P-159: Effect of Silymarin on Viability, Motility and Mitochondrial Memberane Potential of Ram Spermatozoa Treated with Aluminum Chloride

Background: Aluminum, as an environmental pollutant, can exert oxidative stress on spermatogenesis and sperm morphology. Silymarin, an effective substance extracted from Silybum marianum, is a potent antioxidant which inhibits oxidative stress. Due to the damaging effects of aluminum on the male reproductive system as well as sperm and the role of silymarin, this study was performed to investigate if silymarin can prevent the adverse effects of aluminum chloride on viability, motility and mitochondrial membrane potential in ram sperm. Materials and Methods: Farahani's ram sperm is divided into five groups: 1. sperm at 0 hour, 2. sperm at 180 minutes (control), 3. sperm treated with aluminum chloride (0.5 mM), 4. sperm treated with silymarin (0.5 μM) + aluminum chloride (0.5 mM), and 5. sperm treated with silymarin (0.5 μM). The treatments were done for 180 minutes. In order to evaluate viability and mitochondrial membrane potential in the sperm, MTT ((3-4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltenyltetrazolium bromide) and Rhodamine 123 staining were used respectively. Sperm motility was done according to World Health Organization (WHO) protocol. Data were analyzed with one way ANOVA followed with Tukey's test. Results: The percentage of sperm viability, progressive motility and intact mitochondrial membrane potential were significantly decreased in aluminum chloride group compared to the control. In silymarin + aluminum chloride group, silymarin could compensate the adverse effects of aluminum chloride on the sperm parameters compared to aluminum chloride group Conclusion: Aluminum chloride has toxic effect on ram sperm viability, motility and intact mitochondrial membrane potential and silymarin is able to compensate the adverse effect of aluminum chloride on these sperm parameters.