| ObjectiveThere is an increasing incidence of liver-Qi stagnation related aciesis in clinic, suggesting a relationship between liver and reproductive function.However,theories are quite deficient on the association of liver and reproductive function,and the experimental researches are even fewer,especially those on liver and male reproduction.Therefore,it is worthwhile to carry out researches on liver and male reproduction.To investigate the influence of liver-Qi stagnation on reproduction would provide some experimental evidences for the theory of "liver governs reproduction" and lay theoretic and experimental basis for treating male aciesis through liver theory.MethodsForty healthy male Wistar rats were fed adaptively for one week and then randomly divided into the following four groups:normal control group,model group,model and Wuziyanzongwan group,model and Xiaoyaowan group.No stimulation was given to normal control group,while liver-Qi stagnation model was induced in the rats of other groups by the method of "Clamps tail methed".After the successful establishment of the model,rats were administrated with drugs for successive ten days,and rat plasma content of thromboxane B2,6-ketoprostaglandin F 1alpha,gonadal hormone,parameters of didymus and epididymis organs,ejaculum parameters and changes of pathomorphology of didymus tissue were observed and analyzed statistically.Results①.No significant abnormality in determination of parameters from the didymus and epididymis tissue was observed in rats of liver-Qi stagnation model group.②.Parameters of ejaculum:Compared with the rats of normal control group, spermatozoa number and motility rate decreased significantly(p＜0.05,p＜0.01),while the teratospermia rate increased significantly(p＜0.05),and no significant difference of spermatozoa number,motility rate,teratospermia rate was observed in the rats of Xiaoyanwan group.Compared with model group,spermatozoa number and motility rate were increased significantly(p＜0.01),no significant difference of teratospermia rate was observed,suggesting that Xiaoyaowan can enhance spermatozoa number and motility rate significantly in rats of model group.③.Determination of plasma thromboxane B2 and 6-ketoprostaglandin F 1alpha content:compared with control group,plasma thromboxane B2 in model group increased significantly(p＜0.01),while 6-ketoprostaglandin F 1alpha decreased significantly(p＜0.05), and thromboxane B2/6-ketoprostaglandin F 1alpha decreased significantly(p＜0.01),while no statistically significant difference of plasma thromboxane B2,6-ketoprostaglandin F 1alpha and thromboxane B2/6-ketoprostaglandin F 1alpha was observed in Xiaoyaowan group(P＞0.05).Compared with model group,plasma thromboxane B2 in Xiaoyaowan group decreased significantly(P＜0.01),while 6-ketoprostaglandin F 1alpha increased significantly(p＜0.05),and plasma thromboxane B2/6-ketoprostaglandin F 1alpha increased significantly(p＜0.01),suggesting that Xiaoyaowan can influence plasma thromboxane B2 and 6-ketoprostaglandin F 1alpha significantly,in other words, Xiaoyaowan can improve liver-Qi stagnation obviously.④.Determination of serum gonadal hormones:Compared with normal control group, andrusol and aquadiol contents decreased significantly(p＜0.01),follicle stimulating hormone increased significantly(p＜0.05),while no significant difference was observed in Xiaoyaowan group(P＞0.05).Compared with model group,andrusol and aquadiol contents increased significantly(p＜0.05),while follicle stimulating hormone decreased significantly (p＜0.01),suggesting that Xiaoyaowan can significantly enhance andrusol and aquadiol level,while reduce follicle stimulating hormone level,modulating serum gonadal hormone levels.⑤.Light microscopy:The seminiferous epithelium cell of didymus contorted seminiferous tubules aligned puffly in the rats of liver-Qi stagnation model.Seminiferous cells departed from the basilar part and move towards lumens,resulting in deranged layers of contorted seminiferous tubular wall.There were large numbers of ablated spermatogenic cells;and supporting cells and spermatogenic cells demonstrated abstraction states,nuclear chromatin of supporting cells and spermatogenic cells demonstrated agglutinated into flocculation,the number of intraluminal sperm was obviously lower than normal control.Contorted seminiferous tubules in rat of Xiaoyaowan group demonstrated regular appearance,the seminiferous epithelium cells align compact,and there were spermatogenic cells in lumens,demonstrating significant difference from model group,suggesting that Xiaoyaowan can restore impaired didymus of model rats.Conclusions①Liver-Qi Stagnation can affect reproductive function indirectly through influencing plasma levels of thromboxane B2 and 6-ketoprostaglandin F 1alpha and their ratio.②Liver-Qi Stagnation can affect reproductive function through influencing the number and motility of sperm.③Liver-Qi Stagnation can affect reproductive function through influencing serum level of gonadal hormones.④Liver-Qi Stagnation can affect didymus cell granule,leading pathologic changes of didymus contorted seminiferous tubules,and influence genesis and development of sperm.⑤Xiaoyaowan can improve reproductive function through regulating plasma thromboxane B2 and 6-ketoprostaglandin F 1alpha and their ratio,gonadal hormones and restore pathologically impaired didymus in rat of model group.Our experimental data demonstrate that,liver-Qi stagnation has some effects on reproductive function,which in the meanwhile reveals the scientific connotation of "liver governs reproduction" to some extent. |
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