- Email: [email protected]
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J Acupunct Meridian Stud 2017;10(1):78e80
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies journal homepage: www.jams-kpi.com
- RECOMMENDED
ARTICLES
-
In this issue of the journal, the Recommended Articles are selected from the journals citing the articles of the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies and from the Journal of Pharmacopuncture (ISSN: 1226-4849) published in English. (1) International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Volume 9, Issue 11, 20 December 2016, Article number IJCEM0031337, Pages 21740e21747
Effects of Electroacupuncture on Schwann Cell Morphology and Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor Expression in a Rabbit Model of Facial Nerve Injury W. Zhang, F. Luo, X. Peng, Z. Zhong, G. Yang, Y. Li* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: College of Acupuncture and Massage, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Objective: This study aims to investigate the biological mechanisms of acupuncture therapy in rabbit models of facial paralysis. Methods: 42 healthy adult Japanese big-ear rabbits were randomly divided into the normal control (n Z 6), model (n Z 18) and electroacupuncture (EA; n Z 18) groups. Rabbit models of facial nerve injury were established by clamping the right facial nerve. Electron microscopy, light microscopy and immunohistochemistry were performed to observe the morphology of injured facial nerves and detect the expression of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). Results: Compared with the normal control group, the majority of myelin sheaths were damaged in the model group. There were significant differences in the number of myelinated nerve fibers, the thickness of myelin sheath, and axonal area between the model and normal control groups on days 10 and 15 after injury (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). CNTF expression in the model group was significantly greater than that in the control group on days 5, 10 and 15 after injury (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the extent of demyelination was less severe, and there was a greater number of intact organelles in the EA group. CNTF expression in the EA group was significantly lower than that in the model group on days 5 after injury (P < 0.05). Subsequently, CNTF expression in the EA group increased and was significantly different from that in the model group on day 15 after injury (P < 0.01). In the EA group, demyelination was milder on day 5 after injury than on days 10 or 15 after injury, and was associated with the duration of low CNTF expression. Conclusions: EA rapidly promotes the repair of injured facial nerves and improves the morphology of Schwann cells during the initial stage of facial nerve injury. It may be disadvantageous to the recovery of injured facial nerve fibers and Schwann cells during the later stages of the repair process. Keywords: ciliary neurotrophic factor, electroacupuncture, facial nerve injury, Schwann cells
(2) PLoS ONE, Volume 11, Issue 12, December 2016, Article number e0168805.
Effect of Peripheral Electrical Stimulation (PES) on Nocturnal Blood Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Crossover Pilot Study M. Catalogna, K. Doenyas-Barak, R. Sagi, R. Abu-Hamad, U. Nevo, E. Ben-Jacob, S. Efrati* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. E-mail: [email protected] This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. pISSN 2005-2901 eISSN 2093-8152 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jams.2017.02.005
Recommended Articles
79
Abstract Background: Regulation of hepatic glucose production has been a target for antidiabetic drug development, due to its major contribution to glucose homeostasis. Previous pre-clinical study demonstrated that peripheral electrical stimulation (PES) may stimulate glucose utilization and improve hepatic insulin sensitivity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate safety, tolerability, and the glucose-lowering effect of this approach in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: Twelve patients with T2DM were recruited for an open label, interventional, randomized trial. Eleven patients underwent, in a crossover design, an active, and a no-intervention control periods, separated with a two-week washout phase. During the active period, the patients received a daily lower extremity PES treatment (1.33Hz/16Hz burst mode), for 14 days. Study endpoints included changes in glucose levels, number of hypoglycemic episodes, and other potential side effects. Endpoints were analyzed based on continuous glucose meter readings, and laboratory evaluation. Results: We