Discussion
hepatorenal toxicity, kidney yang deficiency, TCM, asthenospermia
STILL, DYSFUNCTION, ASTHENOSPERMIA, MALE INFERTILITY, HEAT
The TCM Peng’s Shengjing recipe might have benefits in treating male asthenospermia. This study suggests that Peng’s Shengjing recipe improves the proportions of grade A and grade A+B sperms in patients with clinical asthenospermia due to kidney yang deficiency and increases the FSH and T levels but shows lower ALT and AST levels than the control group (Xuanju capsule).In Peng’s Shengjing recipe, the mantis egg case consolidates the essence and reduces urine, strengthens the kidney yang but not the heat, replenishes Qi and blood without affecting the diaphragm, and has the function of adjusting the dysfunction of multiple organs.In the present study, Xuanju capsule, a classical TCM for male infertility, was used as positive control and showed improvements in grade A and A+B sperms.These effects are also supported by animal studies that shed some light on the mechanisms of Shengjing recipe. Indeed, animal studies reported increased sperm quality and quantity when treated with the Shengjing recipe, including animal models of drug-induced asthenospermia.In the present study, Shengjing recipe increased the levels of FSH and T, but the exact clinical significance of these changes is unknown since the values were within the normal values at baseline and after treatment. Still, these changes were also observed in previous studies. Sun et alThis study did not identify any safety signals using the Shengjing recipe. The kidney and liver parameters remained in the normal range. No obvious hepatorenal toxicity was recorded. This observation is supported by other studies of Shengjing recipe.