O-4: Protective Effect of Silymarin on Sperm Viability and Chromatin Packing in Varicocele-Induced Rats

Background: Varicocele has been repeatedly implicated as a cause of infertility in selected men. Previous studies have showed high levels of seminal oxidative stress, as evidenced by increased levels of ROS and reduced total antioxidant capacity in varicocele men, suggesting that sperm dysfunction in varicocele patients may be partly related to oxidative stress. Thus current study was designed to evaluate the effect of slymarin on varicocele-induced oxidative stress and to analyze sperm viability and motility. Materials and Methods: Eighteen Mature male Wister rats divided into 3 groups as; control-sham (left varicocele induced for 42 days), Varicocele+SMN-administrated (50 mg/kg/day for 42 days, orally) group and control group. The testicular malondialdehyde (MDA) was evaluated. Aniline-blue and Eosin-nigrosin staining techniques were performed in order to evaluate sperm nuclear maturity (Chromatin packing) and viability respectively. Results: Biochemical analyses showed that the MDA level significantly (p<0.05) increased in varicocelized rats and slymarin administration remarkably reduced MDA level. Light microscopic observations revealed that, the percentage of viable sperms and as well the percentage of sperms with matured nuclei significantly (p<0.05) increased in slymarin-administrated group. Meanwhile in varicocelized rats the sperm viability and nuclear maturity remarkably (p<0.05) decreased in comparison to control and slymarin-received groups. Conclusion: Slymarin as antioxidant compound can fairly protect sperm viability by reducing varicoceleinduced oxidative stress. The results also indicated that slymarin decreases free radicals detrimental effects on sperm DNA by increasing sperm nuclear maturity rate.