title: [Extract of acanthopanacis senticosus improves sperm motility of asthenospermia patients in vitro].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of different concentrations of the extract of acanthopanacis senticosus on human sperm motility in vitro and to investigate its possible mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  By computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system, we observed the effect of different concentrations of the extract of acanthopanacis senticosus on human sperm motility in vitro. The sperm obtained by masturbation and prepared by swim-up technique from 35 men with asthenospermia was incubated in different concentrations of the extract of acanthopanacis senticosus, and all the specimens were measured at 30, 60, 120 and 180 min respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Different concentrations of the extract of acanthopanacis senticosus obviously improved the sperm motility of asthenospermia patients. The extract at the concentrations of 5 and 10 g/L increased the rate of motility (MOT), the percentage of progressive mobile sperm, the curvilinear velocity (VCL), the straight line velocity (VSL) and the average path velocity (VAP). Compared with the control group, the difference was significant (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The extract of acanthopanacis senticosus can improve the sperm motility of asthenospermia patients in vitro and its optimal concentration is 10 g/L. The study may provide a new drug therapy for asthenospermia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chun-ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Ji-hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jian-guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Wen-qing
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chun-yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028001:Eleutherococcus / Q000737:chemistry*; D005960:Glucosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005960:Glucosides