Genome-wide Analysis Identified SEMA4D, Novel Candidate Gene for Temperature Sensitivity in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: In the era of precision medicine, individual temperature sensitivity has been highlighted. This trait has traditionally been used for cold-heat pattern identification to understand the inherent physical characteristics, which are influenced by genetic factors, of an individual. However, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) on this trait are limited. METHODS: Using genotype data from 90 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and epidermal growth factor receptor mutations, we performed a GWAS to assess the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and temperature sensitivity, such as cold and heat scores. The score of each participant was evaluated using self-administered questionnaires on common symptoms and a 15-item symptom-based cold-heat pattern identification questionnaire. RESULTS: The GWAS was adjusted for confounding factors, including age and sex, and significant associations were identified for cold and heat scores: SNP rs145814326, located on the intron of SORCS2 at chromosome 4p16.1, had a P-value of 1.86 × 10-7; and SNP rs79297667, located upstream from SEMA4D at chromosome 9q22.2, had a P-value of 8.97 × 10-8. We also found that the genetic variant regulates the expression level of SEMA4D in the main tissues, including the lungs and white blood cells, in NSCLC. CONCLUSIONS: SEMA4D was found to be significantly associated with temperature sensitivity in patients with NSCLC, suggesting an increased expression of SEMA4D in patients with higher heat scores. The potential role of temperature sensitivity as a prognostic or predictive marker of immune response in NSCLC should be further studied.

TM-MC 2.0: an enhanced chemical database of medicinal materials in Northeast Asian traditional medicine.

BACKGROUND: As chromatographic techniques have advanced, many articles that analyze the constituting compounds of medicinal materials have been published in relation to Northeast Asian traditional medicine, including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TM-MC was launched in 2015, providing information about the chemical compounds in medicinal materials from chromatographic articles in PubMed. Since 2015, through continuous curation efforts, we have now released TM-MC 2.0 with significant improvements to the quantity and quality of the data ( https://tm-mc.kr ). DESCRIPTION: TM-MC 2.0 contains 635 medicinal materials, 34,107 chemical compounds (21,306 identified and de-duplicated), 13,992 targets, 27,997 diseases, and 5,075 prescriptions (2,393 de-duplicated by name). The database provides the largest number of identified compounds for medicinal materials listed in the pharmacopoeia compared to all TCM databases. In particular, marker compounds of medicinal materials and many newly discovered compounds were added through the manual curation of recent chromatographic articles. CONCLUSION: TM-MC 2.0 provides the largest collection of information about the chemical compounds of the medicinal materials listed in the Korean, Chinese, and Japanese pharmacopoeias. Our database can be utilized for network pharmacology in traditional medicine and for the compound screening of medicinal materials for modern drug discovery.

Identifying target organ location of Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae: a bioinformatics approach on active compounds and genes.

Background: Herbal medicines traditionally target organs for treatment based on medicinal properties, and this theory is widely used for prescriptions. However, the scientific evidence explaining how herbs act on specific organs by biological methods has been still limited. This study used bioinformatic tools to identify the target organ locations of Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae (RAB), a blood-activating herb that nourishes the liver and kidney, strengthens bones, and directs prescription to the lower body. Methods: RAB's active compounds and targets were collected and predicted using databases such as TCMSP, HIT2.0, and BATMAN-TCM. Next, the RAB's target list was analyzed based on two approaches to obtain target organ locations. DAVID and Gene ORGANizer enrichment-based approaches were used to enrich an entire gene list, and the BioGPS and HPA gene expression-based approaches were used to analyze the expression of core genes. Results: RAB's targets were found to be involved in whole blood, blood components, and lymphatic organs across all four tools. Each tool indicated a particular aspect of RAB's target organ locations: DAVID-enriched genes showed a predominance in blood, liver, and kidneys; Gene ORGANizer showed the effect on low body parts as well as bones and joints; BioGPS and HPA showed high gene expression in bone marrow, lymphoid tissue, and smooth muscle. Conclusion: Our bioinformatics-based target organ location prediction can serve as a modern interpretation tool for the target organ location theory of traditional medicine. Future studies should predict therapeutic target organ locations in complex prescriptions rather than single herbs and conduct experiments to verify predictions.

