Impact of Moriamin Forte on Testicular and Epididymal Damage in Rats with Oligoasthenospermia.

To investigate the effect and mechanism of action of Moriamin Forte (MF) on oligoasthenospermia (OA) in rats exposed to multiglycosides of Tripterygium wilfordii (GTW), forty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups. Rats in the control group were treated with 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. The remaining rats were administered GTW (30 mg/kg/d) for 40 d to establish an OA model. Concurrently, the groups were treated with normal saline and low-dose (100 mg/kg/d) and high-dose (200 mg/kg/d) MF, respectively. After treatment, the number and motility of sperm cells were examined. Testicular and epididymal histomorphology changes were observed. Antioxidant indicators (SOD, CAT, MDA, TAC, and Nrf2) in testicular and epididymal tissues were detected. Apoptotic and antiapoptotic indicators (Bax and Bcl2 expression) in the testicular tissue were measured by immunohistochemistry. GTW decreased sperm count and motility, damaged testicular and epididymis tissues, impaired antioxidase activity, and increased tissue MDA levels. Meanwhile, GTW upregulated the expression of Bax and downregulated the expression of Bcl2. Western blot analysis demonstrated a decrease in the Nrf2 expression in the model group. Treatment with MF improved sperm count and motility, as well as inhibited the rate of apoptosis in the rat reproductive system. Moreover, MF improved the activity of antioxidants and increased the relative expression of the antioxidant pathway-related protein Nrf2. In conclusion, MF may reverse the GTW-induced OA by modulating the expression of apoptotic and antioxidant pathway-related proteins. This study may provide a pharmacological foundation for the use of MF in OA treatment.

[Double-antibody sandwich method versus indirect method of ELISA for detection of prostatic exosomal protein in the urine].

OBJECTIVE: To compare two ELISA methods for the detection of the prostatic exosomal protein (PSEP) in the urine. METHODS: Using the double-antibody sandwich (DAS) method and the indirect method of ELISA, we detected PSEP in the urine samples from 100 IIIA chronic prostatitis (CP) patients and another 100 normal healthy males. Meanwhile, we examined 30 clinical urine samples using the diluent (0.1 mol/L PBS buffer) and the urine matrix standard curves to verify the consistency of the standard diluent with the sample collected. Result: The sensitivities of DAS and indirect ELISA were 89% versus 87% and their specificities 91% versus 90%, with total consistency rates of 90% versus 88.5%, with no statistically significant difference in between. The scatter plot for the results of the PBS diluent and the urine matrix standard curves showed a good linearity (R2 = 0.999). No significant difference was found in the results of detection of the clinical urine samples in different matrices. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the characteristics of PSEP, the indirect ELISA method is more practical and feasible for the clinical detection of PSEP in the urine samples of prostatitis patients.

[Jiarong Tablets combined with Testosterone Undecanoate Capsules for late-onset hypogonadism in males: A multicentered clinical trial].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Jiarong Tablets (JRT) combined with Testosterone Undecanoate Capsules (TUC) in the treatment of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) in males. METHODS: This randomized open multicentered clinical trial included 200 cases of LOH meeting the inclusion, which were equally randomized into a control (aged ï¼»51.09 ± 5.6ï¼½ yr) and a trial group (aged ï¼»50.46 ± 5.2ï¼½ yr) to be treated with oral TUC (40 mg, bid) and TUC+JRT (0.92 g, tid) respectively for 12 successive weeks. We obtained the Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) and IIEF-5 scores, serum total testosterone (TT) content, red blood cell (RBC) count, hepatic and renal function indexes and glucose and total PSA levels before and after treatment, and compared them between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Totally, 191 of the LOH patients completed the experiment, 95 in the control and 96 in the trial group. After 12 weeks of treatment, the patients in the trial group, compared with the controls, showed significant improvement in the AMS score (20.6 ± 5.7 vs 31.9 ± 6.1, P < 0.05), IIEF-5 score (20.3 ± 3.1 vs 16.3 ± 3.8, P < 0.05) and serum TT level (ï¼»16.1 ± 3.9ï¼½ vs ï¼»12.7 ± 3.4ï¼½ nmol/L, P < 0.05). There were no significant adverse events or abnormalities in the RBC count, hepatic and renal functions, or glucose and total PSA levels in the two groups of patients before and after medication. CONCLUSIONS: JRT combined with TUC is safe and effective and superior to TUC alone in the treatment of LOH in males.

