Author, year Design Types of disease Sample size (M/F) Pharmacopuncture group (No. of participants analyzed/randomized) Control group (No. of participants analyzed/ randomized) Outcome measures Main results AE (IV) Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases (n = 3) Lim, 2013 [9 ] Parallel 2 arms Abdominal obesity 28 (0/28) (A) Wild ginseng complex pharmacopuncture (14/15) (B) NSP (14/15) (1) Anthropometry ① BMI, ② weight, ③ WC ④ HC, and ⑤ WHR (2) Blood test ① TC, ② TG, ③ HDL cholesterol, ④ LDL cholesterol, ⑤ CRP, and ⑥ AST, ALT, γ -GT, BUN, and creatinine (3) Body composition (BFM, BFP, FFM, and BMR) (4) Abdominal fat (TFA, SFA, VFA, and VSR) (1) ①, ②, and ③ Positive ④, ⑤ NS (2) ①, ②, ③, ⑤, and ⑥ NS ④ Positive (3) NS (4) NS n.r. Kim, 2011 (2) [10 ] Parallel 2 arms Abdominal obesity 31 (0/31) (A) Capsicum frutescens L. pharmacopuncture + diet therapy + exercise (13/20) (B) NSP + diet therapy + exercise (18/20, in case of outcome measures 1, 2, and 4; 16/20, in case of outcome measure 3) (1) Anthropometry ① BMI, ② WC ③ weight, and ④ WHR (2) Abdominal fat (TFA, VFA) (3) Energy expenditure (4) Questionnaires (1) ①, ② Positive ③, ④ Positive (2) Positive (3) NA (4) NS Moderate AEs related with anesthesia cream or pharmacopuncture (4 in group (A), 2 in group (B))
Kim et al., 2009 [11 ] Parallel 2 arms Obesity 52 (8/44) (A) EAP + diet therapy + EA + HM + exercise (24/35) (B) NSP + diet therapy + EA + HM + exercise (28/35) (1) Weight (2) BMI (3) Waist (1) Positive (2) Positive (3) Positive n.r. (VI) Diseases of the nervous systems (n = 6)
Park et al., 2011 (1) [12 ] Parallel 2 arms Chronic headache 35 (5/30) (A) CS pharmacopuncture (17/20) (B) NSP (18/20) (1) HIT (2) No. of headache-free days (3) SF-36 (1) Positive (2) Positive (3) Positive Injection-site pain (2 in group (A), 3 in group (B)), ecchymosis (2 in group (A))
Shin et al., 2009 [13 ] Parallel 2 arms Postauricular pain accompanied with Bell’s palsy 30 (15/15) (A) Soyeom pharmacopuncture + A + HM + PT (SSP, massage, exercise, HP, and ICT) (15/15) (B) A + HM + PT (SSP, massage, exercise, HP, and ICT) (15/15) (1) VAS (2) Duration of pain (d) (3) Yanagihara score (1) Positive (2) Positive (3) NS n.r.
Choi et al., 2009 [14 ] Parallel 2 arms Postauricular pain accompanied with Bell’s palsy 30 (14/16) (A) Soyeom pharmacopuncture + A + HM + PT (SSP, massage, exercise, ICT, and negative) (15/15) (B) A + HM + PT (SSP, massage, exercise, ICT, and negative) (15/15) (1) VAS (2) Yanagihara score (1) Positive (2) NS n.r.
Kim et al., 2006 [15 ] Parallel 2 arms Functional headache 26 (11/15) (A) HHT pharmacopuncture (13/13) (B) NSP (13/13) (1) VAS (2) BPI (1) Positive (2) Positive n.r.
Lim et al., 2005 [16 ] Parallel 2 arms Carpal tunnel syndrome 40 (7/33) (A) Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture + A + EA + HM + PT (PB, ultrasound, HP, microwave, ICT, and SSP) (20/20) (B) A + EA + HM + PT (PB, ultrasound, HP, microwave, ICT, and SSP) (20/20) (1) VAS (2) PRGA based on symptoms and VAS (excellent/good/ fair/poor) (1) n.r. (2) NS n.r.