found that during the active period, the most significant effect was on nocturnal glucose control (P < 0.0004), as well as on pre-meal mean glucose levels (P < 0.02). The mean daily glucose levels were also decreased although it did not reach clinical significance (P Z 0.07). A reduction in serum cortisol (P < 0.01) but not in insulin was also detected after 2 weeks of treatment. No adverse events were recorded. Conclusions: These results indicate that repeated PES treatment, even for a very short duration, can improve blood glucose control, possibly by suppressing hepatic glucose production. This effect may be mediated via hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal axis modulation. (3) European Journal of Integrative Medicine Volume 8, Issue 6, 1 December 2016, Pages 921e925
Non-invasive Holistic Health Measurements Using Pulse Diagnosis: I. Validation by Three-dimensional Pulse Mapping C.-H. Luo, C.-J. Su, T.-Y. Huang, C.-Y. Chung* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Introduction: Pulse diagnosis (PD) in Chinese medicine (CM) is a well-established clinical tool used to aid holistic diagnosis. However, most of the recent efforts focusing on single-point pulse waves (SPPWs) have been unable to successfully measure and translate how practitioners feel and interpret the pulse. Methods: A prerequisite to validating the holistic model used in CM requires pulse-taking standards and a method to quantify the pulse feeling during PD. Regarding the former, the flatness of the wrist radial artery and the pulse-taking depth as defined by width of the radial artery were proposed. Regarding the latter, three-dimensional pulse mapping (3DPM) was obtained using an array sensor to visibly and quantitatively measure the palpation of the pulse. Cold stimulation was used to incite local vascular stiffness and the increase of the systematic blood pressure, to create the string-like pulse feeling, in contrast to the normal gentle pulse feeling. Results: Three types of 3DPM were found, namely gentle, string-like, and slippery pulse mappings. All SPPWs had similar one-dimensional shapes whereas the corresponding 3DPMs had quite different three-dimensional shapes. For gentle pulse mapping (indicating health), an initial peak appeared and reached the top at the upstroke peak of SPPWs. As the local artery became stiffer by applying cold stimulation, the peak was replaced by a string-like shape. Additionally, a slippery 3DPM was recorded, with two peaks appearing sequentially like a bead flowing through the artery under a fingertip. Conclusion: 3DPM provides quantitatively and non-invasively accesses information to inform holistic health assessment compared to SPPWs. CM can be improved and further developed quantifying pulse palpation and verify its use in assessing a CM clinical holistic diagnosis. Keywords: array sensor, Chinese medicine, health assessment, pulse diagnosis, pulse mapping (4) Journal of Pharmacopuncture, Vol. 17 No. 3, p31e39, September 2014
Single Intravenous-dose Toxicity of Water-soluble Carthami-flos Pharmacopuncture (WCF) in Rats Da-jung Jung, Yoo-min Choi, Seok-hee Kim, Jong-uk Kim, Tae-han Yook* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Tae-han Yook, Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Woosuk University Hospital of Korean Medicine, 46 Eoeun-ro, Wansan-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, South Korea. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Objectives: This study was performed to analyze the toxicity and to find the lethal dose of the test substance Water-soluble Carthami-flos pharmacopuncture (WCF) when used as a single intravenous-dose in 6-week-old, male and female SpragueDawley rats. Methods: The experiment was conducted at Biotoxtech according to Good Laboratory Practices. 20 female and 20 male SpagueDawley rats were divided into 4 groups of 5 female and 5 male animals per group. The rats in the three experimental groups received single intravenous injections with 0.125-mL, 0.25-mL and 0.5-mL/animal doses of WCF, Groups 2, 3, and 4, respectively, and the control group, Group 1, received a single intravenous injection with a 0.5-mL dose of normal saline. Clinical signs
80
