Objective: To explore the possible mechanism of Huanshao Capsules (HSC) protecting the reproductive function in rats with ornidazole-induced asthenozoospermia (AZS).
Methods: Forty SD male rats were randomly divided into four groups of equal number, blank control, AZS model control, HSC and L-carnitine (LC) intervention. The AZS model was established in the latter three groups of rats by intragastrical administration of ornidazole at 400 mg/kg/d for 28 days, and meanwhile the animals in the HSC and LC groups were treated by gavage of HSC at 0.31 g/kg/d and LC at 100 mg/kg/d, respectively. Then, all the rats were killed for examination of the LC content, sperm concentration, sperm motility and expression of OCTN2 mRNA in the epididymis and observation of the histopathological changes in the testis tissue.
Results: Compared with the AZS model controls, the rats in the HSC and LC groups showed significantly increased LC content (2 880.3 vs 6 366.5 and 6 934.7 mg/L, P < 0.01), sperm concentration (［34.58 ± 10.25］ vs ［46.19 ± 14.23］ and ［42.25 ± 6.11］ ×10⁶/ml, P < 0.01), sperm motility (［42.59 ± 7.54］% vs ［61.34 ± 7.98］% and ［61.34 ± 7.98］%, P < 0.01) and expression of OCTN2 mRNA in the epididymis (26.07% vs 27.26% and 27.15%, P < 0.01). The animals of the HSC group exhibited a higher comparability than those of the LC group to the blank controls in the morphology, arrangement and activity of spermatogenic cells.
Conclusions: HSC can protect the reproductive function and improve sperm concentration and motility in the model rats with ornidazole-induced AZS, which may be associated with its abilities of up-regulating the expression of OCTN2 mRNA and increasing the LC content in the epididymis.
Keywords: ornidazole; L-carnitine; asthenozoospermia; organic cation/carnitine transportor 2; rat; Huanshao Capsules.