Effects of Zhibai Dihuang Decoction on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase in the spermatogenic cells of rats with ureaplasma urealyticum infection / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To explore the effects of Zhibai Dihuang Decoction (ZDD) on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COX) in the spermatogenic cells of rats with ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection.@*METHODS@#From forty 4－5 months old SD rats, 30 were randomly selected for the establishment of the model of testicular UU infection by inoculating the bladder with UU suspension and the other 10 injected with normal saline as controls (group A). At 7 days after inoculation, the rat models of testicular UU infection were treated orally with normal saline (group B), ZDD at 1 g per kg of the body weight per day (group C), and azithromycin at 0.105 g per kg of the body weight per day (group D), respectively, once daily for 21 days. Then all the animals were sacrificed and the epididymal and testicular tissues collected for examination of sperm motility with the color sperm dynamic detection system, measurement of the COX activity with the immunohistochemical DAB method, and determination of the mRNA expressions of COXⅠ and COXⅡ by RT-PCR.@*RESULTS@#Compared with group A, group B showed significant decreases in such sperm parameters as grade a sperm (［1.03 ± 0.09］ vs ［0.07 ± 0.03］ %, P0.05), average path velocity (VAP) (［16.22 ± 1.52］ vs ［10.05 ± 1.80］ μm/s, P0.05), and all the parameters were significantly higher in group C than in D (P<0.05or P<0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#UU infection can reduce grades a and b sperm, linear, curvilinear and mean sperm velocities, and the mRNA expressions of COX Ⅰ and Ⅱ while ZDD can improve these parameters. The improvement of sperm motility may not be associated with the activity of COX, and the COX activity may be related to the mRNA expression of COX II but not that of COXⅠ.

Traditional Chinese Medicine promotes the development of andrology / 中华男科学杂志

Andrology is an ancient branch of science which has gained a new development in the recent years and therefore has both traditional and modern characteristics. On the one hand, andrology keeps benefiting from the achievements of modern medicine and, on the other hand, it relies on the support of the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). An integration of Chinese and Western medical principles may further facilitate the development of andrology. TCM may contribute to the development of andrology by giving full play to its advantage as a psychosomatic medicine, enriching treatment strategies for male diseases with comprehensive TCM therapies, integrating the advantages of Western medicine to improve clinical efficacy, and normalizing the use of patent TCM drugs.

Zhibai Dihuang Decoction improves the activity of sperm mitochondrial respiratory chain complex in rats with Ureaplasma urealyticum infection / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To investigate the effect of Zhibai Dihuang Decoction (ZDD) on the sperm mitochondrial respiratory chain complex (MRCC) in rats with Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, sham operation, UU infection model control, ZDD (crude drug at 8.56 g per kg of the body weight per day), doxycycline (DC, at 20 mg per kg of the body weight per day), and ZDD+DC. The model of UU infection was established by injecting UU into the bladder of all the rats except those of the sham operation group. After modeling, the rats were treated intragastrically with respective drugs for 21 days and then executed and their epididymides harvested for examination of sperm quality and determination of the activities of sperm MRCCs I, II, III and IV by spectrophotometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At 10 days after modeling, the UU-positive rates in the model control, sham operation, ZDD, DC and ZDD+DC groups were 92.9%, 0%, 33.3%, 26.7% and 20.0%, respectively, significantly higher in the model control than in the other groups (P<0.05). The epididymal sperm concentrations in the five groups were (0.97±0.23), (3.02±0.52), (1.21±0.35), (1.02±0.31) and (1.52±0.28) ×106 ml, the sperm motilities were (58.62±15.36), (80.45±7.21), (75.52±8.78), (68.43±10.25) and (78.25±7.67)%, and rates of grade a+b sperm were (6.15±1.02), (10.32±1.14), (10.12±1.08), (9.01+1.27) and (10.74±1.03)%, respectively, all remarkably lower in the model control than in the sham operation group (P<0.01), but markedly higher in the ZDD and ZDD+DC groups than in the model controls (P<0.05). The activities of MRCC I in the model control, sham operation, ZDD, DC and ZDD+DC groups were (31.54±16.25), (136.86±6.34), (100.68±14.41), (81.68±6.78) and (124.06±5.54) μmol/(min·mg), those of MRCC II were (9.50±3.86), (20.34±0.37), (10.88±1.04), (12.93±1.07) and (16.23±0.60) μmol/(min·mg), those of MRCC III were (5.58±1.79), (19.60±0.61), (11.34±1.35), (13.87±1.23) and (15.96±0.69) μmol/(min·mg), and those of MRCC IV were (9.54±1.34), (28.98±3.33), (17.02±2.04), (18.41±2.67) and (21.66±2.93) μmol/(min·mg), respectively, all significantly lower in the model control than in the sham operation group (P<0.01), with the activities of MRCCs I, III and IV remarkably higher in the ZDD, DC and ZDD+DC groups (P<0.01) and that of MRCC II higher in the DC and ZDD+DC groups than in the model control (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ZDD can improve the epididymal sperm quality and the activity of the sperm MRCC in UU-infected rats, which may be one of the mechanisms of ZDD acting on male infertility caused by UU infection.</p>

