A Case of Hepatotoxicity Induced by Short-term Acne Medications: The Need for Clinical Awareness

손창규 대한한방내과학회 2025 대한한방내과학회지 Vol.46 No.1

Objective: This case study aims to raise awareness of the risk of hepatotoxicity caused by conventional drugs, a concern often encountered in traditional Korean medicine (TKM) clinics. Methods: A young female patient developed drug-induced liver injury (DILI) after taking medication for facial acne over a 7-day period. Result: A 16-year-old female presented with symptoms of dyspepsia, nausea, fatigue, and dizziness after taking an herbal decoction for 2 days to treat underlying anemia. Laboratory tests revealed a liver injury, with elevated AST (77 IU/L), ALT (231 IU/L), ALP (261 IU/L), and GGT (381 IU/L) serum levels. A follow-up interview revealed that the patient had been taking acne medication containing potentially hepatotoxic drugs, such as roxithromycin. Discontinuation of the acne medication led to rapid symptom resolution and normalized laboratory findings within 4 weeks, even with subsequent use of the herbal decoction. Conclusion: This case underscores the importance of TKM practitioner vigilance over potentially hepatotoxic conventional drugs encountered in clinical practice.

Case Report of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treated with Salt-Indirect Moxibustion

손창규 대한한의학회 2012 대한한의학회지 Vol.33 No.4

Objectives: To describe a clinical case of a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) who was cured using indirect moxibustion. Methods: A male patient with severe CFS was treated with mainly indirect moxibustion (KI1, CV4 and CV8). The clinical outcome was observed by self-reporting, both visual analogue scale (VAS) and numerical rating scale (NRS). Results: The patient’s symptoms matched the criteria for CFS diagnosis. His symptom differentiation was the “Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney”. The fatigue feeling and related-symptoms were radically reduced by 14-day treatment. The VAS and NRS score changed from 8.5 and 70 to 3.5 and 35, respectively. Conclusions: This case report provides information on the potential of moxibustion therapy and its application for CFS and fatigue-associated disorders. Objectives: To describe a clinical case of a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) who was cured using indirect moxibustion. Methods: A male patient with severe CFS was treated with mainly indirect moxibustion (KI1, CV4 and CV8). The clinical outcome was observed by self-reporting, both visual analogue scale (VAS) and numerical rating scale (NRS). Results: The patient’s symptoms matched the criteria for CFS diagnosis. His symptom differentiation was the “Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney”. The fatigue feeling and related-symptoms were radically reduced by 14-day treatment. The VAS and NRS score changed from 8.5 and 70 to 3.5 and 35, respectively. Conclusions: This case report provides information on the potential of moxibustion therapy and its application for CFS and fatigue-associated disorders.

Analysis for Individual-authorization of Functional Food Materials in Korea

손창규 대한한의학회 2015 대한한의학회지 Vol.36 No.4

Objectives: This study aimed to provide basic information for the trend of individual-authorization on functional food materials in Korea to side of Korean medicine. Methods: Approval of materials for individual-authorized functional food in Korea was analyzed from 2004 to August 2015 using database from Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), regarding the kinds of function, materials and their functional level by year. Results: Korean functional food market has rapidly grown to 1.56 trillion Won in 2014, with about 10% of annual growth rate. In particular, the increase of individual-authorized functional food is worth of notices, in detail 313 kinds of functional materials covering 31 body functions have been approved by August 2015. 15.7% of individual-authorized functional foods have used the herbal materials. This quantitative and qualitative expansion of functional foods, especially of individual-authorized functional foods, will affect the herbal drug industry negatively. Conclusion: This study figured out the current pattern of material approval for individual-authorized functional food in Korea, which would be essential in development of strategies by Korean medicine community in order to overcome such conditions.

A case of chronic fatigue syndrome improved by traditional Korean medicine

손창규 한국한의학연구원 2013 Integrative Medicine Research Vol.2 No.1

The etiology of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is unknown and no conventional medicine therapies are available. This report presents a clinical case of a patient suffering from CFS who was cured by traditional Korean medicine. A 33-year-old female patient had to take time off work because of terrible fatigue symptoms that did not respond to conventional treatments. Her disorder was significantly reduced by herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion. Changes in fatigue severity were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) and a numerical rating scale (NRS). NRS and VAS scores decreased from 70 and 8.1 to 37 and 3.7, respectively, during 3 months. This case reveals the therapeutic potential of traditional Korean medicine for CFS and fatigue-associated disorders.

