Impact of Moriamin Forte on Testicular and Epididymal Damage in Rats with Oligoasthenospermia

Abstract

To investigate the effect and mechanism of action of Moriamin Forte (MF) on oligoasthenospermia (OA) in rats exposed to multiglycosides of Tripterygium wilfordii (GTW), forty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups. Rats in the control group were treated with 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. The remaining rats were administered GTW (30 mg/kg/d) for 40 d to establish an OA model. Concurrently, the groups were treated with normal saline and low-dose (100 mg/kg/d) and high-dose (200 mg/kg/d) MF, respectively. After treatment, the number and motility of sperm cells were examined. Testicular and epididymal histomorphology changes were observed. Antioxidant indicators (SOD, CAT, MDA, TAC, and Nrf2) in testicular and epididymal tissues were detected. Apoptotic and antiapoptotic indicators (Bax and Bcl2 expression) in the testicular tissue were measured by immunohistochemistry. GTW decreased sperm count and motility, damaged testicular and epididymis tissues, impaired antioxidase activity, and increased tissue MDA levels. Meanwhile, GTW upregulated the expression of Bax and downregulated the expression of Bcl2. Western blot analysis demonstrated a decrease in the Nrf2 expression in the model group. Treatment with MF improved sperm count and motility, as well as inhibited the rate of apoptosis in the rat reproductive system. Moreover, MF improved the activity of antioxidants and increased the relative expression of the antioxidant pathway-related protein Nrf2. In conclusion, MF may reverse the GTW-induced OA by modulating the expression of apoptotic and antioxidant pathway-related proteins. This study may provide a pharmacological foundation for the use of MF in OA treatment.