Vitalis Skiauteris

Chinese medicine for uterine fibroids

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Chinese Herbs for Uterine Fibroids

What if I told you that there was an ancient Chinese secret that could potentially aid in the battle against uterine fibroids? For many women who have experienced fibroids, a common solution is often the surgical removal of these benign growths, particularly if they obstruct the chances of embryo implantation. But what if surgery is not the desired option? Enter the intriguing world of Chinese fertility herbs.

The Guizhi Fuling Formula, a renowned herbal concoction from China, has recently garnered the attention of researchers for its potential benefits in treating uterine fibroids.

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Vitalis Skiauteris

Study: Herbal formula helps oligoasthenospermia

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In a world that is increasingly reliant on scientific innovation, there remains a treasure trove of wisdom in ancient practices that continues to surprise and delight us. It’s not often that these two realms join forces, but when they do, the results can be groundbreaking. Today, we delve into a remarkable study that combined ancient Chinese medicine with modern knowledge of vitamin E to tackle a sensitive issue – male fertility.

The Challenge: Idiopathic Oligoasthenospermia

Male infertility can be a complex and often stigmatised topic, and a common cause is a condition called idiopathic oligoasthenospermia. In plain language, this essentially means that sperm quality is low, and the exact cause remains a mystery. But hope is on the horizon, thanks to the innovative work of researchers Song, He, Jiang, Peng, Wu, and Cao.

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Vitalis Skiauteris

Herbs for semen non-liquefaction

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What is semen liquefaction? Immediately after ejaculation semen coagulates and then liquefies again within 15 to 20 minutes.  Unfortunately, for about 11.8 per cent of men, diagnosed with infertility, semen does not liquefy.

One of the main causes, why sperm doesn’t liquefy, is inflammation. To be precise, the inflammation of the prostate and seminal vesicles. As a result, because of the impaired function, these glands may secrete less of the sperm fluid. Therefore, lead to lower semen quality and trouble with liquefaction.

This study shows that Chinese herbs can reduce semen liquefaction time. As a result, sperm motility and concentration improved as well.

Shengjing Tablets used in this study include nine TCM/herbal ingredients. The key to success here is not prescribing just any herbs. The most important is the combination and dose of each ingredient that makes the formula successful.

Shengjing tablets for semen non-liquefaction: a clinical study of 100 cases.

[Article in Chinese]
Yang XF, Guo LH, An LH, Pan ZH, Sun L, Ma K

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the efficacy and action mechanism of Shengjing Tablets in the treatment liquefaction.
METHODS:
We randomly assigned 150 patients with semen non-liquefaction to receive Shengjing Tablets group, n = 100) and vitamin E capsules (control group, n = 50) for 2 courses of 45 days each, followed by observation liquefaction time and other semen parameters.
RESULTS:
After the first course, 68 of the patients in the treatment group 20 responded and 12 failed to respond; and after the second course, 84 were cured, 9 responded and 7 failed to respond, the effective rate of 93.0%. In comparison, only 8 of the controls were cured, 8 responded and 34 failed to respond after medication. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, the treatment showed obvious improvement in sperm motility and concentration.

CONCLUSION:
Shengjing Tablets may shorten the time liquefaction and can be used as a safe and effective therapy for semen non-liquefaction.

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Vitalis Skiauteris

Unexplained infertility plus acupuncture: pregnancy rate of 60.9%

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J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Feb;16(2):193-8.
Unexplained infertility treated with acupuncture and herbal medicine

Park JJ, Kang M, Shin S, Choi E, Kwon S, Wee H, Nam B, Kaptchuk TJ.

Asian Medicine & Acupuncture Research, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Erratum in:
J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Jul;16(7):817.