Effect of Zhibai Dihuang Decoction on Expressions of TRPV1 and TRPV5 in Spermatogenic Cells of UU-infected Rats / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Zhibai Dihuang Decoction (ZDD) on mRNA and protein expressions of transient receptor potential family vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) and transient receptor potential family vanilloid subtype 5 (TRPV5) in Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU)-infected rat semens and spermatogenic cells, and to explore the pathomechanism of UU-infected infertility and the intervention of ZDD.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 45 were randomly selected from 60 4-5 months old SD rats. UU testicular infected animal models were set up after bladder inoculation of UU suspension. The remaining 15 rats were simultaneously injected with normal saline as a normal control group. After a successful modeling, UU infected model rats were randomly divided into the model group, the azithromycin group, and the ZDD group, 15 in each group. Rats in the ZDD group were administered with ZDD at the daily dose of 1 g/kg by gastrogavage. Rats in the azithromycin group were administered with azithromycin suspension at the daily dose of 0. 105 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Equal volume of normal saline was administered to rats in the normal control group and the model group. All medication was performed once daily for 21 successive days. Testes and epididymis were extracted after rats were killed and UU positive rates were compared among all groups. Sperm cells were separated using a mechanical separation technique. Sperm motility parameters were detected using color sperm motion detection system. mRNA and protein expressions of TRPV1 and TRPV5 in spermatogenic cells were determined by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The UU positive rate was obviously higher in the model group than in the normal control group [(86.7% (13/15 cases) vs. 0] P < 0.05). It was lower in the ZDD group [33.3% (5/15 cases)] and the azithromycin group [26.7% (4/15 cases)] than in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the normal control group, class A and B sperms were reduced, the linear velocity and the average velocity were significantly lowered, mRNA and protein expressions of TRPV1 and TRPV5 in spermated genic cells significantly decreased in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, class A and B sperms were increased, linear and curve velocities and the average velocity were significantly elevated, mRNA and protein expressions of TRPV1 and TRPV5 significantly increased in the ZDD group and the azithromycin group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with azithromycin group, class A and B sperms were increased, the linear velocity and the average velocity were significantly elevated, mRNA and protein expressions of TRPV1 and TRPV5 significantly increased in the ZDD group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ZDD could fight against UU infection and elevate semen quality, which might be associated with up-regulating mRNA and protein expressions of TRPV1 and TRPV5 in spermatogenic cells.</p>

Change of vWF, PAl-1 and t-PA in rats with hyperlipemia and its significance / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To establish the hyperlipoidemia model and observe its effect on the expression of plasma vWF, PAl-1 and t-PA after endothelial cell injury caused by the model at different time in rats.@*METHODS@#Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing (200+/-20)g were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=10 in each): high flat composition for 7 weeks (Group A7), 8 weeks (Group A8)and 9 weeks(Group A9), common bait vessel feeding for 7 weeks(Group C7), 8 weeks(Group C8) and 9 weeks (Group C9). When it reached the setting time, the rats were put to death and the serum was separated to detect the blood-fat immediately. Meanwhile, the pathological sections of the rat aorta were made to observe the endothelial injury. The blood plasma was separated and the content of the blood plasma PAl-1, t-PA and vWF was detected by ELISA assay.@*RESULTS@#(1)TG, TC and LDL of the rats intragastrically administrated high flat composition were higher than those of the control group,and HDL increased with time at first, but lowered when longer than 9 weeks. (2) There were no lesions in the aortic endothelium in all rats of Group C through optical microscope,while different lesions in the aortic endothelium in all rats of Group A were observed. (3)In the 3 groups A, the plasma vWF and PAI-1 were gradually increasing with time while t-PA gradually decreased. (4) There was no significant difference of vWF between Group A7 and Group A8. PAI-I increased gradually with the aggravation of endotheliocytes in Group A; and t-PA decreased gradually with the aggravation of endothelium in Group A.@*CONCLUSION@#(1) As intragastric administration prolongs, the plasma lipid of rats keeps increasing with the aggravation of the endodermis injury. (2) PAI-1, t-PA and vWF are the molecular markers of vascular endothelial cell injury in rats. (3) PAI-l and t-PA are more sensitive than vWF in reflecting the endothelial cell injury in hyperlipemia early metaphase.

Changes of plasma von Willebrond factor and soluble E-selectin levels in patients with coronary artery disease / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the changes of plasma von Willebrand factor (vWF) and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and evaluate their clinic significance.@*METHODS@#The level of plasma vWF and sE-selectin of 60 cases with coronary artery disease were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and 20 healthy persons acted as the control group. Risk factors for coronary artery disease were obtained by asking the medical history and the relation ship was analyzed with coronary artery disease.@*RESULTS@#The plasma vWF and sE-selectin levels of CAD patients were significantly higher than those of the control group (P = 0.017 and P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in plasma vWF levels between the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) group and the unstable angina pectoris (UA) group or the SA group (P = 0.210 and P = 0.194). The plasma vWF level of the SA group were higher than that of the UA group (P = 0.012). The plasma levels of sE-selectin of AMI group, and the UA group were higher than those of the SA group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.010). There were no significant differences between the SA group and the control group (P = 0.284) and between the AMI group and the UA group (P = 0.066).@*CONCLUSION@#The increased plasma vWF or sE-selectin level may be risk factors for CAD and they may be involved in the pathogenesis of CAD. The increase of plasma sE-selectin is correlated to the generation and development of CAD and it is important in the evaluation of clinical severity of CAD.