Role of metformin in male oxidative stress infertility (MOSI): An in vitro experimental study

The study aimed to determine the in-vitro effect of metformin on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of seminal samples of infertile male subjects. It was conducted from January to June 2022 on forty-four seminal plasma samples collected from male infertile patients, age ranging from 18 to 55 years. All 44 semen samples were treated as three distinct groups: (i) a control group (ii) a study group subjected to oxidative stress (OS) induction and (iii) a test group exposed to OS induction and subsequent treatment with metformin. OS was introduced by using commercially available 100μM hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and incubated for twenty-four hours at 37^ºC. After that 1 ml of 100 mmol/l concentration of commercially available Metformin (PHR 1331, CAS: 461-58-5) was administered to test group samples for additional 24h at 37^ºC. Low levels of TAC were observed after OS induction in comparison to the control group (p=0.01). In test samples (after treatment with Metformin), a positive correlation of TAC with sperm count, normal sperm morphology and sperm motility were observed however, results were not significant. The antioxidant effect of Metformin was shown to improve the antioxidant capacity of OS induced samples and their sperm parameters in seminal plasma of infertile male subjects.