Abstract

AIM: We aim to determine the safety and effectiveness of a standard therapeutic package of Korean medicine for the treatment of unexplained infertility in a cross-section of women who sought treatment at an integrative hospital in Seoul, Korea.
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Chinese herbal medicine vs gestrinone for endometriosis

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Cochrane: Endometriosis and Chinese medicine Chinese herbal medicine for endometriosis a publication in one of the most prestigious evidence journals. Evidence doesn’t get stronger than this.

Chinse herbal medicine outperformed conventional drugs in endometriosis management.  Authors concluded that Chinese medicine has fewer side effects, but similar benefits to gestrinone. Oral Chinese medicine tinctures may have a better effect than danazol in relieving dysmenorrhea, even shrinking adnexal masses when used in combination with a Chinese medicine enema.

Chinese herbs for endometriosis

Flower A, Liu JP, Chen S, Lewith G, Little P

Endometriosis is a common gynaecological condition causing menstrual and pelvic pain. Treatment involves surgery and hormonal drugs, with potentially unpleasant side effects and high rates of reoccurrence of endometriosis. This review suggests that Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) may be useful in relieving endometriosis-related pain with fewer side effects than experienced with conventional treatment. However, the two trials included in this review are of poor methodological quality so these findings must be interpreted cautiously. Better quality randomised controlled trials are needed to investigate a possible role for CHM in the treatment of endometriosis.

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Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for Chronic Pelvic Inflammation

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Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine Affiliated to Zhejiang College of TCM, Hangzhou 31000, China.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on chronic pelvic inflammation. METHOD: Thirty-six cases of chronic pelvic inflammation were treated with acupuncture, the ancient recipe of Long Dan Xie Gan Tang ([symbol: see text] Decoction of Radix Gentianae for Purging the Pathogenic Fire of the Liver) and medicinal cake moxibustion. RESULT: The treatment resulted in cure in 9 cases, obvious effect in 16 cases, effect in 7 cases and no effect in 4 cases. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture, moxibustion and the ancient recipe Long Dan Xie Gan Tang used together can enhance the therapeutic effects on chronic pelvic inflammation.

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Chinese herbal medicine – higher success rates of pregnancy, no side-effects

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Measuring the Effectiveness of Chinese Herbal Medicine in Improving Female Fertility

By: Trevor A. Wing & Elke S. Sedlmeier

Keywords: Infertility, Chinese herbal medicine, ultrasound, hormone levels.

Aim: To determine the relationship between female fertility indicators and the administration of
Chinese herbal medicine (CHM).

Design: A prospective cohort clinical study to measure accepted bio-medical
factors that affect female fertility and to determine if CHM can improve these factors as well as pregnancy outcome.

Setting: A private practice specialising in treating infertility with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The study took place between November 2003 and December 2004. Patient(s): Fifty women with the Western medical diagnosis of unexplained infertility.

Interventions: One monitored menstrual cycle measuring pre-treatment fertility factors, followed by treatment with Chinese herbal medicine and subsequent measurement of the changes in the same fertility factors.

Results: Significant differences were observed between the two time points for the majority of factors measured. Pregnancies in the sample group recorded 6 months after commencement of the last treatment were 28, with 11 live births and 7 miscarriages.

Conclusion: The study outcome demonstrates that using Chinese herbal medicine results in higher success rates of pregnancy, with no patient side-effects and a reduction in the category of patients conventionally classified as having unexplained infertility.

Introduction

The research question this study seeks to answer is “Does administering Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) improve the physiological factors affecting human female fertility?” The hypothesis is that administering CHM improves the main physiological factors affecting human female fertility and therefore also the pregnancy
rate. These factors are ovarian follicle number and size, uterine endometrium thickness, uterine artery
haemodynamics, serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), serum progesterone levels and corpus luteum
vascularity.
Research aims and objectives

1. Establish a sample group of 50 new patients registering for fertility treatment at a London natural health fertility clinic.
2. Test and record a predetermined group of twelve measurements prior to treatment during one menstrual cycle.
3. Administer CHM in capsule form for one menstrual cycle.
4. Re-test the same parameters in the third cycle of treatment, continue to administer CHM for six months (or until pregnancy is achieved if this occurs in less than six months). Follow up six months after the beginning of the last patient’s treatment
5. To determine the number of pregnancies achieved.
6. Analyse results and discuss findings.
7. Draw conclusions and make recommendations for further practice and study.

