title: Semen Quality Improvement in a Man with Idiopathic Infertility Treated with Traditional Korean Medicine: A Case Report.
abstract: Approximately 45-50% of the cases of infertility result from deficiencies associated with male factors, and 30-45% of these deficiencies are idiopathic. A standardized approach for the treatment of idiopathic male infertility remains elusive. In Korea, male infertility has been treated with either acupuncture, herbal remedies, or pharmacopuncture. We report a case of male idiopathic infertility in which the patient's semen quality improved through traditional Korean medicine (TKM) therapies, which was evaluated according to the 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) standards. A 35-year-old infertile man visited the Conmaul Hospital from August 2013 to December 2013. He was diagnosed with asthenoteratozoospermia. The patient received 3 TKM therapies-acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herbal remedies-for 3 months. After 3 months of treatment, a second semen analysis of the patient was conducted. The sperm motility increased by 13%, and the normal sperm morphology increased by 4% over 3 months. In addition, the total motile sperm count was 2.5 times higher than that before treatment. The results of the present study support the clinical potency of treatment with acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herbal remedies in idiopathic infertile men, especially for the improvement of sperm motility and morphology. Further large-scale randomized controlled trials with elaborate designs should be performed to verify the clinical effect of TKM therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Gynecology, Graduate School of Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Korean Gynecology, Conmaul Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: breeze@kiom.re.kr.
authors.forename: Junyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Pediatrics, Graduate School of Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Haeng
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Gynecology, Graduate School of Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Moo
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ui Min
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Jerng
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D055670:Medicine, Korean Traditional; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012661:Semen; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Sperm quality; acupuncture; herbal medicine; sperm motility; traditional Korean medicine