P-83: Study The Effect of Oral Zinc Supplementation on The Stability of Sperm Membrane of Patients with Asthenospermia

Background: Since cellular membranes play key role in the physiological pathways of the cell, such as fertilization through almost every cellular function to cell division, it is very important to assess the structural and functional activity of the sperm membrane. In this study, a new method for measurement of sperm membrane stability measured the amount of zinc which liberated after being exposed to stress resulting from specific concentrations of mercury for a period of time. Membrane that resists or prevents liberation of zinc as a result to the existence of mercury is more stable than that which liberated zinc with high concentration due to the same effect and vice versa. Materials and Methods: Semen samples were obtained from 60 fertile and 60 subfertile men with asthenozoospermia between July 2011 to July 2012, from couples who consulted the infertility clinic of the Babil hospital of maternity (Hilla city/ Iraq). The subfertile group consists of the patients who were treated with zinc sulfate. Every participant took two capsules of zinc sulfate per day for three months (each one 220 mg). Semen samples were obtained (before and after zinc sulfate supplementation). After liquefaction seminal fluid at room temperature, routine semen analyses were performed. Stability of cell membrane was measured by using the method described above for a number of samples (37 fertile (age 31.4 ± 4.2 year) and 37 subfertile (age 32.3 ± 3.68 year) men with asthenozoospermia). Results: Stability of Sperm Membrane significantly decreases in infertile group (83.6 ± 4 %) when compared with healthy donor group (91 ± 5 %). The Stability of Sperm Membrane was significantly (p<0.005) increases (return to normal value) after zinc sulfate supplementation (89 ± 7 %). Conclusion: Zinc Supplementation increases the Stability of Sperm Membrane.