Mechanism of Bushen Shengjing Recipe promoting spermatogenesis in rats with oligoasthenospermia
LIANG Zhi-gang，MA Xue-yi，LIU Xiao-feng
Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan(030024), China
Abstract:
Objective To study the effect of Bushen Shengjing Recipe on spermatogenesis in SD rats with oligoasthenospermia induced byadenine, and to explore its mechanism. Methods A total of 48 SD rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, Wuzi Yanzong Pill group (1 g/kg) and high, medium and low dose groups of Bushen Shengjing prescription (2.8 g/kg, 1.4 g/kg, 0.7 g/kg) according to the random number table method. Serum testosterone level was determined by radioimmunoassay after intervention; computer-aided sperm analysis system was used to evaluate sperm density and motility; hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the histopathological changes of rat testis; immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression of vimentin in rat testis. Results Compared with the model group, the pathological damage caused by oligoasthenozoospermia in each group was improved after drug administration. Some spermatogenic tubules in testis tissue were thickened, cells were closely arranged, some organs were reduced, and the number of spermatogenic cells and sperm was increased. Compared with the model group, the serum testosterone levels in the Wuzi Yanzong Pill group and the Bushen Shengjing Recipe groups were all up-regulated (P<0.05). Among them, the increase in the Wuzi Yanzong Pill group and the high-dose Bushen Shengjing Recipe group was significant, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the sperm quality was improved after administration, and the difference in sperm motility was statistically significant (P<0.05), meanwhile, Bushen Shengjing prescription high-dose group was better than model group in improving sperm density (P<0.05); Bushen Shengjing prescription high-dose group was better than Wuzi Yanzong Pill group in improving sperm motility, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the expression of vimentin in Sertoli cells of testis in each group was up-regulated after administration (P< 0.05), and the expression of vimentin in high-dose Bushen Shengjing Recipe group was higher than that in Wuzi Yanzong Pill group (P<0.05). Conclusion Bushen Shengjing Recipe can promote the spermatogenesis of rats with oligoasthenospermia induced by adenine, improve pathological damage and sperm quality, and its mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of vimentin expression in supporting cells.
