Combination of Korean Red Ginseng Extract and Hydrogen-Rich Water Improves Spermatogenesis and Sperm Motility in Male Mice / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of hydrogen-rich Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) water (HRGW) mixture on the spermatogenesis and sperm motility of mice of different ages.@*METHODS@#Eighty young (3 month-old) and aged (12 month-old) male mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n =10 per group) including control group, hydrogen-rich water (HRW) group (10 mL/kg daily), KRG group (50 mg/kg daily) and HRGW group (10 mL/kg and 50 mg/kg daily) by an oral zoned needle for 4 weeks. Sperm count and motility were measured using sperm suspension released from cauda epididymis. Serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in serum have also been estimated. Tubular changes were examined through histological hematoxylin and eosin staining. Expression of antioxidation (PPx3, PPx4, GSTm5 and GPx4), spermatogenesis (inhibin-a, neptin-2 and CREM), antiaging (SIRT1 and SIRT2), and angiogenesis [visfatin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)] related genes were examined through real-time polymerase chain reaction.@*RESULTS@#HRW and KRG treatment stimulated spermatogenesis followed by increasing sperm production and sperm motility (P <0.05). These effects were strengthened synergistically by a HRGW mixture (P <0.05 or P <0.01). HRGW greatly increased the expressions of antioxidation, antiaging, spermatogenesis related genes and VEGF especially in aged mice (P <0.05). Serum testosterone and FSH levels also increased, while serum ROS level decreased (all P <0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#HRGW increases sperm production and motility by enhancing antioxidation and stimulating spermatogenesis and sex hormone production, particularly in aged mice.

Restoration of Spermatogenesis Using a New Combined Herbal Formula of Epimedium koreanum Nakai and Angelica gigas Nakai in an Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Agonist-Induced Rat Model of Male Infertility

PURPOSE: We investigated the protective effect of a mixture of 2 herbal extracts, KH-465, which consisted of Epimedium koreanum Nakai and Angelica gigas Nakai, on spermatogenesis in a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist-induced rat model of male infertility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five 12-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, containing 15 rats each: a normal control group that received no treatment and 4 experimental groups (I, II, III, and IV) in which an LHRH agonist was administered for 4 weeks to induce spermatogenic failure. Group I received distilled water, and groups II, III, and IV received 200 mg/kg/day of KH-465, 400 mg/kg/day KH-465, and depo-testosterone for 4 weeks, respectively. Weight changes of the testis and epididymis, sperm count motility, and levels of testosterone (T), free T, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were estimated. RESULTS: Body, testis, and epididymis weight showed no significant differences among the control and experimental groups. Treatment with KH-465 increased the sperm count and motility. Serum hormone levels of T, free T, and FSH were not significantly different in the experimental groups, while the LH level was higher than in the LHRH agonist-induced control group, but not to a significant extent. Levels of SOD were higher and 8-OHdG were lower in the groups that received KH-465 than in the LHRH agonist-induced control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that KH-465 increased sperm production via reducing oxidative stress and had a positive effect in a male infertility model.

Analysis of the Efficacy of Medical Treatment and the Cumulative Operation Rates of Behcet's Colitis According to the Colonoscopic Classification / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The lesions of Behcet's colitis showed aphthoid or punched-out ulceration, but the macroscopic types of lesions have not been defined. The aim of this study was to predict the clinical outcome of patients with Behcets colitis according to colonoscopic findings. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and colonoscopic photographs of 50 patients with Behcet's colitis. Colonoscopic findings were categorized according to three types: volcano-, geographic- and aphthous-type. The efficacy of medical treatment was assessed by follow-up colonoscopy or double-contrast barium enema 4 to 8 weeks after treatment and recurrence of the lesions was evaluated during the follow-up period. Cumulative operation rates were obtained by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Macroscopic types of colonic ulcers revealed 25 out of 50 (50%) patients with volcano-type, 11 (22%) with geographic-type, and 14 (28%) with aphthous-type lesions. Complete remission rates by medical treatment and operation rates in volcano-type ulcerations were 6 of 25 (24%) and 13 of 25 (52%), geographic-type 8 of 11 (73%) and 1 of ll (9%), and aphthous-type 9 of 14 (64%) and 2 of 14 (14%), respectively. The recurrence rate in volcano-type ulcerations was 9 of 19 (47%), geographic-type 1 of 9 (11%) and aphthous-type 1 of 11 (9%), CONCLUSIONS: Volcano-type ulcerations in Behcets colitis showed less favorable response to medical treatment and more episodes of operation and recurrence than geographic- and aphthous-type ulcerations.