[Huatan Qushi Decoction improves lipid metabolism and semen quality in obese rats with oligoasthenozoospermia: Effects and mechanisms].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the regulatory effect of Huatan Qushi Decoction (HTQSD) on lipid metabolism and semen quality in obese rats with oligoasthenozoospermia (OA) and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Ninety-six 8-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups of equal number blank control, OA model control, Wuzi Yanzong Pills (WZYZP), and high-, medium- and low-dose HTQSD, the blank controls fed with a normal diet and the others with a high-fat diet, all for 8 weeks. Meanwhile, the rats in the blank control and OA model control groups were treated intragastrically with normal saline, those in the WZYZP group with WZYZP at 1.07 g/kg, and those in the high-, medium- and low-dose HTQSD groups with HTQSD at 26.25, 13.125 and 6.5625 g/kg, respectively. The body weights of the animals were obtained at 1, 4 and 8 weeks of modeling and intervention, the levels of serum TG, TC, HDL-C and LDL-C, the liver and testis indexes and semen quality detected at 4 and 8 weeks, and the expression of HO-1 mRNA determined at 8 weeks. RESULTS: At 8 weeks of modeling and intervention, the rats in the model control group, compared with the blank controls, showed significant increases in the body weight (ï¼»523.1 ± 25.54ï¼½ vs ï¼»451.50 ± 27.53ï¼½ g, P < 0.01) and levels of serum TG (ï¼»8.58 ± 0.39ï¼½ vs ï¼»2.18 ± 0.28ï¼½ nmol/L, P < 0.001), TC (ï¼»4.41 ± 1.44ï¼½ vs ï¼»1.68 ± 0.18ï¼½ nmol/L, P < 0.01) and LDL-C (ï¼»2.06 ± 0.17ï¼½ vs ï¼»0.48 ± 0.57ï¼½ nmol/L,P<0.01), but decreases in the level of serum HDL-C (ï¼»27.92 ± 0.40ï¼½ vs ï¼»57.47 ± 1.52ï¼½ nmol/L,P < 0.01), sperm motility (ï¼»11.31 ± 4.87ï¼½% vs ï¼»39.66 ± 2.77ï¼½%, P < 0.01), sperm concentration (ï¼»31.07 ± 10.52ï¼½ vs ï¼»65.37 ± 6.30ï¼½ ×106/ml, P < 0.01) and the expression of HO-1 mRNA (0.16 ± 0.03 vs 1.06 ± 0.20, P < 0.01). The rats in the medium-dose HTQSD group, in comparison with the model controls, exhibited remarkable decreases in the body weight (ï¼»445.13 ± 34.19ï¼½ vs ï¼»523.1 ± 25.54ï¼½ g, P < 0.01) and levels of serum TG (ï¼»2.05 ± 0.27ï¼½ vs ï¼»8.58 ± 0.39ï¼½ nmol/L,P < 0.01), TC (ï¼»1.63 ± 0.21ï¼½ vs ï¼»4.41 ± 1.44ï¼½ nmol/L,P < 0.01) and LDL-C (0.45 ± 0.07) vs ï¼»2.06 ± 0.17ï¼½ nmol/L, P < 0.01), but increases in the level of serum HDL-C (ï¼»48.35 ± 3.63ï¼½ vs ï¼»27.92 ± 0.40ï¼½ nmol/L, P < 0.01), sperm motility (ï¼»32.84 ± 6.22ï¼½% vs ï¼»11.31 ± 4.877ï¼½%, P < 0.01) and sperm concentration (ï¼»46.90 ± 6.39ï¼½ vs ï¼»31.07 ± 10.52ï¼½ ×106/ml, P < 0.05), and the low-dose HTQSD group showed a significantly up-regulated expression of HO-1 mRNA (0.76 ± 0.13 vs 0.16±0.03, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: HTQSD can regulate the blood lipid level and improve semen quality in obese rats with oligoasthenozoospermia by promoting serum anti-oxidation and reducing oxidative stress.