OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Yangjing Capsule (YJC) on the ultrastructure of seminal vesicles in aged male rats, and explore its mechanism of improving the secretion of seminal vesicles.

METHODSFifty male SD rats aged 18 -20 months were randomly and equally divided into a control group, a testosterone undecanoate group, and a high-dose, a medium-dose and a low-dose YJC group, all fed intragastrically for 30 days. Then the seminal vesicles of the rats were removed and the seminal fluid squeezed into the test tube to be weighed and measured for the concentration of seminal vesicle fluid fructose, and the bilateral seminal vesicles were placed in formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde fixatives for histological observation.

RESULTSThe seminal vesicle gland viscera coefficient, seminal vesicle fluid weight and fructose concentration of the rats were (1164.5 +/- 212.6) g/g x 10(6), (0.83 +/- 0.30) g and (4.35 +/- 0.31) mg/ml in the control group, (1510.5 +/- 313.1) g/g x 10(6), (0.82 +/- 0.25) g and (5.35 +/- 0.71) mg/ml in the testosterone undecanoate group, (1484.3 +/- 262.7) g/g x 10(6), (1.14 +/- 0.18) g and (5.30 +/- 0.45) mg/ml in the high-dose YJC group, (1396.6 +/- 268.9) g/g x 10(6), (0.83 +/- 0.24) g and (4.71 +/- 0.41) mg/ml in the medium-dose YJC group, and (1475.0 +/- 305.2) g/g x 10(6), (0.74 +/- 0.28) g and (4.50 +/- 0.23) mg/ml in the low-dose YJC group. Compared with the control, high-dose YJC significantly improved seminal vesicle secretion (P < 0.05), while medium- and low-dose only achieved a trend of improvement. After HE staining, the YJC groups showed more active epithelial hyperplasia, increased cellular layers, rich and transparent cytoplasm with abundant secretory granules, fat droplets and lipofuscin, blurred glandular cavity edge, and eosinophilic intraluminal secretions, as compared with the control group. The structural change was most significant in the high-dose group. Statistically significant differences were observed in the numerical density and bulk density of the secretory granules between the YJC and control groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONYangjing Capsule can improve the secretion of seminal vesicles by increasing the secretory granules of the main