This study was performed to review the research trends in the treatment of obsessive- compulsive disorder with Morita therapy in China.

We searched articles in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) regarding Morita therapy and “obsessive-compulsive disorder” in medicine and the public health field. And 23 studies were selected and classified. Five before-after comparison studies and 18 randomized controlled trials were performed in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder in China.

Morita therapy and western medicine were used for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Most of the studies reported that groups treated with Morita therapy as well as western medicine showed much positive results than those groups treated with western medicine alone.

According to this study, Morita therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder would be an effective and safe intervention. Further clinical studies on the use of Morita therapy in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder should be done in Korea in the near future.

The purpose of the study was to explore whether the effect of Huanglian-jie-du granule depends on the baseline heart rate variability in patients with Hwa-byung.

We used the supplementary data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Huanglian-jie-du granule for Hwa-byung patients. Study drugs were taken orally three times per day for one week. Heart rate variability was measured three times; before the treatment, after the treatment, and month follow-up period. Spearman’s rho test was done to explore the role of the baseline heart rate variability to the effect of Huanglian-jie-du granule.

Baseline low frequency power of heart rate variability was negatively correlated with the reduction of the insomnia severity index in experimental group (r=−0.493 p=0.02). Also, Huanglian-jie-de granule significantly decreased the low frequency power of heart rate variability in patients with Hwa-byung compared to placebo (mean difference 266 [95% CI: 29∼503], p=0.028). In Hwa-byung symptoms, stuffy, pushing up in the chest, and flush of anger were correlated with low frequency power of heart rate variability (p=0.010, p=0.000, and p=0.016, respectively).

The effect of the Huanglian-jie-de granule for insomnia seems to be lower when the baseline low frequency power of heart rate variability is higher in Hwa-byung patients. Also, Huanglian-jie-de granule is likely to decrease the sympathetic activity in patients with Hwa-byung. Measurement of heart rate variability may be the useful to understand the state of Hwa-byung patients.