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were observed and body weight measurements were carried out for 14 days following the injections. At the end of the observation period, hematology, clinical chemistry, histopathological tests and necropsy were performed on the injected parts. Results: No deaths occurred in any of the groups. Also, no significant changes in body weight, hematological parameters or clinical chemistry test results between the control group and the experimental groups were observed. Visual inspection after necropsy showed no abnormalities. Histopathological tests on the injected parts showed no significant differences, except for Group 1 females; however, the result was spontaneous generation and had no toxicological meaning because it was not dose-dependent. Therefore, this study showed that WCF had no effect on the injected parts in terms of clinical signs, body weight, hematology, clinical chemistry, and necropsy. Conclusion: As a result of single intravenous-dose tests of the test substance WCF in 4 groups of rats, the lethal dose for both males and females exceeded 0.5 mL/animal. Therefore, WCF is a relatively safe pharmacopuncture that can be used for treatment, but further studies should be performed. Keywords: Carthamus tinctorious L., carthami semen, intravenous, toxicity test, water-soluble carthami-flos pharmacopuncture
(5) Journal of Pharmacopuncture, Vol. 17 No. 3, p62e69, September 2014
Cancer Pain Control for Advanced Cancer Patients by Using Autonomic Nerve Pharmacopuncture Hwi-joong Kang, Jung-won Yoon, Ji-hye Park, Chong-kwan Cho, Hwa-seung Yoo* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Hwa-Seung Yoo, East-West Cancer Center, Dunsan Korean Medical Hospital of Daejeon University, 176-75 Daedukdaero, Seo-gu, Daejeon, South Korea. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Objectives: The purpose of this study is to report a case series of advanced cancer patients whose cancer pain was relieved by using autonomic nerve pharmacopuncture (ANP) treatment. ANP is a subcutaneous injection therapy of mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture (MGP) along the acupoints on the spine (Hua-Tuo-Jia-Ji-Xue; 0.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous processes of vertebrae) to enhance the immune system and to balance autonomic nerve function. Methods: Patients with three different types of cancer (gastric cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer with distant metastases) with cancer pain were treated with ANP. 1 mL of MGP was injected into the bilateral Hua-Tuo-Jia-Ji-Xue on the T1-L5 sites (total 12e20 mL injection) of each patient’s dorsum by using the principle of symptom differentiation. During ANP treatment, the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain was used to assess their levels of cancer pain; also, the dosage and the frequency of analgesic use were measured. Results: The cancer pain levels of all three patients improved with treatment using ANP. The VAS scores of the three patients decreased as the treatment progressed. The dosage and the frequency of analgesics also gradually decreased during the treatment period. Significantly, no related adverse events were found. Conclusion: ANP has shown benefit in controlling cancer pain for the three different types of cancer investigated in this study and in reducing the dosage and the frequency of analgesics. ANP is expected to be beneficial for reducing cancer pain and, thus, to be a promising new treatment for cancer pain. Keywords: autonomic nerve pharmacopuncture, cancer pain, Hua-Tuo-Jia-Ji-Xue, mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture, quality of life (6) Journal of Pharmacopuncture, Vol. 17 No. 3, p74e77, September 2014
Plexiform Neurofibroma Treated with Pharmacopuncture Chungsan Lim, Kirok Kwon, Kwangho Lee* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Sangji University College of Korean Medicine, 283, Woosan, Wonju, Gangwon 220-955, South Korea. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Objectives: The purpose of this study is to report a case of a plexiform neurofibroma (PNF) in the pelvic region treated with sweet bee venom (SBV) and mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture (MGP). Methods: A 16-year-old girl was diagnosed as having PNFs, neurofibromatosis type 1, 10 years ago and she had surgery three times to remove the benign tumors, but the growth of the PNFs continued. She has been treated in our clinic with SBV and MGP two times per month from March 2010 to April 2014. SBV was injected intra-subcutaneously at the borders of the PNFs in the pelvic region, and MGP was administrated intravenously each treatment time. Results: The growths of the PNFs occurred rapidly and continued steadily before treatment. Since March 2010, she has been treated in our clinic, and the growths of the PNFs have almost stopped; further-more, the discomfort of hip joint pain has been reduced, and her general condition has improved. Conclusion: We cautiously conclude that SBV and MGP treatment has some effects that suppress the growth and the spread of the PNFs in this patient. Keywords: mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture, neurofibroma, neurofibromatosis type 1, pharmacopuncture, plexiform neurofibroma, sweet bee venom