Generation of ventralized human thalamic organoids with thalamic reticular nucleus.

Human brain organoids provide unique platforms for modeling several aspects of human brain development and pathology. However, current brain organoid systems mostly lack the resolution to recapitulate the development of finer brain structures with subregional identity, including functionally distinct nuclei in the thalamus. Here, we report a method for converting human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into ventral thalamic organoids (vThOs) with transcriptionally diverse nuclei identities. Notably, single-cell RNA sequencing revealed previously unachieved thalamic patterning with a thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) signature, a GABAergic nucleus located in the ventral thalamus. Using vThOs, we explored the functions of TRN-specific, disease-associated genes patched domain containing 1 (PTCHD1) and receptor tyrosine-protein kinase (ERBB4) during human thalamic development. Perturbations in PTCHD1 or ERBB4 impaired neuronal functions in vThOs, albeit not affecting the overall thalamic lineage development. Together, vThOs present an experimental model for understanding nuclei-specific development and pathology in the thalamus of the human brain.

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Qi-Invigorating Effects in Traditional Medicine: Network Pharmacology-Based Study on the Unique Functions of Qi-Invigorating Herb Group.

Qi-invigorating herbs (QIHs) are a group of herbs that invigorate Qi, the most vital force for maintaining the physiological functions of the human body in traditional medicine. However, the mechanism underlying the Qi-invigorating effects remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the unique mechanisms of QIHs based on unique compounds, using a network pharmacology approach. QIHs and their compounds were identified using existing literature and the TCMSP database, respectively. Subsequently, a method was proposed to screen for unique compounds that are common in QIHs but rare in other traditional herbs. Unique compounds' targets were predicted using the TCMSP, BATMAN-TCM, and SwissTargetPrediction databases. Finally, enriched GO and KEGG pathways were obtained using DAVID to uncover the biomolecular functions and mechanisms. Thirteen unique compounds, mainly including amino acids and vitamins that participate in energy metabolism and improve Qi deficiency syndrome, were identified among the eight QIHs. GO and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that these compounds commonly participate in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and the metabolism of amino acids, and are related to the components of mitochondria and neuronal cells. Our results appropriately reflect the characteristics of traditional Qi-invigorating effects; therefore, this study facilitates the scientific interpretation of Qi functions and provides evidence regarding the treatment effectiveness of QIHs.

The Molecular Mechanisms of Panax ginseng in Treating Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Network Pharmacology Analysis and Molecular Docking Validation.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder with a high global incidence. Panax ginseng has been used to treat T2DM in traditional medicine, with previous in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trial studies demonstrating its efficacy. This study aimed to determine the mechanism of P. ginseng in treating T2DM by network pharmacology. Methods: The bioactive compounds of P. ginseng and corresponding targets of P. ginseng-T2DM were retrieved across multiple databases. The protein-protein interaction network was established using the STRING database and topological analysis helped identify the core target. Using the DAVID tool, we performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Finally, we checked the binding of core targets and bioactive compounds using molecular docking. Results: The P. ginseng-T2DM networks mainly contained 22 bioactive compounds and 314 overlapping targets. The five most significant core targets were SRC, STAT3, MAPK1, AKT1, and PIK3R1. There were 244 GO terms and 95 KEGG pathways (adjusted p < 0.01) that were strongly correlated with diabetes-related signaling pathways, such as insulin resistance, the HIF-1 signaling pathway, the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, the prolactin signaling pathway, the Rap1 signaling pathway, the Ras signaling pathway, the calcium signaling pathway, and the FoxO signaling pathway. Molecular docking results revealed that the top five core targets had a high binding affinity with the bioactive compounds of P. ginseng. Conclusion: The bioactive compounds and targets in P. ginseng ameliorate T2DM by regulating insulin resistance and multiple signaling pathways.

A pilot study on the effect of formulation and individual muscle mass on vitamin C absorption in randomized clinical study.

