Effects of antioxidant treatment in oligozoospermic and asthenozoospermic men

To evaluate the effect of sairei-to, an herbal medicine, as an antioxidant in oligozoospermia and asthenozoospermia (nonnormozoospermia).

Forty-seven nonnormozoospermic and 16 normozoospermic men were the subjects of this prospective clinical study. After sairei-to (9.0 g/d) was administered daily to the 2 groups for 3 months, sperm parameters, serum hormones and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the serum and the seminal plasma was analyzed. The testicular artery was also assessed.

After therapy, serum hormones and SOD activity did not change significantly in either group. Although men with normozoospermia did not undergo a significant change in sperm conditions or testicular artery flow, total sperm concentration (17.1 +/- 20.0 versus 28.7 +/- 35.5 x 10(6)/mL, P = .02) and sperm motility (30.1% +/- 21.6 versus 45.8% +/- 24.4, P < .0001) were significantly increased, and the pulsatility index of the testicular artery (2.03 +/- 0.84 versus 1.64 +/- 0.48, P = .04) was significantly decreased in nonnormozoospermia.

Treatment with the herbal antioxidant sairei-to improves sperm condition and testicular artery flow in nonnormozoospermia.