원광대 광주한방병원 김성철 교수(루게릭센터장 대한희귀난치중증질환학회장)가 최근 국제학술‘루게릭질환의 약침과 침술치료법’이라는 주제로 논문을 발표했다.

김 교수는 논문에서 “루게릭질환은 증상이 발현되고 3년 이내에 생을 마감하는 치명적인 질병이나 근거중심의학에 기반하여 10년간의 루게릭 클리닉을 운영한 경험을 바탕으로 루게릭의 약침치료법을 제시할 수 있게 됐다”고 밝혔다.

김 교수는 두단계로 나누어 치료하는 방법을 제시하였는데 면역약침과 재생약침의 방법이다.

김 교수는 이와 관련 “면역약침은 봉약침, 오공약침 그리고 자하거약침을 면역력증강과 신경의 항염증작용과 그 기전을 실험적으로 밝혔으며 이를 바탕으로 칵테일 약침을 만들어 사용했다”고 밝혔다.

김 교수는 이어 “재생약침은 프리모순환계에서 발견된 산알이 줄기세포로 밝혀져 이 프리모줄기세포를 활성화시키는 약침술을 개발하고 혈소판이 풍부한 혈액약침을 영혈약침이라고 명명했다”고 설명했다.

김 교수는 이와함께 “혈소판이 단기간에 분비하는 풍부한 성장인자를 프리모 순환계에 자극하여 김봉한선생이 발견한 뇌혈류장벽을 통과하는 프리모순환계를 통해 중추신경계의 퇴행성질환인 루게릭병을 치료하는 획기적인 치료방법을 개발중”이라고 강조했다.

이날 발표된 연구논문은 침술치료가 한국전통사암침을 바탕으로 루게릭환자들에게 중요한 이산화탄소분압을 낮추는 효과가 있다고 밝혀진 폐정격을 대상으로 18명의 루게릭환자를 대상으로 한 선행연구를 바탕으로 했다.  

김 교수는 이번 논문발표와 관련 “이번 연구에서 루게릭환자의 흡기력이 좋아지는 결과와 특히 초기 루게릭환자의 경우 보다 좋은 효과를 보여 가능한 침술치료나 약침치료는 루게릭환자 초기부터 적극적으로 사용됨이 필요하다”고 밝혔다.

[다음은 논문의 영문 초록]

Pharmacopuncture and Acupuncture Research for ALS

Sung Chul Kim

Wonkwang University, Korea

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe paralytic disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that is characterized by age-related degeneration or elimination of upper and lowers large motor neurons of the motor cortex, brain stem and spinal cord. ALS is a disease affecting the central nervous system that is either sporadic or familial origin and causing the death of motor neurons. One of the genetic factors contributing to the etiology of ALS is mutant SOD1 (mtSOD1), which induces vulnerability of motor neurons through protein misfolding, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage, cytoskeletal abnormalities, defective axonal transport, glutamate excitotoxicity, inadequate growth factor signaling, and neuroinflammation.

Bee venom (BV) Pharmacopuncture has been used in the practice for ALS. BV-treated mutant hSOD1 transgenic mice showed a decrease in the expression levels of microglia marker and phospho-p38 MAPK in the spinal cord and brainstem. Interestingly, treatment of BV in symptomatic ALS animal improved motor activity and the median survival of the BV-treated group (139 ± 3.5 days) was 18% greater than control group (117 ± 3.1 days). And Hominis Placenta (HP) Pharmacopuncture and Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans (SSM) Pharmacopuncture are utilized in traditional Korean medicine for the treatment of ALS. We found that HP has a protective role against LPS stimulation through inhibition of MAPK signaling and suppression of inflammation caused by neurotoxin including LPS. And we also found that SSM treatment attenuated the loss of motor neurons and reduced the activation of microglial cells and astrocytes. Pharmacopuncture therapy may help the improving of quality of life (QOL) in ALS patients and have the effect of delayed ALS progression.

The second research is a pilot study to observe the changes in respiratory physiology parameters after Sa-am acupuncture treatment. Eighteen ALS patients received Sa-am acupuncture treatment twice a day for 5 days. The EtCO2, SpO2, RR, and pulse rate were measured for 15 min before and during treatment, using capnography and oximetry. Correlation of K-ALSFRS-R scores against measured parameters showed that patients who had high K-ALSFRS-R scores had greater changes in pulse rate after acupuncture stimulation; they also showed a decrease in EtCO2, RR, and pulse rate and an increase in SpO2. A comparison of the mean values of these different parameters before and after Sa-am acupuncture stimulation revealed statistically significant differences (𝑃 < 0.05) in SpO2 and pulse rate, but none in EtCO2 and RR. Sa-am acupuncture treatment on ALS patients seems to be more effective in the early stages of the disease. In light of increased SpO2 values, Sa-am acupuncture appears to have a greater effect on inspiration rather than on expiration. As a pilot study of acupuncture on ALS patients, this study could be used as a basis for future research.