Lee et al., 2005 [17 ] Parallel 2 arms Bell’s palsy 44 (21/23) (A) HPP + A + HM + WM + PT (EST, IR, HP, massage, and exercise) (23/23) (B) NSP + A + HM + WM + PT (EST, IR, HP, massage, and exercise) (21/21) Yanagihara score Positive n.r. (IX) Diseases of the circulatory system (n = 1)
Noh et al., 2009 [18 ] Parallel 2 arms Leg spasticity of stroke patients 20 (8/12) (A) HPP + A (11/11, in case of outcome measures 1, 3, and 4; 10/11, in case of outcome measure 2) (B) Distilled water pharmacopuncture + A (9/9) (1) MAS (2) H/M ratio (3) BBS (4) TUG (1) NS (2) NS (3) NS (4) Positive n.r. (XI) Diseases of the digestive system (n = 2) Lee, 2013 [19 ] Parallel 2 arms Dyspepsia 60 (16/44) (A) HPP + HM (30/30) (B) A + HM (30/30) NDI-K NS n.r.
Park et al., 2008 [20 ] Parallel 2 arms Chronic constipation 21 (5/16) (A) CS pharmacopuncture (11/12) (B) NSP (10/12) (1) Defecation frequency, consistency, and ease of evacuation (2) VAS (3) QOL (4) HRV (1) Significant difference in (A) ; N in (B) (2) Significant difference in (A) ; N in (B) (3) N (4) Significant improvement of LF/HF ratio in (A) after 2-week follow-up Mild AEs such as ecchymosis, pain during injection, and redness in group (A) Moderate pain during injection in group (B) (XIII) Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (n = 15) Seo, 2013 [21 ] Parallel 2 arms Shoulder pain caused by stroke 24 (10/14) (A) Ouhyul pharmacopuncture + other treatments (13/16) (B) NSP + other treatments (11/13) (1) NRS (2) PROM (3) FMMA (1) NA (2) NS (3) NS General pain (1 in group (A)), transient local site pain (1 in group (B)), and fatigue (1 in group (B))
Lee et al., 2012 (1) [22 ] Parallel 3 arms Cervicalgia caused by TA 87 (42/45) (A) HHT pharmacopuncture + tuina + A + HM + IR (34/34) (B) Tuina + A + HM + IR (29/29) (C) HHT pharmacopuncture + A + HM + IR (24/24) (1) VAS (2) NDI (1) Positive (2) Positive n.r.
Lee et al., 2012 (2) [23 ] Parallel 2 arms Cervicalgia caused by TA 82 (40/42) (A) HHT pharmacopuncture + A + HM (37/37) (B) Tuina + A + HM (45/45) (1) VAS (2) NDI (1) NS (2) NS n.r.
Woo et al., 2011 [24 ] Parallel 2 arms Cervicalgia caused by TA 60 (28/32) (A) Ouhyul pharmacopuncture + A + IR (30/30) (B) Tuina + A + IR (30/30) (1) VAS (2) NDI (1) NS (2) NS n.r.
Kim et al., 2011 (1) [25 ] Parallel 2 arms LBP caused by TA 81 (44/37) (A) HHT pharmacopuncture + A + HM (35/49) (B) Tuina + A + HM (46/49) (1) ODI (2) VAS (1) NS (2) NA n.r.
Jeong et al., 2011 [26 ] Parallel 2 arms Acute LBP 30 (21/9) (A) BUM pharmacopuncture + A (15/21) (B) A (15/21) (1) VAS (2) ODI (1) Positive (2) NS n.r.
Jun et al., 2011 [27 ] Parallel 2 arms HNP of the L-spine 20 (9/11) (A) ShinBaro pharmacopuncture + A + CCP + HM + tuina + PT (ICT, TENS, microwave, and HP) (10/10) (B) A + CCP + HM + tuina + PT (ICT, TENS, microwave, and HP) (10/10) (1) NRS (2) ODI (1) ① LBP decrement: positive ② Sciatica decrement: N (2) NS None
Im et al., 2011 [28 ] Parallel 2 arms Acute cervicalgia by TA 20 (7/13) (A) Soyeom pharmacopuncture + A + HM + cupping + PT (ICT, ultrasound, and HP) (10/13) (B) A + HM + cupping + PT (ICT, ultrasound, and HP) (10/13) (1) VAS (2) NDI (3) DITI (1) Positive (2) NS (3) NS n.r.
