Effect of Huaji Jianpi Decoction on the semen quality of high-fat diet-induced obese mice

Yinling Wu; Miao Zhang; Qinglei Zhao; Lanyu Chen; Guifang Wang; Shaoqin Ge; Shusong Wang

doi:10.21037/tau-22-115

Effect of Huaji Jianpi Decoction on the semen quality of high-fat diet-induced obese mice

Transl Androl Urol. 2022 Mar;11(3):336-347. doi: 10.21037/tau-22-115.

Authors

Yinling Wu^#¹, Miao Zhang^#¹, Qinglei Zhao¹, Lanyu Chen², Guifang Wang¹, Shaoqin Ge¹, Shusong Wang²

Affiliations

¹ Hebei University Health Science Center, Hebei University, Baoding, China.
² NHC Key Laboratory of Family Planning and Healthy, Hebei Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Hebei Research Institute for Family Planning Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: At present, the incidence of obesity is increasing. Several studies have shown that obesity can reduce male fertility by affecting spermatogenesis and semen quality. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has fewer side effects and stable efficacy in the treatment of related diseases. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Huaji Jianpi Decoction on the semen quality of high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

Methods: The obese male mice model was constructed by using high-fat diet and the Huaji Jianpi Decoction was processed into an aqueous extract. Mice were allocated in the normal group (n=30) and five different treatment groups (n=50). Huaji Jianpi Decoction was applied in low-, medium- and high-dose [17.52 g/(kg·d), 35.04 g/(kg·d) and 70.07 g/(kg·d), respectively]. The body weight, body fat, testis wet weight, testis coefficient, and routine sperm parameters were detected and analyzed. Meanwhile, transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used to observe testis ultrastructure. reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to measure the expression of tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1).

Results: Compared with normal mice (ND), the testis wet weight and testis coefficient of mice in the blank group were significantly decreased, while the number of mitochondria was observed to be decreased on testis ultrastructure examination, and apoptotic cells and germ cells in the spermatogenic tubules were shed. After Huaji Jianpi Decoction administration, the body fat and blood lipid levels of obese mice were decreased, the testis wet weight and testis coefficient were increased, and semen parameters were increased. Different doses of Huaji Jianpi Decoction could improve testicular weight, sperm density, sperm motility, forward motility, and total sperm motility. Huaji Jianpi Decoction could also downregulate TNF-α and MCP-1 expression and inhibit germ cell apoptosis to improve semen quality.

Conclusions: Huaji Jianpi Decoction can improve the semen quality of high-fat diet-induced obese mice by reducing weight and lipid levels.

Keywords: Huaji Jianpi Decoction; monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1); obese mice; semen quality; tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α).