IN VITRO TREATMENT OF HAM'S F-10 MEDIUM SUPPLEMENTED WITH VITAMIN C AND E ON HUMAN SEMEN CHARACTERISTIC IN ASTHENOZOOSPERMIC MEN

Abstract

Background: The levels of reactive oxygen species are normally limited by antioxidant defense mechanisms such as vitamin C and E that are present within seminal plasma and sperm plasma membrane. The Supplementing infertile males with antioxidant vitamin C and E is suggested as a potential treatment for idiopathic male infertility.Objective: This study was designed to determine the effect of Ham's F-10 preparation medium supplemented with antioxidant vitamin C or E on semen samples prepared by conventional layering technique.Methods: Liquefied semen (1ml) was layered beneath Ham's F-10 (1ml) enriched with 0.75 mg/ml vitamin C or E after in vitro sperm processing. However, semen samples were collected from a total of 60 asthenozoospermic men by masturbation after 3-5 days abstinence and allowed to liquefy at 37ºC in 5% CO2 for 30 minutes and evaluated according to standard world health organization (WHO) criteria before and after in vitro sperm activation. The semen samples were divided into three groups, one group considered as a control group which had no antioxidant added, and the other two groups were prepared in the presence of antioxidant treatment (either vitamin C or vitamin E). Results: The supplementation of sperm preparation medium with vitamin C or vitamin E significantly (P<0.001) improved and augmented the seminal parameters including sperm concentration, sperm motility, progressive sperm motility, and normal sperm morphology when compared to that of the control group. Conclusion: It was concluded that supplementation of medium with antioxidant vitamin C or E actually improve sperm quality, but the better improvement appeared to be with vitamin C.Key words: Antioxidant, vitamin C, sperm preparation technique, asthenozoospermia