The current study investigated that the vitamin C absorption in plasma depends on the individual muscle mass and the formulation including drinks (Vita 500), capsules, and tablets by using a randomized and double-blind clinical study. The volunteers were divided into two groups that depended on their muscle mass, including those whose muscle mass was greater than 40% ( ≥ $ \ge $ 40%) and less than 40% muscle mass (<40%). Levels of vitamin C in blood plasma was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography by ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). The existing HPLC method was modified according to lab conditions but maintained a constantly low pH sample reduction procedure. The analytical method validated stability, linearity, recovery, reliability, and accuracy. The vitamin C absorption was the highest at 120 min after ingesting Vita 500 (21.47 ± 15.99 µmol/L). It was higher in the group that has more than 40% muscle mass compared to other formulations, such as tablets and capsules. The results from the current study indicate that vitamin C formulations differently affect the vitamin C absorption, and its effect depends on the muscle mass. As the results, liquid type vitamin C formulations could enhance vitamin C absorption, which resulted in an improvement of vitamin C absorption according to muscle mass. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The results of this study may recommend using vitamin C supplementation as liquid type. It may also provide evidence that people with higher muscle mass can absorb vitamin C more efficiently.

Effect of Combined Bee Venom Acupuncture and NSAID Treatment for Non-Specific Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized, Assessor-Blinded, Pilot Clinical Trial.

This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of a combined treatment of bee venom acupuncture (BVA) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the treatment of non-specific chronic neck pain (NCNP). Patients with NCNP for ≥3 months were randomly allocated to a BVA, NSAIDs, or combined group (1:1:1), receiving 6 sessions of BVA, loxoprofen (180 mg daily), or a combination, respectively, for 3 weeks. Recruitment, adherence, and completion rates were calculated to assess feasibility. Bothersomeness, pain, disability, quality of life, depressive status, treatment credibility, and adverse events were assessed. In total, 60 participants were enrolled, and 54 completed the trial. Recruitment, adherence, and completion rates were 100%, 95%, and 90%, respectively. Bothersomeness, pain, disability, and depressive symptoms significantly improved in all groups after treatment (p < 0.05). The combined group showed continuous improvement during the follow-up period (p < 0.05). Quality of life was significantly improved (p < 0.05), and treatment credibility was maintained in the BVA and combined groups. No serious adverse events were reported. Combined treatment of BVA and NSAIDs are feasible for the treatment of NCNP, showing high persistence of the effect, credibility, and safety. Additional trials with longer follow-up are needed to confirm this effect.

Chelidonine Induces Apoptosis via GADD45a-p53 Regulation in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

Chelidonium majus has been used as a traditional medicine in China and western countries for various diseases, including inflammation and cancer. However, the anti-cancer effect of chelidonine, a major compound of C. majus extracts, on pancreatic cancer remains poorly understood. In this study, we found that treatment with chelidonine inhibited proliferation of BxPC-3 and MIA PaCa-2 human pancreatic cancer cells. Annexin-V/propidium iodide staining assay showed that this growth inhibitory effect of chelidonine was induced through apoptosis. We found that chelidonine treatment upregulated mRNA levels and transcription factor activity in both cell lines. Increases in protein expression levels of p53, GADD45A, p21 and cleaved caspase-3 were also observed, with more distinct changes in MIA PaCa-2 cells compared to the BxPC-3 cells. These results suggest that chelidonine induces pancreatic cancer apoptosis through the p53 and GADD45A pathways. Our findings provide new insights into the use of chelidonine for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

A Novel Framework for Understanding the Pattern Identification of Traditional Asian Medicine From the Machine Learning Perspective.

Pattern identification (PI), a unique diagnostic system of traditional Asian medicine, is the process of inferring the pathological nature or location of lesions based on observed symptoms. Despite its critical role in theory and practice, the information processing principles underlying PI systems are generally unclear. We present a novel framework for comprehending the PI system from a machine learning perspective. After a brief introduction to the dimensionality of the data, we propose that the PI system can be modeled as a dimensionality reduction process and discuss analytical issues that can be addressed using our framework. Our framework promotes a new approach in understanding the underlying mechanisms of the PI process with strong mathematical tools, thereby enriching the explanatory theories of traditional Asian medicine.

Acupuncture for dry eye syndrome after refractive surgery: A randomized controlled pilot trial.