Methodology

The challenge for any investigative method when applied to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is that
in everyday practice, the same disease in different patients will have a different treatment principle
and herbal prescription. The information collected from the traditional Chinese examination and
assessment determines a diagnosis based on pattern differentiation and hence a treatment principle and
formula which is individualised for each patient. In our treatment of infertility there is, in addition,
a weekly modification of each patient’s formula. As there is thus no standardisation of formulae for
patients it is not appropriate to discuss the formulae themselves in this study, but rather to simply study
the effects of Chinese herbal medicine treatment on female fertility.

The method chosen was a prospective cohort primary study using a sample group of patients registered
with the clinic for TCM infertility treatment.

Patients were selected for the study on the basis that they had no Western medical condition which might have affected their fertility. In other words they were described in Western medical terms as having unexplained infertility. They also entered the study on the condition that data obtained in the course of their treatment could be used in the study anonymously.

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Effect of Chinese medicinal herbs on sperm membrane of infertile male

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Effect of Chinese medicinal herbs on sperm membrane of infertile male
[Article in Chinese]

Liu XD.

Shandong Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Materia Medica, Jinan.

The authors carried on the quantitative analysis of fluorescence polarization degree and fluorescent intensity on wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) receptor in sperm membrane surface and protein macromolecule 1-Anilinonaph thalene-8-suphonic acid salt (1,8-ANS) of sperm membrane to the patients with infertility and adult male with normal fertility, with the method of ultraviolet microspectrofluorometer (SMP, type: 05, made in West Germany). The results were as follows: the patient’s WGA receptor in sperm membrane surface was decreased (P less than 0.001), and the 1, 8-ANS of fluorescent intensity in hydrophobic area of protein macromolecule of sperm membrane was increased (P less than 0.05). After the treatment of Shenjing Zhongzitang, WGA receptor was increased obviously and 1, 8-ANS of fluorescent intensity was changed to be almost normal. It showed that the Chinese medicinal herbs mentioned above have certain influence upon the constitution of WGA receptor and protein macromolecule of sperm membrane.

Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1990 Sep;10(9):519-21, 515.

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Vitalis Skiauteris

Chinese herbs – higher success rates of pregnancy (unexplained infertility)

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Measuring the Effectiveness of Chinese Herbal Medicine in Improving Female Fertility

By: Trevor A. Wing & Elke S. Sedlmeier

Aim: To determine the relationship between female fertility indicators and the administration of
Chinese herbal medicine (CHM).

Design: A prospective cohort clinical study to measure accepted bio-medical
factors that affect female fertility and to determine if CHM can improve these factors as well as pregnancy outcome.

Setting: A private practice specialising in treating infertility with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The study took place between November 2003 and December 2004. Patient(s): Fifty women with the Western medical diagnosis of unexplained infertility.

Interventions: One monitored menstrual cycle measuring pre-treatment fertility factors, followed by treatment with Chinese herbal medicine and subsequent measurement of the changes in the same fertility factors.

Results: Significant differences were observed between the two time points for the majority of factors measured. Pregnancies in the sample group recorded 6 months after commencement of the last treatment were 28, with 11 live births and 7 miscarriages.

Conclusion: The study outcome demonstrates that using Chinese herbal medicine results in higher success rates of pregnancy, with no patient side-effects and a reduction in the category of patients conventionally classified as having unexplained infertility.

