Ginseng for improving semen quality parameters: A protocol of systematic review

BACKGROUND: The aim of this systematic review is to determine whether ginseng is effective in improving sperm quality. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Twelve databases will be searched from their inception to the present date: PubMed, EMBASE, AMED, the Cochrane Library, 5 Korean medical databases (KoreaMed, DBpia, OASIS, the Research Information Service System [RISS], and the Korean Studies Information Service System [KISS]), and 3 Chinese medical databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], the Wanfang Database, and the Chinese Scientific Journals Database [VIP]). We will include all prospective clinical trials including randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled trials, and uncontrolled observational studies. We will exclude case study and case series, and retrospective studies in which healthy men or men with subfertility are treated with any type of ginseng. We will exclude studies comparing the 2 different forms of ginseng. The selection of the studies, data abstraction, and validations will be performed independently by 2 researchers. The risk of bias of the RCTs will be evaluated using the Cochrane's risk of bias assessment tool. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The findings will be disseminated to appropriate audiences via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Our review will provide readers the opportunity to access studies originally published in East Asian languages that they would otherwise be unable to read. Trial registration number: PROSPERO 2017 CRD42017078797