Park et al., 2011 (2) [29 ] Parallel 2 arms Cervicalgia 20 (0/20) (A) Carthami-Flos pharmacopuncture + A + HM + PT (HP, TENS, and ICT) (10/10) (B) A + HM + PT (HP, TENS, and ICT) (10/10) (1) VAS (2) NDI (3) MENQOL (1) Positive (2) Positive (3) Positive n.r.
Kim et al., 2010 (1) [30 ] Parallel 2 arms OA (knee) 53 (9/44) (A) Root bark of UDP pharmacopuncture (29/30) (B) NSP (24/30) (1) VAS (2) WOMAC (pain/total score) (3) KHAQ (4) SF-36 (1) NA (2) NS (3) NS (4) NS Nausea, itching (1 in group (A)), and dizziness (1 in group (B))
Song et al., 2009 [31 ] Parallel 2 arms HNP of the L-spine 30 (15/15) (A) Soyeom pharmacopuncture + A + HM + PT (TENS, HP, and ICT) + wet cupping (15/15) (B) A + HM + PT (TENS, HP, and ICT) + wet cupping (15/15) (1) VAS (2) SLRT (1) Positive (2) NS n.r.
Kang et al., 2008 [32 ] Parallel 3 arms Acute ankle sprain 52 (17/35) (A) HHT pharmacopuncture (17/20) (B) A (17/20) (C) BVP (18/20) (1) NRS (2) AHS (1) Negative (2) Negative n.r.
Lee et al., 2007 [33 ] Parallel 3 arms HNP of the L-spine 60 (28/32) (A) Ouhyul pharmacopuncture + A + HM + PT (HP, ICT, TENS, and negative) (20/20, in case of outcome measure 1, 2; 6/20, in case of outcome measure 3) (B) A + HM + PT (HP, ICT, TENS, and negative) (20/20, in case of outcome measures 1, 2; 8/20, in case of outcome measure 3) (C) BVP + A + HM + PT (HP, ICT, TENS, and negative) (20/20, in case of outcome measures 1, 2; 9/20, in case of outcome measure 3) (1) VAS (2) PRGA based on symptoms and physical examination (excellent/good/ fair/poor) (3) SLRT (1) Positive (2) NA (3) NS n.r.
Park et al., 2006 [34 ] Parallel 2 arms OA (knee) 60 (35/25) (A) HPP + PT (HP, ultrasound massage, ICT, FES, and exercise) (30/30) (B) A + PT (HP, ultrasound massage, ICT, FES, and exercise) (30/30) (1) Lysholm score (2) Nine-point scale (1) NS (2) NS n.r.
Bae and Park, 2004 [35 ] Parallel 2 arms Shoulder pain caused by stroke 41 (19/22) (A) Ouhyul pharmacopuncture + A + HM + PT (21/21) (B) NSP + A + HM + PT (20/22) (1) MBI (2) Weakness grade (3) NIHSS (4) AI (5) VAS (1) NS (2) Significant difference in (B) (3) NS (4) NS (5) NS n.r. (XIV) Diseases of the genitourinary system (n = 1)
Kim et al., 2008 [36 ] Parallel 2 arms Dysmenorrhea 49 (0/49) (A) HPP (25/25) (B) NSP (24/24) (1) MMP (2) MSSL (1) NS (2) NS n.r. (XV) Pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium (n = 1)
Kim et al., 2010 (2) [37 ] Parallel 2 arms Postpartum women’s heat feeling, sweat, and thirst 25 (0/25) (A) HPP + A + HM (13/16) (B) NSP + A + HM (12/16) (1) VAS ① Heating feeling ② Thirst ③ Sweet in movement ④ Sweet during sleeping (2) CBC (3) 7-zone-diagnostic system (4) HRV (1) ① NS ② NA ③ NS ④ NS (2) NS (3) NS (4) Positive None