BACKGROUND: Dry eye syndrome is the most common complication of refractive surgery. Acupuncture is widely used for the treatment of ophthalmologic diseases, but to date, few have explored the effects of acupuncture for the treatment of this condition following refractive surgery. The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility of a study design for evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment along with usual care compared with usual care only for dry eye syndrome after refractive surgery. METHODS: A total of 18 patients with dry eye syndrome occurring after refractive surgery participated in this study. For 4 weeks, the acupuncture plus usual care and usual care only groups received treatment three times a week. A series of assessments, namely the ocular surface disease index (OSDI), visual analog scale for ocular discomfort, quality of life, tear film break-up time, Schirmer 1 test, and fluorescein-stained corneal-surface photography, along with other general assessments were carried out. RESULTS: Although preliminary, changes in OSDI from the baseline values were significantly different between the two groups at week 5 (p = 0.0003). There was a significant difference in the trends of OSDI changes between the acupuncture plus usual care and the usual care only groups (p = 0.0039). No serious adverse events were reported during the study. CONCLUSION: Four weeks of acupuncture treatment in addition to usual care is a feasible treatment for dry eye syndrome after refractive surgery. A full-scale randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture.

Triterpenoids from the Leaves of Centella asiatica Inhibit Ionizing Radiation-Induced Migration and Invasion of Human Lung Cancer Cells.

Radiotherapy using ionizing radiation is a major therapeutic modality for advanced human lung cancers. However, ionizing radiation itself can induce malignant behaviors such as cancer cell migration and invasion, leading to local recurrence or distal metastasis. Therefore, safer and more effective agents that inhibit the metastatic behaviors of cancer cells in radiotherapy are needed. As a part of our ongoing search for new radiotherapy enhancers from medicinal herbs, we isolated the following triterpenoids from the ethanol extract of Centella asiatica: asiatic acid (1), madecassic acid (2), and asiaticoside (3). These compounds inhibited the ionizing radiation-induced migration and invasion of A549 human lung cancer cells at noncytotoxic concentrations. These results suggest that triterpenoids 1-3 isolated from C. asiatica are candidate natural compounds to enhance the effect of radiotherapy in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

The safety and effectiveness of self-administered coffee enema: A systematic review of case reports.

BACKGROUND: As the self-administration of coffee enema is being used as a mean of self-care for detoxication in various indications, it is important that evidence-based public health information is provided for effective and safe use. However, the evidence is so far rare. This systematic review was conducted to investigate the safety and effectiveness of self-administered coffee enema in a wide range of use, and to provide evidence about its benefits and risks. METHODS: Relevant studies were retrieved from Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature; and also from oriental databases, KoreaMed, Korean Medical Database, Korean Studies Information Service System, National Discovery for Science Leaders, and Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Japan Science and Technology Information Aggregator. Considering self-administered coffee enema being used in a various indication, study population was not restricted. Any types of published studies that included outcomes of effectiveness and safety of self-administered coffee enema with or without comparators were eligible for this systematic review. Data on biomedical indications, patient-reported outcomes, and adverse events were collected. Descriptive analyses were planned because diverse health conditions and outcome variables did not allow for quantitative synthesis. RESULTS: Nine case reports that describe adverse events were identified and included in the analysis. Of these, 7 recent ones reported colitis after self-administration, mentioning that the most plausible cause assumed was the coffee fluid itself, which contained numerous chemical substances. Two others reported more critical adverse events. All 9 case reports with acceptable quality of evidence warned against the self-administration of the procedure. No study that reports the effectiveness of coffee enema was found. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the evidences reviewed, this systematic review does not recommend coffee enema self-administration as a complementary and alternative medicine modality that can be adopted as a mean of self-care, given the unsolved issues on its safety and insufficient evidence with regard to the effectiveness.

Adverse events related to electroacupuncture: a systematic review of single case studies and case series.

