transverse myelitis. Methods : The patient was treated using acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine and other treatments including moxibustion and therapeutic exercise for 8 weeks. We evaluated the patient's motor grade with medical research council(MRC) scale and evaluated active range of motion in the hip, knee, and anke joint. Results : Through treatment the patient's motor grade and active range of motion all improved. Other symptoms such as lower limb hypoesthesia and residual urine sensation also showed improvement. Conclusions : We concluded that Korean medicine treatment had respectable effect in improving symptoms on the patient with relapsing transverse myelitis.

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the analgesic effects of filiform acupuncture and laser acupuncture at the points of TE3ㆍGB41 in neuropathic pain induced rats. Methods : Neuropathic pain in rats was induced by partial resection of the tibial and sural nerves. Three weeks after the neuropathic surgery, each of the experimental groups(AT, LAT, AT + LAT and LAT + AT) was injected at the TE3ㆍGB41 twice per week for three weeks. Results : 1. All of the experimental groups(AT, LAT, AT + LAT and LAT + AT) showed a significant decrease in the plantar withdrawal response of allodynia and the thermal allodynia as compared with the control group. During the early phase, the AT and AT + LAT groups have been marked as more significant than the LAT + AT and LAT groups. 2. The expression of c-Fos significantly decreased in the LAT and LAT + AT groups as compared with the control group. 3. The LAT + AT group showed a significant decrease in Bax as compared with the control group. In each experimental groups(AT, LAT, AT + LAT and LAT + AT), Bcl-2 increased and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio decreased as compared with the control group. 4. The LAT, AT + LAT and LAT + AT groups showed a significant increase in mGluR5 as compared with the control group. Conclusions : These results represented that the filiform acupuncture and laser acupuncture at the TE3ㆍGB41 exerted anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects on the model of neuropathic pain, thereby suggesting that they should be available for decreasing mechanical allodynia.