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These results provide further evidence that ROS play a role in female reproductive function.

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A strong transient absorption with a peak near 600 nm has been observed following laser photolysis of xanthone in fluid solution : this absorption is due to the first excited triplet state of xanthone and an estimate of its extinction coefficient is given. Triplet decay in various solvents depends upon solvent dielectric and hydrogen atom donating ability ; however, an unusually short lifetime of 92 ns is noted with benzene as solvent. The quenching constants of triplet xanthone by naphthalene, oxygen and 3-methylindole are 9.5, 5.6 and 8.4 x lo9 dm3 mol-1 s-I respectively. Oxygen quenching is greater than the expected limiting value of one ninth diffusion controlled.In the presence of hydrogen donors the xanthone triplet state is shown to react to give the xanthone ketyl radical the absorption spectrum of which has been measured in several solvents. The decay of this radical in the presence and absence of oxygen has also been investigated.

In this study Chinese herbs commonly used in the treatment of male infertility were investigated for relevant biochemical activity. Male factor infertility predominantly arises via barriers to, or defects in, spermatogenesis. The process of spermatogenesis is under strict endocrine control; in addition oxidative stress has been implicated in male infertility with significant levels of reactive oxygen species detected in 25% of infertile males. A total of 37 individual herbs and seven herb decoctions used in the treatment of male factor infertility were therefore tested for endocrine activity using a recombinant yeast based assay and antioxidant activity using the FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant potential) assay. Individual herbs tested did not show androgenic properties, 20 showed strong and 10 weak anti-oestrogenic activity (per g of dried herb tamoxifen equivalents ranged from 1.18-1280.66 mg and 0.06-0.98 mg, respectively). Oestrogenic responses were elicited for two herbs (85.30-550 mg oestradiol equivalents/g dried herb), with seven and three herbs exhibiting a strong or weak anti-androgenic response (per g of dried herb DHT equivalents ranged from 1.54-66.78 mg and 0.17-0.32 mg), respectively. Of these 37 herbs, strong (15 herbs), intermediate (7 herbs) and weak/no (15 herbs) antioxidant activity was detected (ranging from 0.912-1.26; 0.6-0.88 and 0-0.468 mg ascorbate equivalent/mg dried herb, respectively). The seven decoctions (previously used to treat patients) tested elicited strong (5 herbs) and weak (2 herbs) anti-oestrogenic responses (per g of dried herb tamoxifen equivalents ranged from 1.14-13.23 mg and 0.22-0.26 mg, respectively), but not oestrogenic, androgenic nor anti-androgenic, consistent with their individual composition. With regard to antioxidant activity the following responses were recorded: three strong, three intermediate and one weak (ranging from 1.02-1.2; 0.72-0.76 and 0.44 mg ascorbate equivalent/mg dried herb, respectively). The prospects for introducing Chinese herbal treatments into the Western-based medicine are discussed.