Introduction: Spermatozoa are extremely vulnerable to oxidative stress caused by the unbalance between concentrations of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant scavenging systems present inside the male reproductive tract. In spite of a large number of clinical studies that claimed the beneficial effects of antioxidant oral administration on sperm physiology and fertility, only a few studies were addressed to evaluate their effects on spermatozoa in vitro. In sperm cells, the majority of Co-enzyme Q10, an energy promoting agent and antioxidant, is concentrated in the mitochondria of the midpiece, so that the energy for movement and all other energy-dependent processes in the sperm cell also depend on the availability of Co-enzyme Q10.
Main aims of the present study were to assess the influence of adding CoQ10 to a sperm preparation medium on the functional parameters of the spermatozoa.
Methods: Semen samples, obtained from 30oligoasthenospermia patients were enrolled in this study.
Spermatozoa were washed with Ham’s F-10 media containing 10% human serum albumin and the antioxidant, Co-enzyme Q10 which is the most important antioxidant inside the mitochondria, at various concentrations, and then the motility, Viability and DNA fragmentation of the spermatozoa were assessed.
Results: The addition of this antioxidant to the sperm preparation medium significantly improved the motility and viability of the spermatozoa compared with the control group. Moreover, Co-enzyme Q10 also decreased the DNA fragmentation rate of the spermatozoa. Main results declared that in the specimen, total and progressive sperm motility is maintained by in vitro treatment with CoQ10 whereas a significant decrease of these parameters occurs in parallel samples incubated in medium alone.
Conclusion: Supplementing sperm preparation medium with antioxidant significantly improved the
overall functional parameters of the spermatozoa.
Keywords: Sperm parameters, Antioxidant therapy, DNA fragmentation, CoQ10