Speman Improves sperm count, Motility. Corrects male infertility. Reduce prostatic enlargement.

Speman promotes spermatogenesis by improving the testicular, seminal vesicle and epididymal functions. Speman improves the sperm count and the quality of semen by increasing the LH-FSH producing basophil cells in the pituitary.

Composition
Each Speman tablet contains:

Pdrs. Salabmisri (Orchis mascula) 130mg
Kokilaksha (Hygrophila auriculata Syn. Asteracantha longifolia) 64mg
Vanya kahu (Lactuca scariola Syn. L.serriola) 32mg
Kapikachchhu (Mucuna pruriens) 32mg
Suvarnavang (Mosaic gold) 32mg

Extrs. Vriddadaru (Argyreia speciosa Syn. A.nervosa) 64mg
Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris) 64mg
Jeevanti (Leptadenia reticulata) 64mg
Shaileyam (Parmelia perlata) 32mg

Speman Improves the Sperm Count and Quality of Semen
Speman is reported to be effective in improving the morphology and motility of the sperms, as reported by various workers. It is a compound of indigenous drugs reputed to have a pharmacological action in oligospermia. It tones up the system, improves the general vitality and acts as a restorative and nervine tonic. Speman also effects a more complete and powerful contraction of the seminal vesicles, consequently bringing about their complete evacuation and increases the quantity of semen ejaculated. Speman is a drug well reported upon and reputed in an important clinical condition where modern medicine offers little hope.

Speman is a herbomineral formula that may be used to obtain positive results in cases of common benign prostate enlargement, a condition known as B.P.H. (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) affecting more than ½ the men above 50.

It is a combination of herbs, which have decongestant, anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties. Patients experienced free flow of urine which was hypothesized to be secondary to the reduction in the size of the prostate.

Dosage

2 tablets 2 to 3 times a day, initially followed by a reduced maintenance dose.

Speman was orally administered at a dose of 2 tablets twice a day for 3 months to a group of 40 infertile men. Marked improvement in the semen picture was seen in 67.5% of patients and moderate improvement was observed in 22% of the patients. Ind. J. Surg. (1976): 1.34

The main ingredients of Speman and their actions are as follows:

As per ayurvda the constituents have following properties:

1. Orchis mascula (salabmisri): This is a terrestrial orchid, highly nutritious and acts as a tonic in loss of sexual power.
2. Parmelia parlata (charil or lichen): It is an astringent and its action causes constriction of the seminal vesicles and helps to control the flow of the discharge.
3. Argyreia speciosa (extract of vridhradaroka root): It acts as a tonic and is efficacious in spermatorrhoea.
4. Lactuca scariola (ext. kahu): The juice is an anodyne, sedative and demulcent.
5. Mucuna pruriens (kavach or kauch seed): It is an astrigent and nerve tonic.
6. Tribulus terrestris (Ext. gokharu): This acts as a diuretic and sexual stimulant.
7. Hygrophila spinosa (talamakhona): It acts as a tonic.
8. Suvarnavang: It is an invigorator and rejuvenator.

The ingredients in this preparation are so combined that they help to regenerate spermatozoa and thicken the semen. There is no point in producing more sperm though if the quality is poor. If the sperm is thick and a deep white colour then you have healthy sperm, if on the other hand it is runny and only a little white then your sperm is of low quality.

Side Effects

Speman tablets are not known to have any side effects if taken as per the prescribed dosage.

Speman gives hope to childless couples:

The improvement in total count and motility has seen to be helpful and was comparable with other series treated with either gonadotrophins or mesterolone or testosterone or clomiphehe citrate. In 77 cases women became pregnant with Speman and Tentex forte therapy in their spouses. There were no side effects.

