beta-escin and Varicocele

To evaluate the efficacy of escin to improve sperm quality in Chinese male patients with varicocele-associated infertility.. This study included 219 male patients with varicocele-associated infertility. These patients were randomly assigned into three groups: the control, the surgery and the escin group. 106 patients, with a mean age of 30 years old and a mean period of infertility of 5.0 years, were recruited in the escin group and a daily dose of 60mg (30mg every 12h) of escin was administered orally during an uninterrupted period of 2 months. The diameter of spermatic vein was also measured using color Doppler ultrasonography before and after treatment in the escin group. Patients in all groups took composite medicines favorable for sperm quality and semen were obtained and analyzed before and after treatment.. In response to treatment, the improvement rates in sperm density in the control, the surgery and the escin group, were 38.5%, 68.8%, and 57.5%, respectively. The differences in the surgery and the escin groups were significant compared to that in the control group (68.8% or 57.5% vs. 38.5%, P<0.05). The improvement rates in sperm motility in the control, the surgery and the escin group were 46.2%, 77.1%, and 55.7%, respectively. Significant difference was only observed between the surgery and the control group (77.1% vs. 46.2%, P<0.05). In the escin group, when severity of varicocele was classified to mild, moderate or severe degree according to the diameter of the spermatic vein, the improvement rates in disease severity were higher in the mild (41.7% vs. 20.0%, P<0.05) and moderate severity subgroups (64.4% vs. 20.0%, P<0.05) when compared to that in the severe subgroup (20.0%). The improvement rate in disease severity was also higher in the moderate subgroup when compared to that in the mild subgroup (64.4% vs. 41.7%, P<0.05). During the period of treatment, only very low frequencies of mild adverse effects were observed, most of which resolved without further symptomatic drug therapy after advising the patients to take escin after meal. Escin has little effect on vital signs, blood counts, liver or kidney function.. Escin is a safe and effective drug to improve sperm quality in Chinese male patients with varicocele-associated infertility.

Topics: Adult; Aesculus; Cardiovascular Agents; Escin; Humans; Infertility, Male; Male; Middle Aged; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Seeds; Severity of Illness Index; Sperm Count; Sperm Motility; Spermatozoa; Varicocele; Young Adult

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of aescin treatment in a rodent model treated with an experimentally induced varicocele. Experimental varicocele was induced by partial ligation of the left renal vein of rats. Aescin administration was performed daily for 4 weeks after the varicocele induction. Seven weeks later, a contrast-enhanced ultrasound was performed of the rats' testis to assess testicular blood flow. The animals were sacrificed, and H&E staining was then used to evaluate testicular pathological changes and polymorphonuclear leucocytes density. Cauda epididymal sperm counts and motility were evaluated. Blood was collected for the measurement of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone and testosterone. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound showed that there were significant decreases in testicular blood flow in the aescin-treated groups compared with those in control varicocele group. Testicular oedema was detected in those rats treated with a varicocele but without aescin, while no oedema was found in the experimental group. H&E staining showed dysfunctional spermatogenesis in both cohorts; however, polymorphonuclear leucocytes density was significantly reduced in aescin-treated groups. There was an increase in sperm counts of the aescin-treated groups. Our study demonstrated that aescin could exert therapeutical effects on reversal of testicular lesions in varicocele rats.

Topics: Animals; Escin; Follicle Stimulating Hormone; Male; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sperm Count; Sperm Motility; Testis; Varicocele