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies journal homepage: www.jams-kpi.com
- RECOMMENDED
ARTICLES
-
In this issue of the journal, the Recommended Articles are selected from the journals citing the articles of the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies and from the Journal of Pharmacopuncture (ISSN: 1226-4849) published in English. (1) International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Volume 9, Issue 11, 20 December 2016, Article number IJCEM0031337, Pages 21740e21747
Effects of Electroacupuncture on Schwann Cell Morphology and Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor Expression in a Rabbit Model of Facial Nerve Injury W. Zhang, F. Luo, X. Peng, Z. Zhong, G. Yang, Y. Li* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: College of Acupuncture and Massage, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Objective: This study aims to investigate the biological mechanisms of acupuncture therapy in rabbit models of facial paralysis. Methods: 42 healthy adult Japanese big-ear rabbits were randomly divided into the normal control (n Z 6), model (n Z 18) and electroacupuncture (EA; n Z 18) groups. Rabbit models of facial nerve injury were established by clamping the right facial nerve. Electron microscopy, light microscopy and immunohistochemistry were performed to observe the morphology of injured facial nerves and detect the expression of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). Results: Compared with the normal control group, the majority of myelin sheaths were damaged in the model group. There were significant differences in the number of myelinated nerve fibers, the thickness of myelin sheath, and axonal area between the model and normal control groups on days 10 and 15 after injury (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). CNTF expression in the model group was significantly greater than that in the control group on days 5, 10 and 15 after injury (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the extent of demyelination was less severe, and there was a greater number of intact organelles in the EA group. CNTF expression in the EA group was significantly lower than that in the model group on days 5 after injury (P < 0.05). Subsequently, CNTF expression in the EA group increased and was significantly different from that in the model group on day 15 after injury (P < 0.01). In the EA group, demyelination was milder on day 5 after injury than on days 10 or 15 after injury, and was associated with the duration of low CNTF expression. Conclusions: EA rapidly promotes the repair of injured facial nerves and improves the morphology of Schwann cells during the initial stage of facial nerve injury. It may be disadvantageous to the recovery of injured facial nerve fibers and Schwann cells during the later stages of the repair process. Keywords: ciliary neurotrophic factor, electroacupuncture, facial nerve injury, Schwann cells
(2) PLoS ONE, Volume 11, Issue 12, December 2016, Article number e0168805.
Effect of Peripheral Electrical Stimulation (PES) on Nocturnal Blood Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Crossover Pilot Study M. Catalogna, K. Doenyas-Barak, R. Sagi, R. Abu-Hamad, U. Nevo, E. Ben-Jacob, S. Efrati* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. E-mail: [email protected] This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. pISSN 2005-2901 eISSN 2093-8152 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jams.2017.02.005
Recommended Articles
79
Abstract Background: Regulation of hepatic glucose production has been a target for antidiabetic drug development, due to its major contribution to glucose homeostasis. Previous pre-clinical study demonstrated that peripheral electrical stimulation (PES) may stimulate glucose utilization and improve hepatic insulin sensitivity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate safety, tolerability, and the glucose-lowering effect of this approach in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: Twelve patients with T2DM were recruited for an open label, interventional, randomized trial. Eleven patients underwent, in a crossover design, an active, and a no-intervention control periods, separated with a two-week washout phase. During the active period, the patients received a daily lower extremity PES treatment (1.33Hz/16Hz burst mode), for 14 days. Study endpoints included changes in glucose levels, number of hypoglycemic episodes, and other potential side effects. Endpoints were analyzed based on continuous glucose meter readings, and laboratory evaluation. Results: We found that during the active period, the most significant effect