Role of total antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation in fertile and infertile men

Aim of the present study is to investigate the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and lipid peroxidation end product, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in seminal plasma of fertile and infertile men and its relationship with different spermatozoa parameters. Semen samples were collected from 15 fertile men (normozoospermic as control) and 40 infertile men (15 oligozoospermic, 17 asthenozoospermic, and 8 oligoasthenozoospermic). With the semen sample, investigation was done for volume, total sperm counts, sperm motility grading and abnormal sperm morphology. In all cases TAC and MDA levels were measured spectrophotometrically. Mean antioxidant capacity of control group was found to be higher (2.41 ± 0.07) compared to oligozoospermic (1.73 ± 0.03), asthenozoospermic (1.63 ± 0.08) and oligoasthenozoospermic (1.48 ± 0.04) groups. MDA levels were significantly higher in three infertile groups in comparison to normozoospermic group. MDA level was negatively associated to sperm motility (-0.24) and sperm count (-0.35). There was a positive correlation between lipid peroxidation and the percentage of abnormal morphology. Present study suggested that decreased antioxidant capacity in the infertile group might be due to either increased ROS production or insufficient antioxidant capacity. Sperm motility increased with increased level of ROS production in the infertile groups. It was observed that increased MDA levels in the abnormal groups were associated with lipid peroxidation on sperm function. This study has correlated the degree of lipid peroxidation with sperm viability in infertile patients.