Earticle

Potentillae Discoloris Herba, the herbs of Potentilla discolor Bunge, is a traditional medicine in Korea and China. Numerous phytochemical studies have been conducted on this species; however, micromorphological studies have yet to be conducted. This study analyzed the micromorphological characteristics of P. discolor using a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and presented a detailed description. Curved conical strigose were sparsely distributed on the adaxial surface of leaves; however, crispate and floccose villi were densely distributed on the abaxial surface. Additionally, densely distributed villi were observed on the petiole and the outer side of the sepals. Tabular rugose and conical papillose cells were identified on the outer and inner sides of the petals, respectively. The achenes had reniform to ellipsoidal outlines with colliculate sculptures. Such characteristics could have potential taxonomic significance for the genus Potentilla . The obtained results provide systematic data for the authentication of the Potentillae Discoloris Herba and establish a basis for future taxonomic work of the genus Potentilla.

The Lepidium virginicum L., recognized as an adulterant of Lepidii seu Descurainiae Semen, belongs to the Brassicaceae Burnett family. This study aimed to analyze and describe the characteristics of epidermal cells from the leaves, sepals, petals, and seeds using light microscopy, stereoscopic microscopy, and field emission-scanning electron microscopy. The leaves of L. virginicum are of the amphistomatic type. The epidermal cells from the leaves are irregular and convex, with striations on the surface of the cuticle layer. There are long, simple unicellular trichomes on both the adaxial and abaxial surfaces of the leaves. The inner side of a sepal is an isodiametric rectangle, whereas the outer side has an irregular cell shape with an undulated anticlinal cell wall. A unicellular papillose trichome and stomata-like structures are present on the outer side of a sepal. The epidermal cells from an anther are square or pentagonal, with striations on the cuticle layer's surface. The petal's epidermal cells are hexagonal on the proximal surface and conical on the distal surface. The periclinal cell walls of a petal are convex with striations, and the cell shapes are papillose. A wing-like appendage is found at the marginal part of a seed, with papillose epidermal cells. The obtained results provide valuable information for the correct authentication of Lepidii seu Descurainiae Semen and offer insights into future taxonomic research on the genus Lepidium L.

I conducted research on clinical trends regarding anemia in Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) with the aim of providing a convenient reference for anemia diagnosis and treatment in clinical settings. I analyzed clinical studies on anemia treatment in humans using TKM, selected from domestic databases OASIS and Science On, as well as the international database PubMed. I selected and analyzed a total of 24 papers, which included one randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 19 patients, two retrospective analyses of medical records involving 29 and 68 patients respectively, and 21 case reports involving 1 to 3 patients each, all focusing on anemia treatment. There have been 24 recent clinical research papers in TKM targeting anemia, with studies consistently conducted across all ages and genders. Most anemia patients had a preceding disease. The main methods of TKM treatment primarily involved herbal medicines with tonifying qi, blood, and spleen efficacy, along with pharmacoacupuncture and FCST. TKM interventions, as assessed by Hb levels, demonstrated mostly effective outcomes.

National species lists are getting important because it defines the boundary of biological resources in the nation. Currently, several national species lists have been managed in Korea: e.g., ‘Checklist of Vascular Plant in Korea’ and the ‘National Species List.’ However, species coverage of these lists including valid names, synonyms, and general names are slightly different from each other, causing confusion sometimes. As a first step to construct the integrated national plant species list in Korea, we compared the two major national plant species lists, ‘Checklist of Vascular Plant in Korea’ and the ‘National Species List of Korea.’ We found that the number of common valid names from both lists is 3,158 accounting for 55.96% of non-redundant valid names originated from both lists. In contrast to the discordance of valid names, the number of common Korean names in both lists is 3,884 accounting for 60.68% of total Korean names used in both lists. Several cases of typos or incongruent ranks scientific names between two lists were also identified, which can be guide for managing plant species lists in near future. Based on our comparison results, better quality of an integrated species list can be generated so that precise boundary of our own biological can be confirmed and maintained.

In order to contribute to increased income for Chrysanthemum indicum L. farmers, a hemispherical and high-yielding new cultivar was selected and cultivated. The name of the new cultivar is 'Yehyang', which means Chrysanthemum indicum L. with an artistic fragrance and appearance. Test field soil was prepared according to standard cultivation methods, and rooted cuttings were planted at a 50cm distance and cultivated. Characterization was conducted according to the agricultural science technology and research analysis standards of the Rural Development Administration, with leaf and flower colors determined using the RHS color chart. Survey results showed a plant height of 36.1 cm, plant width of 84.8 cm, leaf length of 5.0 cm, leaf width of 3.0 cm, and flowering time was October 5th. It was estimated that 1,094 kg of fresh flowers could be harvested if Chrysanthemum indicum L. was planted at 900 plants per 10a. After the cultivar was registered, it has been used for various purposes such as medicinal, food, ornamental, and nectar sources, and is being actively distributed in the Gyeongnam region to help generate income for farm households.

This study aimed to investigate the visiting patterns, comorbidities, and insured herbal extract usage of common cold patients aged 20 years or older who visited Korean medical clinics and hospitals. To understand the characteristics of individuals diagnosed with the common cold (Korean Standard Classification of Disease code: J00), we utilized the National Health Insurance Service sample cohort database, which encompasses 1 million individuals representing approximately 2% of the South Korean population and contains their health insurance claim information. We analyzed data from 2010 to 2019, focusing on the primary and secondary diagnoses for J00, the top 19 comorbidities (＞1%), and the 15 most frequently prescribed insured herbal extracts. Between 2010 and 2019, the number of people diagnosed with J00 increased by 31.31%, from 7,090 to 9,310, and the number of visit days increased by 133.74%, from 16,075 to 37,574 days. The primary diagnosis rate of J00 decreased from 63.4% in 2011 to 47.8% in 2019. The most common comorbidity was dorsalgia (15.3%), followed by other and unspecified soft tissue disorders (9.7%) and functional dyspepsia (8.2%). Socheongryong-tang was the most frequently prescribed insured herbal extract (21.3%), followed by Samso-eum (19.0%), Yeonkyopaedok-san (14.0%), Gumiganghwal-tang (7.9%), Insampaedok-san (7.4%), and Galgeun-tang (5.9%). Based on our findings, we recommend further clinical research and the development of related healthcare policies to enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of Korean Medicine (KM) for the treatment of the common cold.

Herbal prescriptions play a crucial role in traditional East Asian medicine on the aspects of disease treatment and knowledge understanding. However, the vast number of these prescriptions makes it challenging to unlock their hidden knowledge. To address this, we developed EveryFormula, a web-based application designed to facilitate the understanding of the relationships between herbal prescriptions, medicinal herbs, and diseases through data-driven search and analysis. EveryFormula features [SEARCH] for relevance analysis, [COWORD-NET] for term network analysis, and [SEMANTIC-MAP] for semantic analysis. These tools enable users to search for prescriptions, analyze related medicinal herbs and diseases, and trace similar terms, thereby making it easier to derive explicit knowledge from traditional East Asian medicine prescriptions. This application promises to aid anyone interested in understanding and utilizing traditional East Asian medicine prescriptions.