was on nocturnal glucose control (P < 0.0004), as well as on pre-meal mean glucose levels (P < 0.02). The mean daily glucose levels were also decreased although it did not reach clinical significance (P Z 0.07). A reduction in serum cortisol (P < 0.01) but not in insulin was also detected after 2 weeks of treatment. No adverse events were recorded. Conclusions: These results indicate that repeated PES treatment, even for a very short duration, can improve blood glucose control, possibly by suppressing hepatic glucose production. This effect may be mediated via hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal axis modulation. (3) European Journal of Integrative Medicine Volume 8, Issue 6, 1 December 2016, Pages 921e925
Non-invasive Holistic Health Measurements Using Pulse Diagnosis: I. Validation by Three-dimensional Pulse Mapping C.-H. Luo, C.-J. Su, T.-Y. Huang, C.-Y. Chung* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Introduction: Pulse diagnosis (PD) in Chinese medicine (CM) is a well-established clinical tool used to aid holistic diagnosis. However, most of the recent efforts focusing on single-point pulse waves (SPPWs) have been unable to successfully measure and translate how practitioners feel and interpret the pulse. Methods: A prerequisite to validating the holistic model used in CM requires pulse-taking standards and a method to quantify the pulse feeling during PD. Regarding the former, the flatness of the wrist radial artery and the pulse-taking depth as defined by width of the radial artery were proposed. Regarding the latter, three-dimensional pulse mapping (3DPM) was obtained using an array sensor to visibly and quantitatively measure the palpation of the pulse. Cold stimulation was used to incite local vascular stiffness and the increase of the systematic blood pressure, to create the string-like pulse feeling, in contrast to the normal gentle pulse feeling. Results: Three types of 3DPM were found, namely gentle, string-like, and slippery pulse mappings. All SPPWs had similar one-dimensional shapes whereas the corresponding 3DPMs had quite different three-dimensional shapes. For gentle pulse mapping (indicating health), an initial peak appeared and reached the top at the upstroke peak of SPPWs. As the local artery became stiffer by applying cold stimulation, the peak was replaced by a string-like shape. Additionally, a slippery 3DPM was recorded, with two peaks appearing sequentially like a bead flowing through the artery under a fingertip. Conclusion: 3DPM provides quantitatively and non-invasively accesses information to inform holistic health assessment compared to SPPWs. CM can be improved and further developed quantifying pulse palpation and verify its use in assessing a CM clinical holistic diagnosis. Keywords: array sensor, Chinese medicine, health assessment, pulse diagnosis, pulse mapping (4) Journal of Pharmacopuncture, Vol. 17 No. 3, p31e39, September 2014
Single Intravenous-dose Toxicity of Water-soluble Carthami-flos Pharmacopuncture (WCF) in Rats Da-jung Jung, Yoo-min Choi, Seok-hee Kim, Jong-uk Kim, Tae-han Yook* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Tae-han Yook, Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Woosuk University Hospital of Korean Medicine, 46 Eoeun-ro, Wansan-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, South Korea. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Objectives: This study was performed to analyze the toxicity and to find the lethal dose of the test substance Water-soluble Carthami-flos pharmacopuncture (WCF) when used as a single intravenous-dose in 6-week-old, male and female SpragueDawley rats. Methods: The experiment was conducted at Biotoxtech according to Good Laboratory Practices. 20 female and 20 male SpagueDawley rats were divided into 4 groups of 5 female and 5 male animals per group. The rats in the three experimental groups received single intravenous injections with 0.125-mL, 0.25-mL and 0.5-mL/animal doses of WCF, Groups 2, 3, and 4, respectively, and the control group, Group 1, received a single intravenous injection with a 0.5-mL dose of normal saline. Clinical signs
80
Recommended Articles