OBJECTIVE: Electroacupuncture (EA) is used in the treatment of various diseases through the use of electrical stimulation. Reports of adverse events (AEs) associated with acupuncture are relatively consistent, but the safety of EA has been less well reported. In this systematic review, we provide a summary of the types of AEs related to EA in clinical practice. METHODS: Twelve electronic databases, including those in English (PubMed, Ovid-EMBASE, CENTRAL), Korean (KMbase, KISS, NDSL, KISTI, OASIS), Chinese (CNKI, Wanfang, Weipu) and Japanese (J-STAGE), were systematically searched for single case studies and case series through April 2018. There were no language restrictions. We included clinical studies in which EA was used as a key intervention and in which AEs that may have been causally related to EA were reported. RESULTS: Thirty-seven studies, including 27 single case studies and 10 case series, were evaluated. The most frequently reported AEs were pallor (eight cases), skin pigmentation (eight cases), vertigo (seven cases), chest tightness (six cases), vomiting (six cases) and unconsciousness (five cases). Thirty-one cases (62%) achieved full recovery and three cases (6%) achieved partial recovery. There were also three cases of death (6%). CONCLUSION: AEs related to EA included acupuncture-related AEs and serious AEs induced by electrical stimulation. Currently, specific stimulation conditions associated with EA-specific AEs are not identifiable due to inappropriate reporting. However, skin pigmentation, syncope or spasm, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shock, cardiac emergencies, electrical burns, and potential internal organ injury are potential EA-specific AEs regarding which physicians should be cautious in clinical practice.

Biological safety of Electroacupuncture with STS316 needles.

BACKGROUND: Electroacupuncture (EA) is often used in clinical settings due to its analgesic effect, but its safety has not been verified due to the lack of clear criteria. This study examined the critical range of the corrosion of stainless steel types STS304 and STS316, which have been used clinically, and the relationship between needle corrosion and cell necrosis. METHOD: The critical point of corrosion for STS304 and STS316 was identified by varying the time, frequency, and stimulation intensity. In a tissue necrosis experiment, EA stimulation was applied to rats using STS316 needles with different thicknesses at maximum intensity for 60 min, and the presence of corrosion and tissue necrosis was determined. A cytotoxicity experiment was also conducted and assessed the needles and tissue necrosis. RESULTS: The results showed that STS316 was more stable than STS304 and that only coated needles corroded. Furthermore, tissue necrosis was observed regardless of corrosion, and slight cell necrosis was associated with needles with corrosion. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that non-coated STS316 was the most stable for EA stimulation and that corrosion byproducts and cell necrosis were not directly related.

A systems pharmacology approach to investigate the mechanism of Oryeong-san formula for the treatment of hypertension.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Oryeong-san (ORS) is a traditional formula that has long been used for the treatment of dysfunctions of body fluids and electrolyte homeostasis in Korea, China and Japan. Recent reports have shown that ORS may suppress hypertension by controlling the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in the kidney, but its action mechanism has not been well defined. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to decipher the ORS mechanisms in the treatment of hypertension using a systems pharmacology approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The compounds of ORS were obtained from the TM-MC (database of medicinal materials and chemical compounds in Northeast Asian traditional medicine), and the drug-likeness (DL) and oral bioavailability (OB) of the compounds were evaluated. The potential targets of the compounds were identified using various pharmacology databases. To analyze the mechanisms of the ORS for hypertension, a Compound-Target-Disease (C-T-D) network was established with respect to the genes related to hypertension. RESULTS: A screening evaluation of the DL and OB of the ORS compounds identified a list of 232 active compounds. The pharmacological activity of the targets was investigated by exploring the interaction network between the compounds and the targets. Analysis of the interactions between the compounds and the hypertension-related targets revealed that 14 ORS compounds regulate the RAAS and vasoconstrictors in the kidney. CONCLUSIONS: This study used the systems pharmacology approach to decipher the mechanisms of action of ORS for the treatment of hypertension. When hypertension drugs and ORS are used in combination for treatment, possible side effects should be considered because most hypertension drugs are related to the RAAS. The results of this study may provide clues to not only analyze the pharmacological activity of ORS for the treatment of hypertension but other diseases as well.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Cases in South Korea.

