[Testicular artery-sparing microscopic varicocelectomy combined with Qilin Pills for bilateral varicocele-induced oligoasthenospermia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical effect of testicular artery-sparing microscopic varicocelectomy (MV) in combination with Qilin Pills (QL) in the treatment of bilateral varicocele-induced oligoasthenospermia. METHODS: Sixty patients with bilateral varicocele-induced oligoasthenospermia were randomly assigned to receive MV (n=30) or MV+QL (n=30), those in the latter group treated with oral QL for 12 weeks postoperatively. At 4, 8, and 12 weeks after operation, we compared the semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility, the levels of serum Inh B, luteinizing hormone (LH) and total testosterone (TT), and the testosterone secretion index (TSI) between the two groups. RESULTS: After surgery, all the patients showed disappearance of varicocele symptoms, remarkably improved semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility, serum Inh B and TT levels, TSI, decreased LH and FSH (P<0.01). At 12 weeks after treatment, statistically significant differences were found between the MV and MV+QL groups in Inh B (138.96±22.26 vs 129.54±22.23) ng/L, LH (3.17±0.12 vs 3.59±0.11) IU/L, TT (13.98±3.02 vs 12.68±3.12) nmol/L, and TSI (4.41±0.53 vs 3.53±0.51) nmol/ IU (P<0.05). The pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the MV+QL than in the MV group (73.4% vs 36.6%, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Testicular artery-sparing microscopic varicocelectomy combined with Qilin Pills is an effective strategy for the treatment of bilateral varicocele-induced oligoasthenospermia by significantly improving the semen quality of the patient.

Effects of conservative laparoscopic endometrial cystectomy and use of kidney-reinforcing and blood activating traditional Chinese medicine on ovarian functions.

This study investigated functional changes in the ovaries of women who have had conservative laparoscopic endometrial cystectomy and the effects of traditional kidney-reinforcing and blood-activating Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on ovarian function. Seventy female patients who underwent laparoscopic endometrial cystectomy were randomized into two groups: TCM group receiving kidney-reinforcing and blood-activating Chinese medicine (N = 35) and control group receiving only routine follow-up (N = 35). The serum levels of all study participants were measured for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2) and inhibin B (INHB) prior to and after endometrial surgery. Postoperative menstruation conditions were also assessed. Compared to preoperative conditions, both LH and FSH levels during the postoperative 1st month increased in both groups, while E2 and INHB levels decreased (P < 0.05). In the TCM group, in contrast to the control group and the postoperative 1st month, we observed a decrease in LH and FSH levels during the postoperative 4th month, while E2 and INHB levels increased (P < 0.05). In this study, we found that certain TCM prescriptions lowered postoperative serum FSH and LH levels and increased the serum INHB and basal E2 levels, thereby improving the ovarian reserve.

Sensibility of male rats fertility against olive oil, Nigella sativa oil and pomegranate extract.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the modulatory effects of daily consumption of pomegranate extract (PE), olive oil (OO) and Nagilla sativa oil (NSO) on antioxidant activity, sperm quality and pituitary-testicular axis of adult male wistar rats. METHODS: Thirty-two adult male Wistar rats were divided into four equal groups, eight rats each. Using rat gastric tubes, 1.0 mL distilled water, 1.0 mL PE, 0.4 mL NSO and 0.4 mL OO were orally administered daily for 6 weeks in the first, second, third and fourth groups, respectively. Reproductive organs, body weight, sperm criteria, testosterone, FSH, LH, inhibin-B, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activities were investigated. At the end of the study protocol, analyses occurred at the same time. Data were analysed by ANOVA test and P<0.05 was considered to be a significant value. RESULTS: In all studied groups, malondialdehyde level was significantly decreased accompanied with an increases in glutathione peroxidase and glutathione. Rats treated with PE showed an increase in catalase activities accompanied with an increase in sperm concentration which was also observed in NSO group. In PE treated group, sperm motility was also increased accompanied with decreased abnormal sperm rate. NSO, OO and PE treated groups shows an insignificant effect on testosterone, inhibin-B, FSH and LH in comparison with control group. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that administration of PE, NSO and OO could modify sperm characteristics and antioxidant activity of adult male wistar rats.

Busulfan induces activin A expression in vitro and in vivo: a possible link to venous occlusive disease.

PURPOSE: Hepatic venous occlusive disease is a severe side effect after administration of busulfan before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The syndrome is characterized by liver enlargement, fluid retention, jaundice, and weight gain. Endothelial injury has been described as the precipitating factor. The link between busulfan administration and endothelial damage has not been established thus far. METHODS: Complementary deoxyribonucleic acid expression arrays were used to screen for busulfan responsive genes in ECV304 cells. Specific messenger ribonucleic acid and protein levels were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Serum samples of 15 pediatric patients with leukemia were analyzed for busulfan and cytokine levels. RESULTS: We identified a member of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily, activin A, to be induced in the human cell line ECV304 after exposure to busulfan in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Maximum effects were observed at 120 and 168 hours for activin A messenger ribonucleic acid and protein, respectively. Preincubation with the protein kinase C inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide I (10 nmol/L) abolished activin A induction by busulfan (P <.05). Activin receptors were detected in ECV304. Both tissue factor and cyclooxygenase 2 were significantly induced by busulfan (P <.05). In a parallel in vivo study a significant increase in serum activin A concentration was found 4.5 hours after the second dose of busulfan. CONCLUSION: The data demonstrate that busulfan induces activin A both in vitro and in vivo. In view of the multiple targets of activin A (inflammation, proliferation, apoptosis, and coagulation), these findings may be of relevance to our understanding of venous occlusive disease.