were observed and body weight measurements were carried out for 14 days following the injections. At the end of the observation period, hematology, clinical chemistry, histopathological tests and necropsy were performed on the injected parts. Results: No deaths occurred in any of the groups. Also, no significant changes in body weight, hematological parameters or clinical chemistry test results between the control group and the experimental groups were observed. Visual inspection after necropsy showed no abnormalities. Histopathological tests on the injected parts showed no significant differences, except for Group 1 females; however, the result was spontaneous generation and had no toxicological meaning because it was not dose-dependent. Therefore, this study showed that WCF had no effect on the injected parts in terms of clinical signs, body weight, hematology, clinical chemistry, and necropsy. Conclusion: As a result of single intravenous-dose tests of the test substance WCF in 4 groups of rats, the lethal dose for both males and females exceeded 0.5 mL/animal. Therefore, WCF is a relatively safe pharmacopuncture that can be used for treatment, but further studies should be performed. Keywords: Carthamus tinctorious L., carthami semen, intravenous, toxicity test, water-soluble carthami-flos pharmacopuncture
(5) Journal of Pharmacopuncture, Vol. 17 No. 3, p62e69, September 2014
Cancer Pain Control for Advanced Cancer Patients by Using Autonomic Nerve Pharmacopuncture Hwi-joong Kang, Jung-won Yoon, Ji-hye Park, Chong-kwan Cho, Hwa-seung Yoo* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Hwa-Seung Yoo, East-West Cancer Center, Dunsan Korean Medical Hospital of Daejeon University, 176-75 Daedukdaero, Seo-gu, Daejeon, South Korea. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Objectives: The purpose of this study is to report a case series of advanced cancer patients whose cancer pain was relieved by using autonomic nerve pharmacopuncture (ANP) treatment. ANP is a subcutaneous injection therapy of mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture (MGP) along the acupoints on the spine (Hua-Tuo-Jia-Ji-Xue; 0.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous processes of vertebrae) to enhance the immune system and to balance autonomic nerve function. Methods: Patients with three different types of cancer (gastric cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer with distant metastases) with cancer pain were treated with ANP. 1 mL of MGP was injected into the bilateral Hua-Tuo-Jia-Ji-Xue on the T1-L5 sites (total 12e20 mL injection) of each patient’s dorsum by using the principle of symptom differentiation. During ANP treatment, the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain was used to assess their levels of cancer pain; also, the dosage and the frequency of analgesic use were measured. Results: The cancer pain levels of all three patients improved with treatment using ANP. The VAS scores of the three patients decreased as the treatment progressed. The dosage and the frequency of analgesics also gradually decreased during the treatment period. Significantly, no related adverse events were found. Conclusion: ANP has shown benefit in controlling cancer pain for the three different types of cancer investigated in this study and in reducing the dosage and the frequency of analgesics. ANP is expected to be beneficial for reducing cancer pain and, thus, to be a promising new treatment for cancer pain. Keywords: autonomic nerve pharmacopuncture, cancer pain, Hua-Tuo-Jia-Ji-Xue, mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture, quality of life (6) Journal of Pharmacopuncture, Vol. 17 No. 3, p74e77, September 2014
Plexiform Neurofibroma Treated with Pharmacopuncture Chungsan Lim, Kirok Kwon, Kwangho Lee* *Corresponding Author’s Affiliation: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Sangji University College of Korean Medicine, 283, Woosan, Wonju, Gangwon 220-955, South Korea. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Objectives: The purpose of this study is to report a case of a plexiform neurofibroma (PNF) in the pelvic region treated with sweet bee venom (SBV) and mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture (MGP). Methods: A 16-year-old girl was diagnosed as having PNFs, neurofibromatosis type 1, 10 years ago and she had surgery three times to remove the benign tumors, but the growth of the PNFs continued. She has been treated in our clinic with SBV and MGP two times per month from March 2010 to April 2014. SBV was injected intra-subcutaneously at the borders of the PNFs in the pelvic region, and MGP was administrated intravenously each treatment time. Results: The growths of the PNFs occurred rapidly and continued steadily before treatment. Since March 2010, she has been treated in our clinic, and the growths of the PNFs have almost stopped; further-more, the discomfort of hip joint pain has been reduced, and her general condition has improved. Conclusion: We cautiously conclude that SBV and MGP treatment has some effects that suppress the growth and the spread of the PNFs in this patient. Keywords: mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture, neurofibroma, neurofibromatosis type 1, pharmacopuncture, plexiform neurofibroma, sweet bee venom