□ The Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM / President: Lee Jin-Yong) announced that the research team led by Dr. Lee Sanghun at its KM Data Division had clarified the biological mechanisms related to the Qi-invigorating effects of traditional herbal medicine.

◦The result of the research was published in Plants (IF=4.658), a leading international academic journal.

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

□ In traditional Korean medicine, Qi deficiency signifies a variety of different symptoms.

◦People with chronic fatigue and those who are susceptible to diseases or cold can be the subjects of Qi deficiency syndrome referred to in Korean medicine.

◦In WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Medicine in the Western Pacific Region published in 2007, Qi deficiency is characterized by such symptoms as lassitude, listlessness, shortness of breath, dizziness and weak pulse.

◦Therefore, it is seen as the condition of lack of Qi that induces a variety of differing symptoms rather than one specific symptom.

□ The research team approached Qi deficiency that induces such various symptoms by redefining it based on modern science rather than as a subject of traditional belief and mysticism.

◦The research team developed a research methodology that can explain Qi deficiency according to biological mechanisms.

◦Active ingredients in herbs that supplement Qi were extracted using network pharmacology, and the biological mechanisms of their actions were analyzed to derive treatment targets.

□ The research team derived 13 key components from these ingredients and traced the genes regulated by the components as well as relevant biological pathways.

◦As a result, between 18 and 447 gene targets were obtained and between eight and 132 biological pathways were identified.

◦Next, it was verified from additional analysis that these key ingredients from herbs that supplement Qi can generate energy or make energy generation more efficient by getting involved in major metabolic pathways that connect carbohydrate metabolism, fat metabolism, and protein metabolism as well as varied additional metabolic pathways of amino acids, vitamins, etc.

□ The research team commented, “Ultimately, supplementing Qi can be seen to solve the problems in energy metabolism in human body and improve the efficiency of energy generation. It is highly meaningful that we showed Qi in traditional medicine could be compared to energy metabolism in contemporary biology.”

□ The research was conducted as part of the key programs of KIOM, an affiliate of the Ministry of Science and ICT.