{"id":167,"title":"Gamma-sitosterol and male reproductive health: mechanistic insights, preclinical evidence, and clinical research gaps","title_zh":"γ-谷甾醇与男性生殖健康：机制见解、临床前证据与临床研究缺口","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42980740","doi":"10.1007/s11033-026-13117-7","pmid":"42980740","journal":"Mol Biol Rep","kind":"paper","lang":"en","published_at":"2026-11-04T00:00:00+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-11-08T03:43:57+00:00","authors":["Ikuomola EO","Shehu UU","Ismahil AA","Agunloye MO","Umoh EA","Abodunrin VK","Alade DD","Arogundade AB","Akinsanya YS"],"primary_topic":"contraception-health","topics":[{"slug":"contraception-health","score":4.0,"hits":["reproductive health"]},{"slug":"male","score":3.0,"hits":["male infertility","sperm","testicular"]},{"slug":"art-clinical","score":2.0,"hits":["infertile","infertility"]}],"topic_score":4.0,"preference_score":0.0,"preference_labels":[],"llm_score":58.0,"final_score":58.0,"score_dims":{"novelty":45,"rigor":55,"impact":45,"relevance":75,"translation":40},"recommend_reason":"对植物甾醇与男性生殖的机制和证据缺口做了较系统的梳理，但纯化γ-谷甾醇的直接证据和临床试验均缺乏，适合作为背景浏览，暂不足以指导临床决策。","keywords":["γ-谷甾醇","男性不育","植物甾醇","精子参数","证据缺口"],"selected":0,"story_id":93,"llm_provider":"deepseek","llm_model":"deepseek-flash","llm_effort":"low","source_key":"pubmed-gametes","source_name":"PubMed · 配子与性腺","source_tier":1,"mention_count":1,"has_interpretation":false,"journal_key":null,"journal_tier":"unknown","journal_if":null,"is_mock":false,"summary_zh":"本文为叙述性综述，汇总截至2025年12月关于γ-谷甾醇与男性生殖健康的机制、临床前与临床证据。检索1247条记录，纳入96项研究。作者指出，纯化γ-谷甾醇的直接动物证据有限，现有生殖证据多来自含γ-谷甾醇的植物提取物及结构类似物β-谷甾醇，提示可改善精子参数、睾丸组织学与氧化应激；但缺乏剂量-反应数据及评估纯化γ-谷甾醇单药的随机对照试验，临床疗效尚不能定论。","summary":"Male infertility affects approximately 7% of the global male population and remains a significant public health concern. Gamma-sitosterol, a plant-derived phytosterol abundant in saw palmetto, pumpkin seeds, and other botanical sources, has attracted increasing interest because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hormone-modulating properties that may improve male reproductive function. This narrative review synthesized current evidence on the mechanistic basis, preclinical efficacy, clinical evidence, and safety profile of gamma-sitosterol in male reproductive health. A structured literature search, informed by PRISMA reporting principles, was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar from database inception to December 2025. Of 1,247 records identified, 96 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the narrative synthesis. Direct preclinical evidence for purified γ-sitosterol in male reproductive models remains limited. Available reproductive evidence is derived predominantly from γ-sitosterol-containing plant extracts and studies of β-sitosterol, a close structural analogue, which report improvements in sperm parameters, testicular histology, oxidative stress, and reproductive outcomes. These findings support biological plausibility but cannot be attributed directly to purified γ-sitosterol. Dose-response evidence for purified γ-sitosterol remains insufficient to establish an optimal therapeutic dose. Clinical evidence also remains scarce, with no randomized controlled trials evaluating purified γ-sitosterol monotherapy in infertile men. Available human studies have primarily assessed multi-herbal formulations, limiting attribution of observed effects to gamma-sitosterol alone. Overall, γ-sitosterol remains a potential candidate for further investigation in male reproductive health; however, the limited direct evidence from purified γ-sitosterol prevents firm conclusions regarding its reproductive efficacy. Studies using purified γ-sitosterol, followed by adequately powered clinical trials, are required before its therapeutic role can be established.","interpretation_basis":null,"fulltext_status":null,"interpretation":null,"fulltext":{"available":false,"status":null,"reason":"尚未抓取全文（未入选、分数未达阈值，或还没跑 fulltext 步骤）","pmcid":null,"license":null,"chars":0,"source":null,"fetched_at":null}}