The Effect of Compound Herbal Remedy Used in Male Infertility on Spermatogenesis and Pregnancy Rate

Abstract

Objectives: TNowadays, male infertility is one of the most common issues in the medical field and the main reason for it is impaired sperm production. Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ARTs) used for treatment of infertile couples are too costly. Currently, using herbal medicine due to lower side effects and cost has gained special significance. In this study, the effect of combination of several plants was evaluated on male infertility and pregnancy rate. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 40 infertile men referring to Alzahra hospital were randomly selected to take a combination of 7 plants including Allium cepa, Zingiber officinale, Ocimum basilicum, Cinnamomum verum, Citrus sinensis' peel, Citrullus lanatus'seeds and Daucus carota' seeds in a form of 700 mg capsule, once daily for 6 months. Before and after treatment, the patients' blood and semen samples were collected and analyzed. Results: The number of sperms (P = 0.001), overall motility (P = 0.002), forward movement (P = 0.002), and normal morphology of sperms (P = 0.006) after treatment showed significant improvement. Also patients' blood glucose levels meaningfully reduced after treatment (P = 0.036). The total volume of semen, total cholesterol, testosterone, and LH levels did not significantly differ with use of the compound herbal medicine. Seven couples during the study and after six months of receiving medication got pregnant. Conclusion: Consumption of compound herbal medicine with the lowest risk and cost, significantly improves sperm parameters. It seems that the mechanism of action is through counteracting the effects of oxidative stress.