Qilin Pills for idiopathic oligoasthenospermia: A multi-centered randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Qilin Pills in the treatment of oligoasthenospermia in infertile men.@*METHODS@#This multi-centered randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial included 216 infertile males with oligoasthenospermia, 108 in the trial group and the other 108 in the control, the former treated with Qilin Pills at the dose of 6 g tid while the latter with Wuziyanzong Pills at 6 g bid, both for 12 weeks. We examined the total sperm count, sperm motility and the count of progressively motile sperm of the patients before and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after medication and evaluated the safety of the drug based on the adverse events and the laboratory results of blood and urine routine examinations and liver and kidney function tests.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the baseline, the patients in the trial group showed a significant time-dependent improvement after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of medication in sperm motility (21.75% vs 27.54%, 29.04% and 32.95%, P <0.05), total sperm count (156.27 ×106 vs 177.33, 188.18 and 205.44 ×106, P <0.05), and the count of progressively motile sperm (32.08 ×10⁶/ml vs 46.33, 50.98 and 61.10 ×10⁶/ml, P <0.05). The three parameters above were also improved in the controls, but more significantly in the trial group (P <0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Qilin Pills can evidently improve the semen quality of oligoasthenospermia patients with no obvious adverse events.

Diagnosis and treatment of ovotesticular disorder of sex development: A report of 2 cases / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of ovotesticular disorder of sex development (OT-DSD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We retrospectively analyzed 2 cases of OT-DSD treated in our hospital. The patients were 19 and 15 years old, respectively, and both received systematic physical examination and examinations of the karyotype, sex hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), color Doppler ultrasonography, urethrocystoscopy, and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) test. Under the laparoscope, we performed surgical gonad exploration, gonadectomy, and vulvar orthopedics. Intraoperative exploration and pathology confirmed true hermaphroditism in both cases, with sex selection as female. One underwent laparoscopic resection of the ovotestis, and the other removal of the testis with the ovarian tissue reserved.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The patients were followed up for 12 months postoperatively, which found no abnormality in either the vulvas or the genital glands.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Surgical exploration of the gonad is the only method for the diagnosis of OT-DSD and sex selection is the key to treatment. Laparoscopic surgical exploration of the gonad and vulvar orthopedics are the first treatment options.</p>

Yimusake Tablet: safe and efficacious for premature ejaculation / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To objectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of Yimusake Tablet in the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE) through a multi-centered large-sample trial.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We conducted a multi-centered, open, fixed-dose, and self-compared clinical trial among 300 patients with diagnosed PE. The trial lasted 12 weeks, including 4 weeks without any medication and 8 weeks of treatment with Yimusake Tablet, 2 pills (1 g) per night. We observed the intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) before and after treatment, evaluated the safety of medication, and performed a questionnaire investigation on the patients' satisfaction.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 300 PE patients, 288 accomplished the clinical trial. The patients ranged in age from 22 to 60 years, averaging at 31.6 years. The mean IELT of the patient was 62.5 seconds at baseline, 168.9 seconds after 4 weeks of treatment with Yimusake Tablet, and 222.2 seconds after 8 weeks of medication. Among the 157 patients with normal erectile function (IIEF >21), the mean IELT was 71.4 seconds before treatment, 147.4 seconds after 4 weeks of medication, and 172.5 seconds after 8 weeks of medication. The patients' satisfaction was significantly increased after treatment. Those complicated by mild to moderate erectile dysfunction achieved different degrees of improvement in the IIEF-5 score, with a mean increase of 3.8. Only a few patients experienced mild adverse events, including constipation, dry mouth, nose bleeding, abdominal pain, and lumbosacral pain, which were all relieved without drug withdrawal.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Yimusake Tablet is a safe and effective medicine for the treatment of PE.</p>

Effects of serum anti-sperm antibodies positive on the Fas/Fas-L apoptosis pathway in the testis tissue and testicular germ cells of pubertal male rats / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a rat model of anti-sperm antibody (AsAb)-mediated immune infertility, and investigate the effects of serum AsAb positive on the Fas/Fas-L apoptosis pathway in testis tissue and testicular germ cells of pubertal male rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty 5-week-old Wistar male rats were included in this study, 10 killed for preparation of sperm suspension, 10 as normal controls, and the other 10 made models of AsAb-positive immune infertility (experimental group). Four weeks after modeling, the testes of the rats were harvested for observation of the changes in the testis tissue under the light microscope and detection of the expressions of Fas, Fas-L and Caspase-3 proteins by immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed obvious apoptotic changes in the testis tissue and remarkably increased expressions (OD value) of Fas (161.87 +/- 5.37 vs 176.97 +/- 4.58), Fas-L (150.27 +/- 8.65 vs 187.52 +/- 7.76) and Caspase-3 (120.37 +/- 6.76 vs 157.65 +/- 7.38) (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Serum AsAb affected the infertility of pubertal male rats, and its mechanisms might be associated with up-regulated expression of Fas, Fas-L and Caspase-3 proteins in the Fas/Fas-L apoptotic pathway.</p>