Introduction

The research question this study Read more

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Combination of western and Chinese medicine is the most effective method in treating tubal obstruction

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FALLOPIAN TUBE DYSFUNCTION AND CHINESE HERBAL MEIDCINE

A study was carried out in Guangzhou, China, to find an effective treatment for tubal obstruction. The results of 120 women divided into three treatment groups were compared. One group received a combination of Western medical treatment and Chinese herbal medicine, one group received Chinese herbal medicine only and another group received Western medical treatment only. After treatment, the fallopian tube patency rate 86.7% and the pregnancy rate 85.0% in the TCM/ WM group, 66.7% and 63.3% in the TCM group and 53.3% and 50% in the WM group respectively. The effectiveness in the combination group was significant. The authors conclude that the combination of western and Chinese medicine is the most effective method in treating tubal obstruction.
Kang JL, XIa W, He QY.'[Clinical study on treatment of oviduct obstruction by integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine]. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He ZaZhi. 2001, 21 (6): 416-8.

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Male infertility: acupuncture and herbs regulate antisperm antiboy antisperm antibody (AsAb)

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Effects of the combined therapy of acupuncture with herbal drugs on male immune infertility–a clinical report of 50 cases.
Fu B, Lun X, Gong Y.

Department of Acupuncture, Second Guangdong Provincial Worker’s Hospital, Guangzhou 510720, China.

To study the clinical effects of the combined therapy of acupuncture with herbal drugs on male immune infertility and on antisperm antibody (AsAb), 100 male cases of infertility with positive AsAb were divided randomly into two groups, each consisting of 50 cases. The acupuncture-drug group was treated with acupuncture on Ganshu (BL 18), Shenshu (BL 23), Taichong (LR 3), Taixi (KI 3), Xinshu (BL 15), Geshu (BL 17), Shenmen (HT 7), and Xuehai (SP 10), combined with oral medication of Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Bolus of the Six Drugs Including Rehmanniae). The control group was treated with oral prednisone. The clinical therapeutic effects and the impact on AsAb were observed in the two groups. The results showed that the total effective rate in the acupuncture-drug group was 90%; while that of the control group was 64%, the comparison showing a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The positive rate of blood serum and/or AsAb in both the two groups decreased in varying degrees, but the negative-turning rate of AsAb in the acupuncture-drug group was more obvious, the comparison showing also a significant difference (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The combined therapy of acupuncture with herbal drugs has definite therapeutic effects on male immune infertility, which can regulate AsAb and raise the immunity of the patients.

J Tradit Chin Med. 2005 Sep;25(3):186-9.

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Effects of ferulic acid on fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile human sperm motility, viability, lipid peroxidation, and cyclic nucleotides.

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Effects of ferulic acid on fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile human sperm motility, viability, lipid peroxidation, and cyclic nucleotides.

Zheng RL, Zhang H.

Department of Biology, Lanzhou University, P.R. China.

The capacity of human sperm fertilization principally depends on sperm motility and membrane integrity. Reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, are known to impair sperm motility and membrane integrity by inducing membrane lipid peroxidation (LPO). Ferulic acid (FA), an effective constituent in various medicinal herbs, has recently been shown to scavenge oxygen free radicals and increase the intracellular cAMP and cGMP. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of FA on human sperm motility, viability, lipid peroxidation, and cyclic nucleotides in fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile individuals in vitro. The sperm samples were obtained from 10 fertile volunteers and 10 asthenozoospermic infertile patients. Washed spermatozoa were incubated at 37 degrees C in Ham’s F-10 medium with 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, or 1.6 mM of FA. Samples were analyzed for viability, determined by eosin-Y dye exclusion method at 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 h of incubation; motility, determined by the trans-membrane migration method within 2 h of incubation; LPO, determined by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method at 3 h of incubation and the intracellular cAMP and cGMP, determined, respectively, by 3H-cAMP and 125I-cGMP radioimmunoassay at 3 h of incubation. The results showed: in both fertile and infertile spermatozoa, the viability, trans-membrane migration ratio (TMMR) and the levels of intracellular cAMP and cGMP in FA-treated spermatozoa were significantly higher than those of spermatozoa in control groups, while TBA-reactive substances contents in treated spermatozoa were significantly lower than those in control spermatozoa. The effects of FA on these processes were concentration dependent. These data suggested that FA is beneficial to sperm viability and motility in both fertile and infertile individuals, and that reduction of lipid peroxidative damage to sperm membranes and increase of intracellular cAMP and cGMP may be involved in these benefits. It is possible that FA may be used for cure of asthenozoospermic infertility.

