AUTHOR=Deng Weimin , Sun Dalin , Cai Bin , Jin Baofang 

TITLE=Yangjing capsule improves oligoasthenozoospermia by promoting nitric oxide production through PLCγ1/AKT/eNOS pathway

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1056091

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2023.1056091

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Oligoasthenozoospermia is an important factor leading to male infertility. Yangjing capsule (YC), a traditional Chinese preparation, displays beneficial effects on male infertility. However, whether YC could improve oligoasthenozoospermia remains unclear.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of YC in the treatment of oligoasthenozoospermia. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were treated with 800 mg/kg ornidazole once daily for 30 days to induce <italic>in vivo</italic> oligoasthenozoospermia; primary Sertoli cells were treated with 400 μg/mL ornidazole for 24 h to induce <italic>in vitro</italic> oligoasthenozoospermia.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> We found that YC improved the testicle and epididymis weight, sperm concentration, sperm progressive motility, serum testosterone, fertility rate and testis morphology in ornidazole-exposed rats and enhanced cell survival in ornidazole-stimulated primary Sertoli cells. YC also inhibited the ornidazole-caused decrease in nitric oxide (NO) generation and the phosphorylation of phospholipase C γ1 (PLCγ1), AKT, and eNOS <italic>in vivo</italic> and <italic>in vitro</italic> in oligoasthenozoospermia. Furthermore, the knockdown of PLCγ1 blunted the beneficial effects of YC <italic>in vitro</italic>.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Collectively, our data suggested that YC protected against oligoasthenozoospermia by promoting NO levels through the PLCγ1/AKT/eNOS pathway.</p>