Clinical Report:

A study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Speman, a polyherbal formulation, in the treatment of male subfertility. Sixty patients in the age group of 22-45 years with idiopathic infertility were recruited in the study. The patients were considered oligospermic if the total sperm count was less than 20 million/ml and were administered Speman at a dose of 2 tablets, twice daily for a period of 3 months. Repeat semen analysis was conducted at intervals of 1 month for 3 months. Sperm density, motility and morphology were primarily evaluated. Hormone assay for testosterone was also performed before initiating the treatment and finally after the completion of treatment. Sperm density increased significantly from 19.41 million/ml to 26.81 million/ml at 3 months. A significant increase in the percentage of sperm density (13.54 ± 1.02 million/ml) was observed after 3 months of Speman treatment compared to the mean sperm density value (4.68 ± 0.32 million/ml) before treatment. The sperm motility also showed significant improvement from 40.50% to 46.16% after 3 months’ treatment. Testosterone levels also increased following treatment with Speman. The mean testosterone levels before treatment with Speman was 3.85 ± 0.14 ng/ml, which increased to 6.12 ± 0.22 ng/ml after 3 months of treatment with Speman. Thus, Speman may improve the sperm density and morphology by influencing testosterone.

A clinical trial with Speman tablets was carried out on 50 cases with enlarged prostate. It was observed that it is practically a non-toxic, safe and quite a beneficial drug for reducing the benign enlargement of prostate, where surgery is differed. Excellent response was observed in a majority of cases. It is emphasised that Speman has a helpful effect in relieving the patients from their distressing symptoms like frequency of micturition, dribbling dysuria and also intermittent retention.

1. Sterility 18 cases
2. Premature ejaculation 18 cases
3. Spermatorrhoea 14 cases
4. Impotency 9 cases

A total of 36 cases was treated and the trial was continued for a period of six months. The followingconclusions were drawn.

1. The results of Speman are very encouraging in the cases of premature ejaculation. Out of 18 cases 16 showed very good results. In two cases of impotency due to premature ejaculation, it prolonged the ejaculation time and thus improved their sexual performance.

2. Speman also gave very good results in cases of spermatorrhoea, acted as a sexual sedative and relieved all the symptoms associated with it.

3. In cases of sterility and impotency the results with Speman were not encouraging. It increased the total sperm count in three cases out of the 18 but the increase in all the cases was below the minimum fertility normal, i.e. 60 millions/c.cm. Similarly, it did not prove of any value in the cases of impotency.

4. In the 10 control cases Speman did not produce any significant change.

Srivastava, R.K., Lecturer in Anatomy,
Dayal, S.S., Professor and Head of the Anatomy Department,
Tewari, P.V., Reader in Anatomy,
and
Singh, R.C., Lecturer in Pharmacology Department,
G.S.V.M. Medical College, Kanpur, India.

ABSTRACT

Speman, an indigenous remedy, has been claimed to increase both the sperm count and motility. We, therefore, tried it as an adjuvant to antibiotic therapy in 130 cases of oligospermia with bacterial infection, who did not respond satisfactorily to the antibiotic alone.

It was observed that 63 out of 130 patients (48.46%) became normaspermic (60 million/ml) with this combined therapy. In 42 cases out of 130 (32.30%) treated with Speman + the appropriate antibiotic, normal motility was restored (> 60% motility).

Thirty six cases reported that their wives became pregnant following such combined therapy.

INTRODUCTION

Speman is a compound Ayurvedic preparation and has been widely used in the management of oligospermia. It has been tried alone (Dandapat et al, 1986, Khaleeludin et al, 1973, Limaye and Madkar 1984, Pardanani et al, 1976, Parikh 1971, Solepure and Deshkar 1979, Talaulikar and Nagarsekar 1976), and in combination with Tentex forte (Khandare et al, 1982, Rajasekharan 1979) and with zinc (Mathur and Kulshreshtha 1986).

In the present study we establish that bacterial infection in the male genital tract is an important cause of oligospermia. On treatment of 175 patients with the appropriate antibiotic we could find normal sperm count in only 55 cases and normal motility in 45 cases. The remaining cases showed only some increase in sperm count and motility even after 3 months of antibiotic therapy.

As Speman has been shown to increase both the sperm count and motility, it was used as an adjuvant to antibiotic therapy in 130 cases, who did not respond satisfactorily to antibiotic therapy alone.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A thorough clinical examination of all the 175 cases was done. After 5 days of abstinence, the semen was collected by masturbation in a clean sterile petri dish in the laboratory observing all the aseptic precautions.

The following parameters were observed:

Bacteriological examination

All the samples which showed presence of pus cells, bacilli and cocci in the smear were cultured on blood agar for 48 hours and the sensitivity against the drug was determined.

