SUMMARY: 96 patients with asthenozoospermia were randomly divided into control group and treatment group, with 48 subjects in each group. All subjects met the diagnostic criteria of asthenozoospermia according to the “Practical Internal Medicine (2011)” and “Internal Medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine (1985)”. There was no significant difference in age and course of disease, and the two groups were statistically comparable (P>0.05). In control group, vitamin E capsule (0.1g bid) and Wuzi Yanzong Wan (五子衍宗丸, 9g bid) were prescribed. In treatment group, vitamin E capsule (0.1g bid) and Bushen Yanjing Decoction (補腎衍精湯, 300ml qd) were prescribed. The ingredients of Bushen Yanjing Decoction include: Shu Di Huang 15g (熟地黃 Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata), Shan Yao 15g (山藥 Rhizoma Dioscoreae), Tu Si Zi 15g (菟蕬子 Semen Cuscutae), Gou Qi Zi 15g (枸杞子 Fructus Lycii), Shan Zhu Yu 10 g (山茱萸 Fructus Corni), Dang Gui 10g (當歸 Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Du Zhong 10g (杜仲 Cortex Eucommiae), Niu Xi 10g (牛膝Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae), Lu Jiao Jiao 10g (鹿角膠 Cervi cornus Colla), Yin Yang Huo 10g (淫羊藿 Herba Epimedii), Xi Yang Shen 6g (西洋參 Radix Panacis Quinquefolii), and Gan Cao 5g (甘草 Radix Glycyrrhizae).
Course of treatment was 2 weeks for both groups. The clinical efficacy of the two groups after 12 weeks of treatment, TCM clinical symptom scores before treatment, 6 and 12 weeks after treatment, sperm motility level before treatment and after 12 weeks of treatment, sperm motility rate, grade A sperm, grade A+B sperm ratio, sex hormone levels and seminal plasma biochemistry were assessed.
The result was considered as:
1) Cured: sperm motility > 50% or grade A sperm > 25%, and the spouse is pregnant;
2) Markedly Effective: spouse is not pregnant, but sperm motility > 50% or grade A sperm > 25%;
3) Effective: Sperm motility improved but <50%
4) No Response: No significant change before and after treatment
Table 1. Comparison of Clinical Efficacy between the Treatment and Control Group
| Group | n | Cured/n | Marked Improvement/n | Effective | No Response/n | Total Effective Rate (%) |
| Control | 48 | 8(16. 67) | 17(35.42) | 16(33. 33) | 7(14.58 ) | 85.42* |
| Treatment | 48 | 3(6.25 ) | 9(18.75) | 17(35.42) | 19(39.58 ) | 60.42 |
After 12 weeks of treatment, the total effective rate in the treatment group was 85.42%, which was higher than the control group (60.42%) (P<0.05). The TCM clinical symptom score of the treatment group was lower than that of the control group after 6 weeks of (P < 0.05). The levels of sperm motility, sperm motility rate, grade A sperm, grade A+ grade B sperm ratio, serum testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH), seminal fructose and neutral α-glucosidase levels increased after 12 weeks of the treatment in both group, and the treatment group showed a more significant increase than the control group (P < 0. 05); there was no significant difference in serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels between the two groups (P > 0. 05).
This suggested that Bushen Yanjing Decoction with vitamin E can significantly improve the TCM syndromes of patients with asthenozoospermia, regulate the level of sex hormones in the body, and improve the sperm quality and seminal plasma biochemistry of patients.
Ke Ran Mao, et al. Yunnan Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Materia Medica. 2022. 43 (8): 59-62