Effects of tortoise-shell glue on rat oligoasthenospermia model  

作　　者：Wen Sheng Wenjing Xu Hailin Hu Dan Xiao Qinghu He 

机构地区：[1]Andrology Laboratory,College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine,Hunan University of Chinese Medicine,Changsha,Hunan 410208,China [2]Department of dermatology,The First Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Hunan University of Chinese Medicine,Changsha,Hunan 410208,China

出　　处：《Chinese Medical Journal》2022年第6期732-734,共3页中华医学杂志（英文版）

基　　金：supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation(No.81673984);the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Fund(No.2018JJ3402)。

摘　　要：To the Editor:Infertility is a public health concern in modern society.Oligoasthenospermia(OA)is one of the leading causes of male infertility that impacts about 5%of reproductive-aged couples worldwide.The etiology and pathogenesis of OA remain poorly understood.The characteristics of OA include a reduction in the total number(<33×10^(6 )per ejaculate or<12×10^(6)/mL)or concentration of spermatozoa,and low or nil sperm motility(<32%).[1]Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has a long history of treating male infertility by using drugs derived from natural sources,such as herbal or animal tissue-derived materials.Tortoise-shell glue(TSG),a classic TCM,is prominently used as a drug or supplement on multiple health conditions to replenish"Qi",which is considered to be the energy source of the human body in the TCM theory.A mitochondrion,a cell's"powerhouse,"is essential for cellular signaling and plays a role similar to that of"Qi"in TCM.The mid piece of sperm is packed with mitochondria;therefore,mitochondrial dysfunction may play a vital causative role in inadequate sperm mobility and male infertility.[2]Mitochondria not only provide the spermatozoa the necessary energy for successful fertilization but are also closely associated with the viability of the spermatozoa via regulating the permeability by the mitochondrial permeability transition pore(mPTP),[3]a transmembrane protein located in the inner membrane of mitochondria.Normally,it remains closed,but the opening of mPTP allows large molecules to pass through the mitochondrial membrane.Malfunction of mPTP leads to cell apoptosis,and in the case of OA,it results in a reduced sperm number and mobility.[3]In the current study,we aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of TSG on spermatogenesis and reproductive hormones,and also investigate the potential protective effects of TSG on mitochondrial functions.

关 键 词：protective HERBAL packed 

分 类 号：R285.5[医药卫生—中药学]