[Content of prostate small extracorporeal protein in the urine as an index in evaluating the therapeutic effect on chronic prostatitis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical value of the prostate small extracorporeal protein (PSEP) level in the urine in evaluating the therapeutic effect on chronic prostatitis (CP). METHODS: Totally 188 CP patients were treated with minocycline and Ningmitai Capsules in our hospital and regularly returned for follow-up examination from November 2017 to November 2018. Based on the results of treatment after 4 and 8 weeks of medication, we divided the patients into a cured, an effective and an ineffective group and compared the contents of PSEP in the urine samples of the three groups of patients before and after treatment. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, the PSEP content in the urine after 4 weeks of medication was decreased in the cured group (n = 20) (ï¼»3.63 ± 3.81ï¼½ vs ï¼»1.16 ± 0.41ï¼½ ng/ml, P < 0.05), effective group (n = 85) (ï¼»4.13 ± 4.05ï¼½ vs ï¼»2.97 ± 2.89ï¼½ ng/ml, P > 0.05) and ineffective group (n = 83) (ï¼»4.72 ± 2.98ï¼½ vs ï¼»3.74 ± 1.31ï¼½ ng/ml, P > 0.05), and so was that after 8 weeks of treatment in the cured group (n = 48) (ï¼»3.72 ± 3.51ï¼½ vs ï¼»0.89 ± 0.37ï¼½ ng/ml, P < 0.05), effective group (n = 106) (ï¼»4.37 ± 3.93ï¼½ vs ï¼»1.83 ± 0.71ï¼½ ng/ml, P < 0.05) and ineffective group (n = 34) (ï¼»4.61 ± 3.59ï¼½ vs ï¼»3.58 ± 1.15ï¼½ ng/ml, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The PSEP level in the urine can be used as an index for clinical evaluation of the therapeutic effect on chronic prostatitis.

[Correlation of the prostatic exosomal protein content with conventional indicators of EPS and NIH-CPSI].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship of the content of prostatic exosomal protein (PSEP) in the urine with the counts of WBCs and small particles of lecithin (SPL) in the EPS and NIH-CPSI in patients with chronic prostatitis. METHODS: We collected mid-stream urine samples from 367 chronic prostatitis patients in the Department of Andrology of the General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command from November 2017 to August 2018. We measured the content of PSEP in the urine, counted WBCs and SPLs in the EPS of the patients, obtained their NIH-CPSI scores, and analyzed the correlation of the PSEP level with the WBC and SPL counts and NIH-CPSI scores of the patients. RESULTS: The PSEP level in the urine was elevated with the increase of the WBC count in the EPS of the patients (r = 0.19, P = 0.047) but not significantly correlated with the SPL count in the EPS (r = 0.02, P = 0.48). A significant correlation was observed between the PSEP level and the NIH-CPSI scores of the patients (r = 0.31, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The PSEP content in the urine can be used as an indicator in the clinical diagnosis and assessment of the inflammation degree of chronic prostatitis.

[Efficacy and safety of lycopene in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia with lower urinary tract symptoms].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of lycopene in the treatment of BPH with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). METHODS: Totally, 127 BPH patients with LUTS were treated with oral lycopene tablets at 500 mg bid in the Department of Andrology of Jinling Hospital from January 2018 to January 2019. At 8 and 16 weeks of medication, we compared the IPSS, quality of life (QOL) score, prostate volume, PSA level, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), postvoid residual urine volume (PVR) and the incidence of adverse reactions before and after treatment. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients completed the treatment. Compared with the baseline, significant improvement was observed after 8 weeks of medication in the IPSS (ï¼»18.42 ± 4.59ï¼½ vs ï¼»14.13 ± 4.51ï¼½, P < 0.01) and QOL score (ï¼»4.34 ± 1.37ï¼½ vs ï¼»3.14 ± 1.25ï¼½, P < 0.01), and even more significant at 16 weeks in the IPSS (ï¼»18.42 ± 4.59ï¼½ vs ï¼»10.29 ± 3.61ï¼½, P< 0.01), QOL score (ï¼»4.34 ± 1.37ï¼½ vs ï¼»2.17 ± 1.35ï¼½, P < 0.01), PSA (ï¼»3.87 ± 3.14ï¼½ vs ï¼»2.90 ± 3.07ï¼½ µg/L, P < 0.01), Qmax (ï¼»10.62 ± 2.08ï¼½ vs ï¼»14.15 ± 3.66ï¼½ ml/s, P < 0.01) and PVR (ï¼»35.88 ± 15.33ï¼½ vs ï¼»18.36 ± 13.09ï¼½ ml, P < 0.01), but there was no statistically significant difference in the prostate volume before and after treatment (ï¼»39.85 ± 10.22ï¼½ vs ï¼»38.16 ± 10.12ï¼½ ml, P > 0.05), and no adverse reactions in any of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Lycopene has a good therapeutic effect on BPH with LUTS, which can significantly improve the patients' quality of life without causing adverse reactions.

[Role of sperm genetic abnormality in recurrent pregnancy loss: An update].

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is pathogenically complicated and has an incidence rate of 2% to 5% in women of reproductive age. Only 50% of the RPL cases have been confirmed in etiology. So far, studies on the etiology of RPL have focused on women and little attention has been paid to the role of sperm in the development and progression of the disease. Many clinical studies have shown that the genetic material of sperm and developmental potential of embryos are closely related to the outcome of pregnancy. All the processes of sperm generation and development, sperm-egg combination, and implantation and development of fertilized eggs are regulated by chromosomes and various genes. Half of the genomes in the embryo are provided by sperm. RPL may be induced by abnormal number and structure of sperm chromosomes and sperm DNA integrity, gene mutations, and epigenetic abnormalities. This review presents an overview on the advances in the studies of the role of sperm genetic abnormality in RPL, hoping to give some help with the prediction, diagnosis and treatment of the disease.