171 Effects of Combination of Korean Red Ginseng Extract and Hydrogen-rich Water on Spermatogenesis and Sperm Motility in the Mouse Model

Abstract

Male fertility was majorly declined with aging due to age-related oxidative stress. Natural therapies with herbal supplements have been increasing popularly as an option to treat male sub- or infertility. Hydrogen rich water (HRW) is a potent antioxidant and Korean red ginseng (KRG) has a various function including the improvement of spermatogenesis and sperm motility. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the effect of combination of hydrogen-rich red ginseng water (HRGW) on spermatogenesis and sperm motility in the mice according to the age. C57BL/6 male mice of young (3 months) and aged group (12 months) were randomly assigned to four groups and then they were administered once daily in a volume of 10mL/kg of body weight by an oral zoned needle for a period of 4 weeks: (1) Control group (n=10), (2) HRW treatment group (n=10), (3) KRG treatment group (n=10, 50mg/kg/day); (4) HRGW treatment group (n=10). After treatment, sperm count and motility were measured using sperm suspension released from cauda epididymis, and serum FSH, LH, testosterone and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured. Testicular morphology was examined by histological H&E staining. Expression of anti-oxidation (PPx3, PPx4, GSTm5 and GPx4), spermatogenesis (inhibin-α, Neptin-4, and CREM), antiaging (Sirt1 and Sirt2), and angiogenesis (visfatin and VEGF)-related genes in the testes were examined with Real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR).