🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Metchkinikoff (1899) and Metelnikoff (1890) discovered that sperm possess antigenicity and can induce specific antibodies, pioneering the field of reproductive immunology. In the 1950s, Wilson and Rumre detected anti-sperm antibodies (ASAB) in male infertility patients' blood, sparking great interest among medical professionals in immune infertility. Although extensive research has been conducted worldwide in recent years with some progress, male immune infertility remains a difficult condition in urology, with no definitive cure yet. Through years of clinical practice, I have applied syndrome differentiation and individualized treatment principles, achieving certain efficacy. Below are the four commonly used methods:
1. Nourishing Liver and Kidney, Generating Essence and Blood, Supporting Deficiency to Promote Fertility. Men rely on essence as their foundation and qi as their function. Adequate essence and blood ensure vigorous organ function and resistance to pathogens. Now, deficiency of liver-kidney essence and blood leads to disharmony of qi and blood, empty essence chamber, and susceptibility to pathogenic invasion, resulting in antibody production. Patients of this type often have histories of excessive sexual activity, hypersexuality, genital injury, or infection. Symptoms include afternoon fever, five-palm heat, thirst with desire to drink, soreness in waist and knees, yellow urine, constipation, night sweats, red tongue with little coating, and fine wiry pulse. Treatment should nourish liver and kidney. Formula: Zuan Yin Shengjing No. 1 (self-formulated): Shengdi, Shudihuang, Ze Xie, Danpi, Shan Yu, Gou Qi, Huang Jing, Shan Yao, Zhi Mu, Fu Ling each 10g; Sheng Biejia (decocted first), Sheng Mu Li (decocted first) each 30g; Bi Taogan, Biyu San (wrapped) each 15g. Decoct and take once daily.
Case 1: Mr. Zhang, male, 33 years old. Initial visit on September 6, 1994. He reported infertility for three years after marriage, with normal sexual life and normal female examination. Semen analysis was within normal range, serum ASAB (+). At presentation: lethargic, dizzy, blurred vision, occasional tinnitus, dry mouth with desire to drink, soreness in waist and knees, yellow urine, red tongue with scant coating, fine rapid pulse. Diagnosis: Liver-kidney yin deficiency with internal fire. Treatment: nourish yin and clear fire using modified Zuan Yin Shengjing No. 1. After four months of treatment, semen routine and serum ASAB were normal twice. Continued consolidation for two months, wife became pregnant.
2. Strengthening Spleen and Kidney, Assisting Digestion, Boosting Qi and Reinforcing Defense. Although this condition originates in the kidney, kidney deficiency is fundamental. Yet, congenital kidney essence relies on postnatal nourishment from spleen-stomach food essence. Moreover, “spleen disperses essence upward to lungs.” Lung qi and yin originate from spleen and kidney. Lung's defensive qi nourishes the whole body, moisturizes skin, resists pathogens, enhances immunity, and suppresses abnormal immune responses—forming the body’s outer barrier. The strength of defensive qi correlates closely with immune harmony. Weak spleen-lung qi leads to antibody production. Patients of this type often have history of upper respiratory tract infections or intestinal diseases, frequently catch colds, lack stamina, nasal congestion, headache, sore throat, cough, poor appetite, loose stools, abdominal distension and pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, spontaneous sweating, pale complexion, pale tongue with thin white coating, and weak pulse. Treatment: strengthen spleen and lung, boost qi, reinforce defense. Formula: Zuan Yin Shengjing No. 2 (self-formulated): Huang Qi, Shan Yao, Bai Zhu, Fu Ling, Dang Shen, Yi Ren each 15g; Ji Nei Jin, Dang Gui, Tu Si Zi, Huang Jing each 10g; Mu Xiang (added later), Wu Wei Zi each 6g; Sha Ren (added later) 3g. Decoct and take once daily.
Case 2: Mr. Li, male, 33 years old. Initial visit on May 10, 1993. Married for four years without conception, normal sexual life, normal female examination. Semen routine normal, serum ASAB (+); previous treatment with Chinese and Western medicine ineffective. At presentation: chronic rhinitis and pharyngitis, prone to catching colds, occasional nasal congestion and sore throat, pale complexion. Pale tongue with thin white coating, deep weak pulse. Treated with modified Zuan Yin Shengjing No. 2 for over three months. Symptoms gradually improved, less susceptible to external infections. Semen routine normalized, serum ASAB turned negative. Continued original formula for three months; wife became pregnant and delivered a daughter normally.
3. Resolving Dampness and Turbidity, Clearing Heat-Toxin, Cleansing the Source. Inflammation in male reproductive system has a high rate of positive serum and seminal plasma anti-sperm antibodies, a key trigger for immune reactions. The root cause lies in overindulgence in greasy foods or excessive alcohol intake damaging the spleen and stomach, impairing transformation and transportation, or infection with toxic pathogens causing damp-heat descending, scorching the essence chamber, injuring nutritive blood, and disturbing the reproductive ducts. Patients of this type often have history of acute or chronic prostatitis, orchitis, or epididymitis. Symptoms include frequent urination, urgency, discomfort during urination, dripping white discharge at end of urination, incomplete voiding, dull pain in perineum or heaviness, discomfort in testes or epididymis, cloudy or yellowish urine, red tongue with thin white coating and yellow greasy root, stringy slippery pulse. Treatment: clear heat, resolve dampness, detoxify, and eliminate turbidity. Formula: Zuan Yin Shengjing No. 3 (self-formulated): Bei Xie, Fu Ling each 15g; Dan Shen, Che Qian Zi (wrapped), Yi Zhi Ren, Bai Zhu, Sha Yuan Zi, Chuan Niu Xi, Wu Yao each 10g; Bai Hua She She Cao, Tu Fu Ling, Yi Mu Cao each 30g; Shi Chang Pu, Huang Bo each 6g. Decoct and take once daily.
Case 3: Mr. Wang, male, 32 years old. Initial visit on April 20, 1994. Married for two years without conception, normal sexual life, normal female examination. Semen routine normal, serum ASAB (+), seminal plasma ASAB (+). Patient reported history of chronic prostatitis, occasional dripping white discharge at end of urination, frequent urination, urgency, discomfort and heaviness in perineum and pubic region, soreness in waist and sacrum, dry bitter taste in mouth, yellow hard stool. Examination: prostate tenderness, phospholipid bodies (++), pus cells (+++), pH 7.5. Red tongue with thick yellow greasy root, stringy slippery pulse with slight rapidity. Treatment: resolve dampness and turbidity, clear heat-toxin. Modified Zuan Yin Shengjing No. 3 taken for four months. All symptoms disappeared. Prostatic fluid examination: phospholipid bodies (+++), few pus cells. Continued original treatment for two months; wife became pregnant and delivered a son normally.
4. Expelling Phlegm and Stagnation, Unblocking Meridians, Clearing the Reproductive Pathway. Although essence should be stored and guarded, proper drainage is necessary to maintain normal physiological function of storing and releasing. Overindulgence in sweet and fatty foods generates internal phlegm, emotional injury causing qi stagnation, trauma, or chronic reproductive tract inflammation failing to heal, all leading to combined phlegm-stasis pathology forming masses, obstructing essence flow or causing blockage. Impaired essence release prevents new essence generation, allowing essence to reverse into blood, triggering antibody production. Following Ye Tian-shi’s principle: “When essence stagnates, first clear the palace’s corruption,” we treat with phlegm-expelling and stasis-resolving methods. Such herbs can reduce capillary permeability, decrease inflammatory exudation, promote absorption, thereby enhancing weakened immune function and eliminating harmful autoimmune reactions. Patients of this type often have chronic reproductive tract inflammation or injuries to tendons and vessels. Symptoms include discomfort or distension in lower abdomen or genital area, soreness in waist and sacrum, nodules in epididymis, or testicular tenderness, dark red tongue with possible purple hue, thin white coating, choppy pulse. Treatment: expel stasis and phlegm. Formula: Zuan Yin Shengjing No. 4 (self-formulated): Ban Xia, Bei Mu, Xuan Shen, Bai Jie Zi, Qing Pi, Chen Pi, Pu Huang (wrapped), Dan Shen, Wang Bu Liu Xing, Dang Gui, Chuan Xiong, Chuan Shan Jia (decocted first), Hai Zao, Kun Bu each 10g; Mu Li (decocted first) 30g. Decoct and take once daily.
Case 4: Mr. Luo, male, 30 years old. Initial visit on May 12, 1993. Married for three years without conception, normal sexual life, normal female examination. Semen routine: sperm count 34 million/ml, motility 50%, serum ASAB (+), others normal. Usually feels heaviness in scrotum, intermittent right epididymal swelling and pain, often self-resolves, worsens with overwork, accompanied by soreness and fatigue, sticky mouth. Examination: slightly enlarged, smooth, firm, tender right epididymal head; thickened right vas deferens. Dark red tongue with purple tinge, white greasy root. Diagnosis: internal obstruction of phlegm-damp and stasis. Treatment: expel phlegm and stasis, resolve dampness, dissipate epididymal nodules. Modified Zuan Yin Shengjing No. 4 taken for four months. All symptoms disappeared. Semen routine and serum ASAB both normal. Advised to continue original formula for consolidation. Follow-up resulted in normal delivery of a daughter.