Free Radic Biol Med. 1997;22(4):581-6.

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Combination of Chinese herbs and hormones could lower the NO (nitric oxide) level in semen and improve the quality of sperm

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Clinical observation on effect of combination of zhuanyindan and hormone in treating male infertility with positive antisperm antibody
[Article in Chinese]
Yu AL, Zhang FZ, Zhang FX.

Taishan Medical College, Shandong 271000.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic effect of combination of Zhuanyindan (ZYD, a Chinese herbal preparation) and hormone in treating male infertility with positive antisperm antibody and its influence on nitric oxide (NO) level. METHODS: Eighty-two patients were randomly divided (according to the digital list) into the WM group (n = 20, treated with prednisone), the TCM group (n = 28, treated with ZYD) and the ICWM group (n = 34, treated with prednisone plus ZYD). The clinical effect, negative converting rate of antisperm antibody, changes of NO level in semen and various parameters of sperm motion before and after treatment were observed. RESULTS: The total effective rate in the ICWM group was 88.2%, that in the TCM group 75.0% and in the WM group 65.0%. Significant difference was seen in the ICWM and TCM group before and after treatment in NO level, sperm motion parameters, including linear motion speed, linearity, propulsion, whip frequency, sperm vitality and mean moving angle, and quality of semen (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In the WM group, significant difference in comparison before and after treatment was seen in NO level, propulsion, whip frequency, mean moving angle and quality of semen, including vitality and survival rate (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Combination of Chinese herbs and hormone could lower the NO (nitric oxide) level in semen and improve the quality of sperm. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2004 Mar;24(3):223-6.

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TCM herbs and miscarriage

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herbs-miscarriage-acupuncture This study confirmed Chinese herbal medicines can reduce the risk of miscarriage in the early weeks of pregnancy. Two days after embryo transfer a group of women was administered a Chinese herbal formula renown to reduce the risk of miscarriage. Control group were not administered any hers. But both groups were on progesterone support treatment.

Researchers found, that there was a significant reduction of miscarriages in the group taking Chinese herbal medicine. 23% of women in the progesterone only group miscarried, while in the Chinese herbs group this number was significantly lower – 13%.

The study was published in the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine.

Chin J Integr Med. 2006 Sep;12(3):189-93.
Effect of Gutai Decoction on the abortion [miscarriage] rate of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.
Liu Y1, Wu JZ.
Author information
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To study the effect of Chinese herbal medicine Gutai Decoction (GTD) on the abortion rate of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

METHODS:
Observed were two hundred and forty-seven women having received IVF-ET and with beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG) > 25 IU/L on the 14th day after transferring. All were treated conventionally with progesterone 20 – 80 mg per day after transferring and if necessary the treatment was supplemented with Progynova 2 – 4 mg per day, with the medication withdrawn gradually from the 9th week of pregnancy till stopped completely. Among them 131 cases received GTD medication additionally, for 109 cases of whom the medication started from the 2nd day of transferring (taken as Group A) and for the other 22 cases from the 14th day after transferring (taken as Group B), the other 116 cases with no additional GTD treatment given were taken as the control group, with the medication lasting to the 12th week. The abortion rate in them was observed.

RESULTS:
The abortion rate in Group A, Group B and the control group was 12.84%, 13.64% and 23.28%, respectively, the difference between the GTD treated groups and the control group was significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Chinese medicine GTD could reduce abortion rate in women receiving IVF-ET. PMID: 17005079 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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