Functional abdominal pain syndrome treated with Korean medication

손창규 한국한의학연구원 2014 Integrative Medicine Research Vol.3 No.2

A 37-year-old female patient with chronic and stubborn abdominal pain had been hospitalized five times in three Western hospitals, but no effects were observed. No abnormalities were found in blood tests, gastrointestinal endoscopy, sonogram, and computed tomography of the abdomen, except mild paralytic ileus. The patient decided to rely on Korean medicine as an inpatient. She was diagnosed with functional abdominal pain syndrome, and her symptom differentiation was the “Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney.” A herbal drug, Hwangikyeji-tang, along with moxibustion and acupuncture, was given to the patient. Abdominal pain and related symptoms were reduced radically within 16 days of treatment. This report shows a therapeutic potential of Korean medicine-based treatment for functional abdominal pain syndrome.

암(癌) 치료(治療)에 있어서 부정거사법(扶正祛邪法)의 운용(運用)에 관(關)한 고찰(考察)

손창규,조종관,Son, Chang-Gyu,Jo, Jong-Gwan 대한한방내과학회 1995 대한한방내과학회지 Vol.16 No.2

無等山開發에 關한 調査硏究(第一報)

孫昌奎,朴鴻鳳,朴華性,李偵錫 전남대학교 농어촌개발연구소 1965 농어촌개발연구 Vol.3 No.1

A Clinical Report of Adult Acute Viral Hepatitis Type A Treated with Herbal Prescriptions

손창규 대한한의학회 2007 대한한의학회지 Vol.28 No.4

Owing to improvement of socioeconomic status during recent decades in Korea, incidence of hepatitis A has rapidly decreased, especially among children. However, this status has paradoxically caused a steady increase of adult patients with HAV infection, causing new medical issues associated with aggravated clinical symptoms. The present study reports an adult case of acute viral hepatitis type A treated with oriental medicine. The elevated biochemical findings(AST, ALT, gamma-GTP, bilirubin), physical symptoms (general weakness, nausea, right flank pain, itching sign), and serological makers (anti-HAV IgM and anti-HAV IgG) were normalized within four weeks. Also, sonographic examination showed a normal pattern on an enlarged liver image. This study informed us about the clinical capacity of oriental medicine for adult patients with acute viral hepatitis type A.

Review of the Prevalence of Chronic Fatigue Worldwide

손창규 대한한의학회 2012 대한한의학회지 Vol.33 No.2

Objectives: To obtain the features of prevalence of chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome worldwide. Methods: All research reports for prevalence of chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome were selected from PubMed, KMbase and KISS database, and the prevalence were analyzed according to the symptoms and countries. Results: A total of 39 articles from 13 other countries and 4 articles from Korea met the criteria of this study. The prevalence of chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome was about 10% and 1% respectively. The prevalence for Korean was 17.7% and 1.4% respectively, however the data have a limitation due to the lack of well-designed studies. Conclusions: This report can provide essential information to build a strategy for development of therapeutics against chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome using traditional Korean medicine.

Overview of RCT for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

손창규 대한한의학회 2011 대한한의학회지 Vol.32 No.3

Objective: This study aimed to get information on the current status of therapies to date for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Methods: All randomized clinical controlled trial (RCT)-derived papers for NAFLD or NASH were reviewed via PubMed Database. Results: 39 RCTs met the review criteria, of which 15 and 24 papers were for NAFLD and NASH, respectively. 83% of the papers were released since 2006, and 30 studies were conducted for western medicines, antioxidants and lifestyle intervention whereas nine trials were done using herbal medicine or acupuncture which showed positive outcome. Conclusions: NAFLD and NASH are new epidemic disorders which can be a target of traditional Oriental medicine. This study will be helpful for the Oriental medicine-based strategies or therapeutic development for them.