The Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (President Jin-yong Lee, hereinfollowing the Institute of Oriental Medicine) announced that the research team of Dr. Ji-yeon Jung of the Department of Oriental Medicine Research has scientifically confirmed the mechanism of action of ‘Gyeji Bokryung-hwan’, a representative eohyeol treatment, for improving shoulder pain and blood lipids through metabolite analysis.
The results of this study were published in ‘Phytomedicine’ (IF=6.656), an international renowned scientific journal, with the title of ‘Metabolomic analysis of Gyejibongnyeong-Hwan for shoulder pain: A randomized, wait-list controlled pilot trial’.
Gyeji Bokryeonghwan, composed of Gyeji, Bokryeong, Mokdanpi, Doin, and Peony, is one of the herbal prescriptions mainly used for menopausal disorders, menstrual disorders, and bruises, etc., and is used frequently in clinical practice.
At the core of the mechanism of action of herbal medicines with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects is inflammation and immune regulation. In particular, Gyeji Bokryunghwan is effective in musculoskeletal inflammatory pain diseases such as shoulder pain and is often used in clinical practice, but the treatment mechanism for this is still unknown. state was
Therefore, the research team conducted a multicenter, randomized, controlled waiting list clinical trial to determine the efficacy of Gyeji Bokryunghwan for improving shoulder pain and blood lipids.
As a result of the clinical trial, the pre-treatment shoulder pain (VAS) score decreased significantly in the treatment group and control group following 8 weeks of treatment, and in particular, a decrease of regarding 1.6 times compared to the control group was confirmed in the treatment group.
In addition, it was confirmed that Gyeji Bokryeonghwan improved shoulder pain by regulating metabolic patterns of arginine and tryptophan, which are related to chronic pain and neuroinflammation, and improved blood lipid levels.
Currently, the research team has received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (IND) for product approval, and is also conducting a study on the efficacy and safety of Gyeji Bokryung-hwan for the treatment of dyslipidemia.
In this regard, the first author, Dr. Mimi Koh (pictured) from the Department of Oriental Medicine Research, said, “This study is more meaningful as it aims to identify clinical efficacy and mechanism of action by combining clinical studies of oriental medicine and metabolomics.” He said, “We will do our best to contribute to public health through scientific investigation of the efficacy of herbal medicines through continuous follow-up studies.”
Meanwhile, this research achievement was carried out with the support of the main project of the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine under the Ministry of Science and ICT.