All the cases were treated with appropriate antibiotics for a period of 3 months. The cases, which on semen examination and culture, did not show satisfactory improvement with antibiotic alone were given Speman in addition. This combination was given for 3 weeks. Then the antibiotic was withdrawn and Speman alone was continued for a total period of 4-6 months.

OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS

The most common organism cultured was Staphylococcus aureus, found in 118 cases (90.6%) followed by E. Coli in 7 cases. (5.38%), Staphylococcus albicans in 3 (2.30%) and Proteus vulgaris in 2 (1.54%).

Thus it is evident that the organisms were most commonly sensitive to Gentamycin. So Gentamycin was used as the drug of first choice followed by Sporidex, Kanamycin being more toxic.

Antibiotic therapy was administered for 3 weeks followed by semen culture. It usually took 3-4 months for the semen to become sterile. When the semen became sterile, Speman was continued alone till the sperm count became normal, or for 6 months, whichever was less. Improvements in sperm count were seen upto 6 months of Speman therapy. Beyond this no further improvement in the sperm count was seen, so Speman was withdrawn.

It took at least 4 months for the sperm count to become normal. So the usual duration for Speman therapy should be around 4–6 months.

DISCUSSION

It is evident from Tables 1,2 and 3 that Speman increases the sperm count and motility significantly in cases of oligospermia of infective origin not responding well to antibiotic therapy alone.

Tables 1 and 2 show that after treatment with Speman + the appropriate antibiotic, 63 out of 130 patients (48.46%) became normospermic (60 million/ml), although all the cases showed improvement in sperm count, which was statistically significant as shown by the unpaired ‘t’ test (p < 0.0001).

Table 3 shows that in 42 cases out of 130 (32.30%) treated with Speman + the appropriate antibiotic, normal motility was restored (> 60% motility).

Thus it appears that the effect of combining Speman with the appropriate antibiotic is more on the sperm count than on sperm motility.

It is interesting to observe that 36 cases reported of their wives getting pregnant following this combined therapeutic regimen. All these cases showed increase in sperm count and percentage motility after Speman + antibiotic therapy. We even noticed that cases who did not attain normal values for sperm count and motility reported pregnancy in their wives.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors are thankful to The Himalaya Drug Co., Bombay for their kind co-operation in carrying out this study.

REFERENCES

1.    Amelar, R.D., Dublin, L. and Schoenfeld, C., "Semen analysis – an office technique". Urology (1973): 2, 605.

2.    Dandapat, M.C., Mohapatra, S.K. and Patro, S.K., "Management of subfertile males." Ind. med. Gaz. (1985): 1, 14.

3.    Khaleeludin, K., Santpur, S.R., Rajaram, P. and Durgamba (Miss), K., "Clinical trials in cases of oligozoospermia with Speman." Probe (1973): 4, 203.

4.    Khandare, S.S., Shukla, R.D. and Bahe, B.M., "Evaluation of the effects of combined administration of two indigenous drugs, Speman and Tentex forte, on the quality of semen in oligozoospermia". Probe (1982): 2, 27.

5.    Limaye, H.R. and Madkar, C.S., "Management of oligozoospermia, asthenospermia and necrospermia by treatment with Speman." The Antiseptic (1984): 11, 612.

6.    Mathur, R. and Kulshreshtha, Reena, "Restitution of ceric sulphate induced sterility in rats by zinc and Speman." Probe (1986): 2, 143.

7.    Pardanani, D.S., Delima, R.J., Rao, R.V., Vaze, A.Y., Jayatilak, P.G. and Sheth, A.R., "Study of the effect of Speman on semen quality in oligospermic men." Ind. J. Surg. (1976): 1, 34.

8.    Parikh (Mrs.) J.N., "Male sterility due to oligozoospermia and its treatment with Speman." Probe (1971): 1, 33.

9.    Rajasekharan, A., "Studies on Speman and Speman + Tentex forte combination in male infertility." Probe (1979): 3, 171.

10.Solepure, A.B. and Deshkar, B.V., "A case report on Speman in azoospermia." Probe (1979): 4, 270.

11.Talaulikar, V.R. and Nagarsekar, U.C., "Management of oligozoospermia with Speman." Mediscope (1976): 1, 9.