Feasibility of Applying the OMOP Common Data Model to Traditional Eastern Asian Medicine Dataset.

To evaluate the feasibility of applying the Observational Medical Outcome Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model (CDM) to databases of traditional East Asian medicine (TEAM), we composed a TEAM dataset and transformed it to the OMOP CDM. We found that some important TEAM information entities could not be transformed to the OMOP CDM (version 6.0) data fields. We suggest to develop data fields and guideline for transforming TEAM data to the OMOP CDM.

Weight Control Registry Using Korean Medicine: A Protocol for a Prospective Registry Study.

Lifestyle and physical characteristics affect body weight, and understanding these factors improves the precision of weight loss treatment. Many obese patients in Korea are receiving Korean medicine (KM) treatment, including herbal medicine and acupuncture, for weight loss. However, the real-world data (RWD) are insufficient in terms of being longitudinal and diverse. Weight Control Registry using KM is a prospective registry study that enrolls patients receiving KM treatment for weight loss and collects RWD from multiple clinics. The patients who are eligible for this study are aged 19-65 years, receive KM weight loss treatment, understand the study objectives, and consent voluntarily. Clinical data of patient characteristics and KM treatment patterns will be regularly collected until 2026. The longitudinal accumulation of various RWD will establish a high-quality study database for KM weight loss treatment. With this study, we expect to contribute to understanding the current trend of weight loss treatment with KM and solve further questions regarding this treatment.

Herbal Medicine Prescriptions for Functional Dyspepsia: A Nationwide Population-Based Study in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Herbal medicine is widely used for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD) in East Asian countries. We aimed to analyze the prescription patterns of herbal medicine for patients with FD in Korean medicine clinical settings through the analysis of national health insurance claims data over the past 10 years and to check how herbal medicine has been used for FD within the scope of national health insurance. METHODS: All prescription data claimed to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service with the diagnosis of FD and herbal medicine prescriptions in 2010-2019 were reviewed. We estimated the demographics, clinical characteristics, and annual prescription amount and cost of each herbal medicine. Frequent comorbidities of FD were investigated by analyzing the frequency of the Korean standard classification of diseases codes used together with FD. RESULTS: In total, 19,388,248 herbal medicine prescriptions were identified. Herbal medicine prescriptions were mostly claimed by women, the elderly, outpatients at Korean medicine clinics, and national health insurance; the number increased every year. The most frequently prescribed herbal medicine was Pingwei-san (Pyeongwi-san) (31.12%), followed by Xiangshapingwei-san (Hyangsapyeongwi-san) (23.20%), Qiongxia-tang (Gungha-tang) (6.31%), and Banxiaxiexin-tang (Banhasasim-tang) (6.25%). The total cost of herbal medicine prescriptions increased every year, and it was highest for Xiangshapingwei-san (Hyangsapyeongwi-san) (19.37%), followed by Banxiaxiexin-tang (Banhasasim-tang) (17.50%) and then Pingwei-san (Pyeongwi-san) (15.63%). Musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases including low back pain and myalgia were the commonest comorbidities associated with FD. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to investigate the disease burden and actual prescription pattern of herbal medicine for FD using claim data. Future clinical research and related healthcare policies should be established based on our study.

Anti-angiogenic activity of the methanol extract and its fractions of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica.

This study aimed to elucidate anti-angiogenic activity of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica that has been widely used in folk medicine. The methanol extract (UDE) of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica concentration-dependently displayed a strong inhibition in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) angiogenesis. The n-butanol fraction of UDE and subsequent 30% MeOH subfraction were identified to be most responsible for the anti-angiogenic activity.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic activities of Gastrodia elata Blume.

Gastrodia elata Blume rhizome has been traditionally used as a folk medicine for centuries in Oriental countries. Its ethanol extract (GEE) and subsequent fractions were used to evaluate anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and related activities of Gastrodia elata. GEE potently inhibited angiogenesis in the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay, and its n-butanol fraction (BuOH) exerted the higher inhibitory effect. In a dose-dependent manner, GEE inhibited vascular permeability induced by acetic acid. GEE and its BuOH fraction exerted an inhibitory activity on exudate production, leukocyte migration and nitric oxide (NO) level in rat air-pouch model. GEE caused a dose-dependent inhibition of acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing in mice. In addition, GEE inhibited NO production and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) upon stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW264.7 macrophages. In summary, we demonstrate some novel pharmacological activities of Gastrodia elata, such as anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, and in vivo and in vitro inhibitory activity on NO production.