OBJECTIVETo study the intervention of Morindae officinalis extract in human sperm membrane, and to study the treatment of male infertility and asthenoospermia by M. officinalis.

METHODTo select sperm with normal physiological function using the Percoll gradient centrifugation for the normal sperm model. Then separating the sperm suspension into the normal, model, and control group (Vitamin C group), and the large, medium and small dose of M. officinalis. The ROS was made from hypoxanthine-xanzine xanzine (HX-XO), and ROS, different concentrations (0.125, 0.25, 0.5 mg x mL(-1) of the extract were hatched with sperm in the oxygen environment, the sperm membrane Lipid peroxide injury were analyzed, and the function of sperm membrane were analyzed by sperm Hypoosmoticswelling (HOS) and compared with the controlled group.

RESULTIn the same conditions, all the small, medium and large extracts of M. officinalis (0.125, 0.25, 0.5 g x mL(-1)) improved SOD vitality of sperm suspension, reduced the content of MDA, intervened in the injury of sperm membrane by ROS to some extent and protected some function of sperm membrane. The 0.125 mg x mL(-1) extract had no obvious difference (P > 0.05) with Vitamin C in it, but the (0.25, 0.5 mg x mL(-1)) concentration of the extract is significantly better than control Vitamin-C (P < 0.01, P < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a dependence on the dosage, the large dose (0.5 mg x mL(-1)) of M. officinalis especially protected the function of sperm membrane.

CONCLUSIONThe extract from M. officinalis can significantly intervene in lipin peroxidation in sperm membrane by guarding against oxidation, and protect the structure and function of sperm membrane, that is one of the mechanisms for treating male's infertility and asthenoospermia with M. officinalis.