Ethnopharmacological relevance: Yangjing capsule (YC), a traditional Chinese compound herbal preparation, has been proven as an effective drug to improve spermatogenesis in the clinical setting, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood.The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of Yangjing capsule (YC) on the spermatogenesis and the underlying mechanisms in a mouse model of spermatogenesis dysfunction.Materials and Methods: The mice were continuously treated with CP (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) for 7 days to induce the dysfunction of spermatogenesis.In the subsequent 30 days, the mice received treatment with YC.At the end of the treatment,characteristics of sperm, reproductive organ index, histopathology, serum testosterone levels, and androgen receptor (AR) were examined.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2 were analyzed to detect the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells.Results: YC stimulated the recovery of testis and epididymal injury, increased the sperm count and motility, and body weight as well as the organ index of testis and epididymis.Results from TUNEL assay showed that treatment with YC significantly decreased the elevated rate of apoptosis of spermatogenic cell induced by CP.Treatment with YC also decreased the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expression levels.Moreover, YC remarkably upregulated the mRNA and protein expression levels of AR in the testicular tissue.Conclusions: YC can ameliorate spermatogenesis in male mice exposed to CP,probably by inhibiting the apoptosis of spermatogenic cell and enhancing the actions of testosterone in spermatogenesis.Therefore, YC might be considered as an alternative therapeutic remedy for male infertility.