Blue Poppy: Male Infertility Due to Sperm Anomalies

abstracted & translated by

Bob Flaws, Lic. Ac., FNAAOM (USA), FRCHM (UK)

Keywords: Chinese medicine, Chinese herbal medicine, male infertility, sperm anomalies

On page 41 of issue #1, 2005 of the Hu Nan Zhong Yi Za Zhi (Hunan Journal of Chinese Medicine), Liu Pin-xiang published an article titled, "The Treatment of 50 Cases of Male Infertility with Sheng Jing Yi Qi Tang (Engender Essence & Boost the Qi Decoction)." Because infertility is such a popular concern these days, a summary of this article is presented below.

Cohort description:

All 50 patients enrolled in this clinical trial were seen as out-patients at the Hunan Provincial Chinese Medicine & Medicinals Research Academy’s Affiliated Hospital. The men were 27-45 years of age, and all were childless after having been married for three years. In terms of the sperm and seminal fluid anomalies present among these men, seminal fluid was less than 2ml, or the sperm count was less than 0.5 hundred million/ml, or sperm motility was only 60%, or abnormal sperm morphology was as much as 20%, or dead sperm were as little as 40%, or there were seminal fluid liquifaction problems. In terms of sexual function problems, there was possible impotence, premature ejaculation, no ejaculation, or retrograde ejaculation.

Treatment method:

Self-composed Sheng Jing Yi Qi Tang consisted of:

Bai Shen (Radix Panacis Ginseng), 10g

Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), 12g

Bai Shao (Radix Albus Paeoniae Lactiflorae), 20g

Sha Ren (Fructus Amomi), 10g

Shan Zhu Yu (Fructus Corni Officinalis), 12g

Shan Yao (Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae), 15g

Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae), 12g

Huang Ming Jiao (Gelatinum Bos Tauri Domestici), 15g

Lu Rong (Cornu Parvuum Cervi), 6g

Hai Gou Shen (Testis Et Penis Phocae), 6g

Dong Chong Xia Cao (Cordyceps Sinensis), 3g

Xian Mao (Rhizoma Curculiginis Orchioidis), 12g

Xian Ling Pi (Herba Epimedii), 15g

Chai Hu (Radix Bupleuri), 15g

One packet of these medicinals was decocted in water and administered orally per day, with three months of continuous administration equaling one course of treatment and results being analyzed after three such courses.

Study outcomes:

Cure was defined as disappearance of all clinical symptoms after taking the above medicinals with sperm and semen within normal parameters, and the spouse’s conception. Some effect was defined as improvement in clinical symptoms as well as improvement in the quality and/or quantity of semen and sperm. No effect was defined as no change in either clinical symptoms or the quantity and quality of semen and sperm. Based on these criteria, six cases (12%) were judged cured, 18 cases (36%) got some effect, and 26 cases (52%) got no effect. Therefore, the total effectiveness rate was only 48%.

Discussion:

To my mind, the single most noteworthy thing about this study is its poor results. Most published Chinese research achieves much better total effectiveness rates, usually above 70%. The Chinese author says nothing about these outcomes. Instead, he parrots the typical party line about the kidneys storing the male essence, the origin of the essence qi being the former heaven, but also the necessity of filling and nourishing the latter heaven. According to the author, in order to treat male infertility, one must engender the essence and boost the qi, enrich and supplement the kidney qi, and regulate and ease the flow of the qi mechanism. Hence, within this formula, Bai Shen and Dong Chong Xia Cao greatly supplement the original qi and original yin. Lu Rong, Hai Gou Shen, and Huang Ming Jiao supplement the kidneys and invigorate yang, engender the essence and boost the marrow. Bai Zhu, Shan Yao, and Sha Ren supplement the center and boost the qi. Shan Zhu Yu, Xian Mao, and Xian Ling Pi greatly lift and invigorate yang. Dang Gui, Chai Hu, and Bai Shao resolve depression and emolliate the liver. Taken as whole, this formula enriches and supplements the latter heaven and banks and supplements the former heaven. Thus the engenderment and transformation of essence and blood have a source or origin, and the viscera and bowels’ coursing and discharging spreads and extends. The essence bar or gate is freely flowing and uninhibited, the five viscera are regulated and harmonized, the essence and blood are free flowing, the kidney qi is exuberant, and the essence is full and drained. Therefore, the husband is able to get his wife with child.