Effects of ginsenoside Rb2 and Rc on inferior human sperm motility in vitro

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of two constituents of Panax notoginseng flower extract, Ginsenoside Rb2 and Rc, on human sper m motility and progression in vitro. Semen samples were collected from 20 p atients with sperm motility between 20% and 40% of normal. All samples had sperm counts of over 20 million per milliliter, in accordance with the Worl d Health Organization standard. Sperm were separated by a Pet-cell disconti nuous gr adient technique, and divided into a Percoll sperm control group, and three Ginsenoside Rb2 experimental groups (0.1, 0.01 and 0.001 mg/ml) a nd three Ginsenoside Rc experimental groups (0.1,0.01 and 0.001 mg/ml). The results showed that at concentrations of 0.01 mg/ml and 0.001 mg/ml, Ginse noside Rc enhanced both sperm motility and sperm progression significantly at the end of the 1st and 2nd hour. However, the three concentrations of Gi nsenoside Rb2 did not increase sperm motility at the 1st or 2nd hour, but p romoted sperm progression at the 2nd hour, when compared to the Percoll gro up.