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

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the correlation of antioxidant system and reactive oxygen species with clinical parameters in infertile semen samples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 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. RESULTS: Of fifty semen samples there were 12 normospermic (sperm concentration ≥15 × 10(6)/ml of ejaculates), 24 asthenospermic (sperm motility ≤32%), and 14 oligospermic (sperm concentration ≤15 × 10(6)/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. CONCLUSION: 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.