Effectiveness of Peng’s Shengjing recipe on male asthenospermia caused by kidney yang deficiency: A randomized pilot study

Article Figures & Data

Table 1

- Characteristics of the patients (N=123).

Characteristic	Shengjing recipe (n=50)	Xuanju capsule (n=49)	P-value
Age (years), mean±SD	35.31±3.18	34.52±4.20	0.920
Body mass index (BMI, kg/m²), mean±SD	21.51±1.47	21.39±1.23	0.775
Smoking, n (%)	14 (28.0)	14(28.5)	0.963
Alcohol drinking, n (%)	11 (22.0)	10 (20.4)	0.805
Duration of asthenospermia (years), mean±SD	3.77±1.26	3.81±1.44	0.658
Sperm motility class, %, median [range]
A	8.49 (6.0), [10.81]	8.3 (3.4), [14.88]	0.883
A+B	21.28 (16.3), [28.6]	28.85 (18.5), [40.67]	0.006
A+B+C	50.76 (31.3), [71.98]	48.65 (35.7), [70.98]	0.475
Semen volume, ml, mean±SD	3.24±1.33	2.98±1.73	0.313
Gonadotropins, mean±SD
FSH, mIU/mL	4.46±1.90	3.73±2.47	0.103
LH, mIU/mL	4.09 (2.6), [5.65]	5.5 (3.2), [7.46]	0.038
Testosterone, nmol/L	15.5 (13.9), [17.43]	14.8 (13.2), [16.06]	0.168
Liver and kidney function
Creatinine, µmol/L	64.6 (53.8), [78.28]	73.5 (55.5), [84.34]	0.155
ALT, IU/L	21.1 (14.1), [27.5]	32.1 (26.1), [38.4]	<0.001
AST, IU/L	35.1 (29.6), [38.6]	36.3 (26.1), [42.9]	0.834
P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Grade A sperms are fast progressive sperms that swim quickly in a straightforward direction. Grade B sperms are slow progressive sperms that move forward but in a haphazard line or maybe a little slower. FSH: follicular-stimulating hormone; LH: luteinizing hormone, ALT: alanine transaminase, AST: aspartate transaminase, SD: standard deviation

Table 2

- Effectiveness and safety assessments (N=123).

Indexes	Shengjing recipe (n=50)		P_time	Xuanju capsule (n=49)		P_time	P_group	P_time×group
Indexes	Baseline	After intervention	P_time	Baseline	After intervention	P_time	P_group	P_time×group
Sperm motility class, %, median (range)
A	8.5 (6.0), [10.81]	18.9 (9.8), [26.30]	<0.001	8.3 (3.4), [14.88]	13.9 (7.7), [19.42]	0.001	0.030	/
A+B	21.3 (16.3) [28.60]	42.9 (34.8), [50.26]	<0.001	28.9 (18.5), [40.67]	32.7 (25.9), [40.14]	0.047	<0.001	/
A+B+C	50.8 (31.3), [71.98]	66.2 (48.5), [80.22]	0.037	48.7 (35.7), [70.98]	70.1 (38.8), [86.78]	0.022	0.758	/
Effectiveness measurement
Markedly effective, n	/	19	/	/	10	/	0.128	/
Effective, n	/	15	/	/	16	/		/
Invalid, n	/	16	/	/	23	/		/
Clinical effective rate, %	/	68.0	/	/	53.1	/		/
Semen volume, ml, mean±SD	3.24±1.33	3.44±1.79	0.398	2.98±1.73	3.21±1.56	0.321	0.645	/
FSH, mIU/Ml	4.46±1.90	6.42±2.07	/	3.73±2.47	5.50±2.39	<0.001	0.015	0.752
LH, mIU/mL	4.21±2.36	5.65±2.4	/	5.29±2.43	5.23±2.14	0.031	0.347	0.019
Testosterone, nmol/L	15.33±2.38	20.22±2.14	/	14.81±2.24	15.93±2.06	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001
Creatinine, µmol/L	65.27±15.37	66.27±25.51	/	69.66±18.46	71.18±20.44	0.672	0.099	0.931
ALT, IU/L	21.73±9.6	25.11±11.47	/	31.79±9.75	28.46±16.43	0.987	<0.001	0.066
AST, IU/L	34.46±10.01	29.64±11.55	/	34.21±10.49	36.84±11.15	0.481	0.025	0.018
FSH: follicular-stimulating hormone, LH: luteinizing hormone; ALT: alanine transaminase, AST: aspartate transaminase. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.