BACKGROUND: To investigate antioxidant effects of traditional Chinese Shengjing capsule extracts (sperm-producing capsule, with functions of tonifying kidney and invigorating kidney essence) on testes, epididymides, and sperms of rats.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We randomly divided 50 rats into 5 groups. G1: normal control group (treated with saline); G2: cadmium chloride group; G3: cadmium chloride+ low doses of drugs; G4: cadmium chloride + medium doses of drugs; and G5: cadmium chloride + high doses of drugs (equivalent dose: 0.45 g/kg). In addition to the normal control group, the other 4 groups started receiving intraperitoneal injection of cadmium chloride (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Testicular glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde aldehyde (MDA) were measured by ELISA; epididymis histopathological examination was performed; testis serum testosterone (T) was measured; specimens of the epididymal semen were analyzed for sperm concentration, morphology, vitality, and DNA fragmentation rate.

RESULTS: Sperm count and activity of rats in the model control group decreased significantly; their MDA concentration of testicular and epididymal homogenates increased greatly; while the vitality of SOD and GSH-Px dropped sharply. All indexes mentioned above were significantly different from those of the blank control group (P<0.05); the sperm count and activity of rats treated with Shengjing capsule (sperm-producing capsule) decreased, but were still significantly higher than those of the model group (P<0.05). MDA level of rats treated with Shengjing capsule were significantly lower than that of the model group (P<0.05), while their SOD and GSH-Px activity were significantly higher than the model group (P<0.05). The normal morphology rate and DNA integrity rate of groups treated with Shengjing capsule were significantly higher than those of the model group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Shengjing can enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes and inhibit oxidative stress. It can also repair testicular and epididymal pathological damages, protect spermatogenesis, increase sperm count and activity, and improve normal morphology rate of sperm.