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) sometimes consider complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) because of ineffective treatment. This study investigated the prevalence and utilization pattern of CAM among patients with ALS in South Korea. Participants were recruited through homecare services for mechanical ventilation in South Korea. This study comprised a face-to-face cross-sectional survey with staff members available to address any queries. Fifty-five participants were included; all had used >1 CAM treatment option for ALS symptoms. Dietary treatments were most common, followed by functional food and massages. Most participants had obtained relevant information from family members or friends. The main reason for CAM use was an expectation that symptoms will improve with CAM; most patients were unsure of the effects. CAM use was previously discontinued by the majority of patients because of unsatisfactory effects. The mean expenditure on CAM was 288,385.28 ± 685,265.14 won per month, and the mean duration of CAM use was 11.54 ± 20.09 months. The results indicate that there is a high prevalence of CAM use among ALS patients. Healthcare providers should inquire about CAM use and openly provide accurate CAM information. Further evidence of CAM efficacy is required, as is specific guidance for consulting ALS patients regarding CAM.

hESC-Derived Thalamic Organoids Form Reciprocal Projections When Fused with Cortical Organoids.

Human brain organoid techniques have rapidly advanced to facilitate investigating human brain development and diseases. These efforts have largely focused on generating telencephalon due to its direct relevance in a variety of forebrain disorders. Despite its importance as a relay hub between cortex and peripheral tissues, the investigation of three-dimensional (3D) organoid models for the human thalamus has not been explored. Here, we describe a method to differentiate human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to thalamic organoids (hThOs) that specifically recapitulate the development of thalamus. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed a formation of distinct thalamic lineages, which diverge from telencephalic fate. Importantly, we developed a 3D system to create the reciprocal projections between thalamus and cortex by fusing the two distinct region-specific organoids representing the developing thalamus or cortex. Our study provides a platform for understanding human thalamic development and modeling circuit organizations and related disorders in the brain.

The hemodynamic changes during cupping therapy monitored by using an optical sensor embedded cup.

Cupping therapy is one form of alternative medicine that is used widely across the world. Although the applications of cupping therapy including pain relief have a 1000-year history, the therapeutic effect of cupping is still questionable due to a lack of scientific evidence. Therefore, in the present study, we embedded a near-infrared spectroscopic sensor into a suction cup to monitor the hemodynamic changes on the treated site while the hemodynamics at the surrounding tissue of the cup was also simultaneously monitored by another near-infrared spectroscopic sensor. The results from 10 healthy male subjects show a dramatic increase of the oxy-hemoglobin (OHb) and deoxy-hemoglobin (RHb) concentrations at the treatment site while the OHb and RHb levels were decreased at the surrounding tissue. Moreover, after the treatment, we observed that the OHb concentrations were maintained at a higher level than before treatment at both sites, which may demonstrate how cupping therapy works for treatment. In summary, the results showed that cupping therapy increases blood volume and tissue oxygenation at the treatment site while those were slightly decreased at the surrounding tissue. This study showed that the embedding of near-infrared spectroscopy in a cupping system could offer a better understanding of the mechanism of cupping therapy.

Clinical Investigations of the Effect of Citrus unshiu Peel Pellet on Obesity and Lipid Profile.

OBJECTIVES: Several experimental studies have reported antiobesity and lipid-improving effects of Citrus unshiu. However, clinical studies on its effects are lacking. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of Citrus unshiu peel pellet (CUPP) on obesity and lipid profile. METHODS: For 118 patients with body mass index (BMI) > 23 who took Citrus unshiu peel pellet (CUPP) for 4 weeks in a Public Health Center, laboratory and biometric readings before and after CUPP administration were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean age of these subjects was 53.8±10.6 years (range: 18-75 years). There were 88 (74.6%) females in the study sample (n = 118). A significant (p < 0.01) decrease in BMI from 27.47±2.24 to 27.27±2.22 was observed in all subjects after CUPP treatment and 65.3% (N = 77) of them lost 1.03±0.83 kg of weight after 4 weeks of treatment. Total cholesterol level was significantly (p < 0.01) decreased from 204.0±37.4 mg/dL to 193.5±36.5 mg/dL. Significant (p < 0.05) decreases in levels of low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, and triglyceride were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that CUPP in practice could help weight control and improve total cholesterol level. Findings of this study provide clinical foundation for future large-scale trials to establish clinical benefits of CUPP.