Intervention effect of Modified Dahuang Zhechong Granule on epididymal morphological changes in experimental varicocele rats.

Quan-sheng Wang; Yue Jiang; Hao-te Chen; Yue-liang Wang; Bei Zhou; Bo Dai; De-fen Yang; Ying-ying Qin; Feng LI; En-yi HU

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Intervention effect of Modified Dahuang Zhechong Granule on epididymal morphological changes in experimental varicocele rats.

Author: Quan-Sheng WANG ¹ ; Yue JIANG ² ; Hao-Te CHEN ² ; Yue-Liang WANG ² ; Bei ZHOU ² ; Bo DAI ¹ ; De-Fen YANG ¹ ; Ying-Ying QIN ¹ ; Feng LI ¹ ; En-Yi HU ³
Author Information

1. Department of Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530023, China.
2. Guangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530001, China.
3. Department of Andrology, Qinzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qinzhou, Guangxi 535002, China.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Modified Dahuang Zhechong Granule; epididymis; sperm development and maturation；rat; varicocele
MeSH: Aesculus; chemistry; Animals; Apoptosis; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; pharmacology; Edema; chemically induced; Epididymis; drug effects; Male; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sperm Count; Sperm Motility; drug effects; Spermatozoa; cytology; drug effects; Varicocele; chemically induced; drug therapy; pathology
From: National Journal of Andrology 2018;24(3):241-246
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Modified Dahuang Zhechong Granule (MDZG) on the development and maturation of epididymal sperm in experimental varicocele (VC) rats.
METHODSSixty SD male rats were randomly divided into six groups of equal number, sham operation, VC model, Aescuven forte, and low-, medium- and high-dose MDZG. The model of left VC was made by the Turner method in all the rats except those of the sham operation group, followed by treatment with 0.9% normal saline for the animals in the sham operation and VC model groups, Aescuven forte tablets at 54 mg per kg of the body weight for those in the Aescuven forte group, and MDZG at 0.6, 1.2 and 2.4 g/ml for those in the low-, medium- and high-dose MDZG groups, all administered intragastrically qd for 8 successive weeks. Then, all the rats were sacrificed and their left epididymides harvested for examination of the quality of the epididymal sperm and the local microscopic and ultrastructural changes of the epididymal tissue.
RESULTSThe VC model rats showed significant apoptosis of the epididymal sperm cells, interstitial edema, microvascular dilatation, degeneration and degeneration of the epithelial cells, degeneration of some principal cells and basal cell vacuoles, and immature spermatids in the lumen. Sperm motility was significantly increased in the Aescuven forte and low-, medium- and high-dose MDZG groups as compared with the VC models (P <0.01). Both sperm concentration and motility were markedly higher in the high-dose MDZG than in the Aescuven forte group (P <0.05). Remarkable apoptosis of epididymal sperm cells was observed in the microenvironment of sperm development in the VC models, which exhibited no statistically significant difference from that in the rats of the medium- and high-dose MDZG groups.
CONCLUSIONSExperimental varicocele induced local apoptosis of epididymal sperm cells, interstitial edema and microvascular dilatation in the rat epididymis, while Modified Dahuang Zhechong Granule could improve the stability of epididymal sperm maturation and contribute to their development.