The effect of Iranian Traditional Medicine treatment based on Withania somnifera on sperm parameters in the infertile men: A Randomized, Triple-Blind, controlled clinical trial

Abstract

Withania somnifera (WS) is a medicinal herb that is used in Persian medicine to treat male infertility. Thus, we aimed to assess and compare the effects of WS and pentoxifylline on the sperm parameters in idiopathic male infertility. This study was a triple-blind randomized clinical trial. 100 infertile male patients were randomly allocated into either WS or pentoxifylline groups. Patients in the herbal group received 6 capsules containing 5 g/daily of WS root and in the pentoxifylline group subjects received 6 capsules containing 800 mg/daily of pentoxifylline and placebo for 90 days. Sperm parameters were analyzed at the beginning and end of the study. Results showed that WS administartion significantly increases mean sperm count (12.5%) as well as progressive motility (21.42%) and improved sperm morphology (25.56%) compared to the baseline (p=0.04, p=0.001 and p=0.000, respectively). We also showed that pentoxifylline treatment remarkably increased mean semen volume (16.46%) as well as progressive motility (25.97%) and improved sperm morphology (13.28%) compared to the baseline (p=0.02, p=0.003 and p=0.01, respectively). Intergroup comparison showed no statistically significant differences between two groups on the sperm parameters after 90 days. No major complication was reported either in WS or PTX groups. WS and pentoxifylline both improve sperms parameters in idiopathic male infertility. However, the impacts of two treatments were not different. Due to no noticeable adverse effects, this medication can be an alternative choice in the treatment of idiopathic male infertility.