Improvement of seminal quality and sexual function of men with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia syndrome following supplementation with L-arginine and Pycnogenol®

Arch Ital Urol Androl. 2015 Sep 30;87(3):190-3. doi: 10.4081/aiua.2015.3.190.

Abstract

We evaluated the effectiveness of antioxidant co-supplementation therapy using Larginine and Pycnogenol(®) in Japanese men with oligoasthenozoospermia and mild erectile dysfunction (ED). A total of forty-seven adult males with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia syndrome (OAT) were eligible for enrollment. The effectiveness of supplementation with a combination of L-arginine 690 mg and French maritime pine bark extract (Pycnogenol(®)) 60mg for OAT and ED was investigated. The sperm concentration was enhanced significantly after treatment 2 and 4 months (11.79 ± 9.86 to 21.22 ± 28.17 and 20.15 ± 23.99 × 106/ml). Significant improvements in the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) were observed in the total score of IIEF (57.69 ± 11.04 to 59.43 ± 12.57) and domain of Orgasmic Function (9.01 ± 1.92 to 9.34 ± 1.66) after 4 months of treatment. L-arginine acts to increase the production of nitric oxide and Pycnogenol(®) activates the endothelial nitric oxide synthase and it is a potent antioxidant and inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase. This study suggests that the combination of Pycnogenol(®) and L-arginine (Edicare(®)) is helpful for infertile men to ameliorate simultaneously quality of sperms as well as erectile functions.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use*
  • Arginine / therapeutic use*
  • Asthenozoospermia / drug therapy*
  • Drug Combinations
  • Erectile Dysfunction / drug therapy*
  • Flavonoids / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Spermatozoa / drug effects*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Drug Combinations
  • Flavonoids
  • Plant Extracts
  • pycnogenols
  • Arginine