Yimusake alone or combined with trazodone hydrochloride for primary premature ejaculation / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical effects of the Chinese drug Yimusake, used alone or in combination with trazodone hydrochloride, on primary premature ejaculation (PE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-eight primary PE patients were randomized to a control (n=32) and an experimental group (n=36), the former treated with Yimusake 1 tablet (50 mg) pre day, and the latter with 1 tablet of trazodone hydrochloride (50 mg) pre day in addition, both given orally after supper and for 4 weeks, followed by observation of the therapeutic effects.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eighteen cases (56.25%) responded in the control and 25 (69.44% ) in the experimental group, with statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Yimusake combined with trazodone hydrochloride is highly efficacious for primary PE.</p>

Radioiodine-131 therapy improves sex hormones and sexual function in male patients with Graves' disease / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the changes of sex hormones and sexual function in male patients with Graves' disease (GD) after Radioiodine-131 (I-131) therapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-four male GD patients, aged 21 -40 (32.3 +/- 6.7) years, were treated with I-131 at the dose of 111 - 407 (237.8 +/- 51.8) MBq. The levels of serum sex hormones were measured, and the patients'scores on erectile function (IIEF-5) were obtained before and 3 and 6 months after the treatment. Another 20 healthy men aged 25 - 37 (31 +/- 3.1) years were enlisted as controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The baseline levels of estrogen (E2), testosterone (T) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were (132.5 +/- 40.4) pmol/L, (21.6 +/- 4.6) nmol/L and (10.1 +/- 4.4) IU/L in the GD patients, significantly higher than (80.4 +/- 31.2) pmol/L, (14.5 +/- 4.2) nmol/L and (6.2 +/- 1.9) IU/L in the healthy controls (P < 0.05). The E2, T and LH levels showed a significant decrease in the GD patients after 3 months of treatment ([110.2 +/- 20.6] pmol/L, [17.7 +/- 5.5] nmol/L and (9.4 +/- 3.9) IU/L, P < 0.05), but exhibited no statistically significant differences from the healthy controls at 6 months ([82.6 +/- 30.1] pmol/L, [13.8 +/- 3.4 ] nmol/L and [6.6 +/- 1.5] IU/L, P > 0.05). The IIEF-5 score of the GD patients was 5 - 25 (15.5 +/- 3.5) before I-131 treatment, significantly lower than that of the controls (19 - 25, 24 +/- 0.5) (P < 0.05), and it was 8 - 25 (19.5 +/- 1.0) at 3 months and 10 - 25 (23.5 +/- 1.5) at 6 months, significantly higher in the latter than in the former (P < 0.05), and with no significant difference between the 6-month treated patients and the healthy controls (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The E2, T and LH levels are increased while the IIEF-5 score decreased markedly in male GD patients. Six-month treatment with I-131 can not only restore the E2, T and LH levels to normal but also significantly improve the patient's sexual function.</p>

SHENG MAI ZHUSHEYE improves the viability and movement parameters of human sperm in vitro / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of SHENG MAI ZHUSHEYE on the movement parameters and viability of human sperm in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We collected sperm samples from 33 normal fertile men, divided each into two, and cultured them in vitro with SHENG MAI ZHUSHEYE + Hams-F10 and Hams-F10 alone, respectively. Then we measured the straight line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), average path velocity (VAP) and the amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) of the sperm by computer-aided semen analysis at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 h. And the sperm viability was detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>VCL was significantly higher at 8 h (P < 0.05) and very significantly higher at 12 h (P < 0.01) in the SHENG MAI ZHUSHEYE + Hams-F10 group than in the Hams-F10 group. VSL, VAP and ALH were significantly increased in the former group at 4, 8 and 12 h as compared with the latter (P < 0.05). The sperm viability was significantly decreased in the Hams-F10 group at 12 h (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SHENG MAI ZHUSHEYE can improve sperm movement parameters and increase sperm viability in vitro.</p>

Nifedipine modifies plasma membrane functional integrity and inhibits osmosensitive calcium influx in human sperm / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of nifedipine of therapeutic dosage on the plasma membrane functional integrity and osmosensitive calcium influx in human sperm in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sperm samples were aseptically obtained from 10 healthy fertile men by masturbation and prepared by swim-up technique to produce a spermatozoal solution of high motility. The solution was then incubated with nifedipine of 20, 100 and 20 x 10(3) ng/ml respectively at 37 degrees C in vitro. The hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test was done to assess the sperm function. Intracellular calcium concentration was measured by fluorescent probe fura-2/AM before and after sperm medium dilution in distilled water.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 20 x 103 ng/ml group showed significantly lower HOS scores than the control (P < 0.01). The 20, 100 and 20 x 10(3) ng/ml groups all showed significantly lower Ca2+ fluorescence D-value than the control (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Nifedipine can modify plasma membrane functional integrity and inhibit osmosensitive calcium influx in human sperm and affect male fertility in vitro in therapeutic dose.</p>

The effect of Chinese medicine yiqihuoxuetang on T-lymphocyte subpopulation in peripheral blood of infertile men with antisperm antibodies / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To study whether Chinese Medicine Yiqihuoxuetang(YQHXT) could inhibit antisperm antibodies in infertile men, and to explore the therapeutical mechanism of YQHXT.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty infertile men with antisperm antibodies took YQHXT continuously for 60 days. Indirect immuno-fluorescence technique (IFT) was used to detect the levels of CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD4/CD8 ratio before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CD4 value and CD4/CD8 ratio after treatment were significantly lower than before treatment (P < 0.05); CD8 value became significantly higher(P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The results indicated that YQHXT could inhibit antisperm antibodies by keeping the balance of T-lymphocyte subpopulation in immunoinfertile men.</p>