SUMMARY: 72 patients diagnosed with asthenosperima with Kidney deficiency and Blood stagnation were randomly divided into the control group (36 subjects) and treatment group (36 subjects) by random number table methods. All subjects met the diagnostic criteria of asthenosperima according to the “Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Male Infertility with Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (2015)” and “WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen (2011)”, as well as the diagnostic criteria of Kidney deficiency and Blood stagnation according to the “Guiding Principles for Clinical Study of New Chinese Medicines (2002)”. There was no significant difference in terms of age and course of disease, and the two groups were therefore statistically comparable (P>0.05).
All subjects received Qiangjing tablet (強精片, 0.3g/tablet, 5 tablets tid) and acupoint application therapy on the following acupoints:
1) CV 4 (Guanyuan 關元), SP 6 (Sanyinjiao 三陰交), ST 36 (Zusanli 足三里)
2) BL 23 (Shenshu 腎俞), GV 4 (Mingmen 命門), BL 32 (Ciliao 次髎).
In the treatment group, subjects used the following herbs for acupoint application: Tu Si Zi (菟蕬子 Semen Cuscutae), Yin Yang Huo (淫羊藿 Herba Epimedii), Gou Qi Zi (枸杞子 Fructus Lycii), and Shan Yao 15g (山藥 Rhizoma Dioscoreae). All herbs were grinded into powder and mixed with Vaseline and glycerin. In the control group, subjects received acupoint application therapy using placebo made with buckwheat powder, Vaseline and glycerin. The course of treatment was 2-4 hours twice a week (alternated between group 1 and group 2 acupoints) for 4 weeks. The percentage of sperm forward motion (PR), sperm morphology and TCM syndrome scores (dizziness, tinnitus, soreness and weakness of waist and knees, mental fatigue, dull complexion, dull pain in lower abdomen, pain in ejaculation) were tested and compared between the two groups before and after treatment.
Table 1 Comparison of TCM syndrome scores between
the Treatment Group and Control Group Before and After Treatment
| Group | n | Score Before Treatment | Score After Treatment | t value | P value |
| Control | 34 | 7.91 ± 1.60 | 4.32 ± 1.95 | 10.298 | <0.001 |
| Treatment | 35 | 7.94 ± 1.57 | 3.37 ± 1.59* | 12.219 | <0.01 |
After 4 weeks of treatment, PR and TCM syndrome scores significantly improved in both groups (P<0.05), and the treatment group showed a more significant improvement compared to the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the percentage of normal sperm morphology in the treatment group and the control group (P>0.05). The result suggested that acupoint application combined with Qiangjing tablets has positive and synergistic effects in treating asthenoterospermia due to Kidney deficiency and Blood stagnation.
Diang Chen, et al. ACTA Chinese Medicine. 2022. 11 (37): 2457 – 2460