Relationship of antioxidant system and reactive oxygen species with clinical semen parameters in infertile men

To determine the correlation of antioxidant system and reactive oxygen species with clinical parameters in infertile semen samples.

Semen sample of fifty infertile men were divided into three groups: (1) Group I - Normospermic (count >15 million/ml), Group II - Asthenospermic (motility <32%), and Group III - Oligospermic (counts <15 million/ml) subjects based on the sperm count and sperm motility. The samples were also divided into two groups: (1) Group IV with semen pH >7.2 (25 samples) and Group V - Semen pH <7.2 (25 samples). The grouping was based on the WHO guideline for semen analysis (12). The semen antioxidant parameters like glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) (spectrophotometric method Kornberg and Horecker, 1955). Catalase (Maehly and Chance 1954), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) (Rotruck method), glutathione (GSH) (dithiobisnitro-benzoate method), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (direct method), and malondialdehyde (MDA) (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay kit method) were investigated. Mann-Whitney U-test was applied to compare the findings.

Of fifty semen samples there were 12 normospermic (sperm concentration ≥15 × 10⁶/ml of ejaculates), 24 asthenospermic (sperm motility ≤32%), and 14 oligospermic (sperm concentration ≤15 × 10⁶/ml of ejaculates) subjects. Results suggested that all asthenospermic males were found to have reduced motility and viability when compared with normospermic and oligospermic subjects. Activity of antioxidant parameters such as G-6-PDH, GPX, GSH, and SOD was decreased in case of asthenospermic subjects. The concentration of MDA was increased significantly (P < 0.001) in semen of asthenospermic subjects compared to normospermic and oligospermic subjects.

The current study concludes that there is a significant relationship of ROS and semen parameters. Further studies will be needed in such subjects regarding role of effectiveness of dietary antioxidants in improving semen qualities.