Abstract:
Provided is a composition having moxibustion effects and a formulation acceptable in oriental medicine. More particularly, the composition has moxibustion effects without odor commonly associated with moxibustion.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a composition having moxibustion effects and a method of producing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a composition having moxibustion effects without odor commonly associated with moxibustion and a method of producing the same. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Oriental medicine, also known as Chinese Traditional Medicine (CTM), has been established through clinical tests for thousands of years. In an aspect of CTM, stimulation is applied to acupoints of meridians to treat specific diseases and to improve general health. Therapeutic effects are achieved by stimulating smooth circulation of blood and chi throughout the body. 
     Representative examples of such stimulation treatments include acupuncture and thermal application of herbal compositions to the skin. Such herbal compositions often include  Artemisia  species, e.g., moxa, as an active ingredient and the thermal application is thus referred to as moxibustion. Conventional moxibustion is performed by burning  artemisia  and/or various herbal blends on the skin or on acupoints, and the therapeutic effects of moxibustion is produced by the active ingredients and the heat released when the herbal compositions are burned. 
     However, there exist dangers of environmental pollution due to smoke released when moxa is burned. More particularly, burning moxa creates a distinct odor much like the odor produced when burning a marijuana plant. Because of this distinct odor, patients who receive moxibustion treatment may be misunderstood if the treatment is performed in public or if they enter a public area after moxibustion treatment. For these reasons, people are unwilling to receive moxibustion treatment despite its various benefits, which makes moxibustion difficult to popularize and globalize. 
     Provided therefore, is a composition having moxibustion effects which significantly reduces or eliminates odor relative to traditional moxibustion compositions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, provided is a composition having moxibustion effects, the composition including moxa, far-infrared radiating powder, and baking soda at 1:1:10 ratio by weight %. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, provided is a composition having moxibustion effects, the composition including, by weight, 75-80% of moxa, 10-12% of far-infrared radiating powder, and 10-12% of baking soda. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, provided is a composition having moxibustion effects, the composition including, by weight, 70-80% of moxa, 5-7% baking soda, 5-7% of elvan stone powder, and 5-7% germanium powder. 
     When thermally applied in moxibustion, the embodiments of the present invention removes or significantly decreases the marijuana-like odor produced in traditional moxibustion treatments while retaining the therapeutic effects of moxibustion. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, provided is a method for preparing a composition having moxibustion effects, the method including the steps of: preparing moxa by obtaining  artemisia  plant, drying the  artemisia  plant, and shredding and/or pulverizing the dried  artemisia  plant; and mixing the prepared moxa with far-infrared radiating powder and baking soda at 1:1:10 ratio by weight %. 
     In another embodiment, the prepared moxa is mixed with far-infrared radiating powder and baking soda at 75-80%, 10-12%, and 10-12%, by weight, respectively, in the mixing step. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, provided is a method for preparing a composition having moxibustion effects, the method including the steps of: preparing moxa by obtaining  artemisia  plant, shredding and/or pulverizing the  artemisia  plant, and drying the shredded and/or pulverized  artemisia  plant; and mixing the prepared moxa with elvan stone powder, baking soda, and germanium powder at 70-80%, 5-7%, 5-7%, and 5-7%, by weight, respectively. 
     In another embodiment, the  artemisia  plant is dried for at least a period of three years in the moxa preparing step. 
     These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It should be understood that the exemplary embodiments described therein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodiment should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in other embodiments. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, provided is a composition having moxibustion effects. The composition includes moxa, far-infrared radiating powder, and baking soda at 1:1:10 ratio by weight %. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, provided is a composition having moxibustion effects, the composition including, by weight, 75-80% of moxa, 10-12% of far-infrared radiating powder, and 10-12% of baking soda. 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, provided is a composition having moxibustion effects, the composition including, by weight, 70-80% of moxa, 5-7% baking soda, 5-7% of elvan stone powder, and 5-7% germanium powder. 
     The composition may also have additional herbal mixtures and resin, as known and available in the art of oriental medicine. 
     Moxa is well known in the art of oriental medicine as having therapeutic effects through thermal application, or moxibustion, and the method of its preparation is also well-known. Moxa may be prepared from mugroot ( Artemisia argyi ), in which mugroot is obtained, dried, shredded and/or pulverized in accordance with preparation procedure well-known in the art. Alternative preparation procedures available to those of ordinary skill in the art of oriental medicine may also be used. 
     Moxa may include other species of  Artemisia  acceptable in oriental medicine, such as but not limited to,  Artemisia  spp.,  Artemisia annua  L.,  Artemisia asiatica, Artemisia vulgaris  L.,  Artemisia capillaris, Artemisia princeps  Pamp., etc.  Artemisia  species growing naturally in Korea are preferred. The  Artemisia  species can be used independently or in combination with one another. That is, a composition having moxibustion effects according to the present invention may comprise one or more species of  Artemisia.    
     Far-infrared radiating powder used in the composition of the present invention may be, but is not limited to, bioceramics, tourmaline, kiyoseki, quartz-porphyry, illite, biotite, germanium, monazite, and elvan stone. Far-infrared radiating powders capable of anion emission effects are preferred. Particularly, elvan stone (“maek ban seok” in Korean), which comprises mainly of SiO 2  and Al 2 O 3 , and has strong adsorption and ion exchange properties, is preferred. 
     For far-infrared radiating powder, a ratio of 12% or less by weight is preferred because if the ratio is greater than 12%, the composition may not burn properly during moxibustion. 
     Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ), is a chemical compound readily available to the public for household uses. It is a white solid which often appears as fine powder. 
     By mixing moxa, far-infrared radiating powder, and baking soda, the resulting composition having moxibustion effect produces significantly less or no odor when thermally applied in moxibustion treatment. Specifically, the odor which resembles that of burned marijuana is significantly reduced or eliminated. 
     The present moxa composition can be made by preparing moxa, or alternative  artemisia  species acceptable in oriental medicine, by obtaining  artemisia  plant, cutting and pulverizing the  artemisia  plant, and drying the cut and pulverized  artemisia  plant. It is preferable that the cut and pulverized  artemisia  plant should be dried for at least a period of three years. The dried moxa or  artemisia  can be mixed with far-infrared radiating powder and baking soda by any manner available in the art. 
     It should be understood that the exemplary embodiments described therein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodiment should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in other embodiments.