Protective effect of l-carnitine on sperm motility and membrane integrity in men with asthenoteratozoospermia: a brief report

چکیده مقاله

Abstract Background: Sperm preparation is a time-consuming process that contributes to oxidative stress induction in assisted reproductive techniques, which can be prevented by using antioxidants to an acceptable extent. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of L-carnitine on sperm parameters during semen preparation at different time intervals. Methods: In this in vitro study, the semen samples of 50 asthenoteratozoospermic men were divided into control and L-carnitine groups (incubated with 0.5 mg/mL of L-carnitine; n=25 each). Total motility, progressive motility, sperm membrane integrity (by the hypo-osmotic swelling test), and lipid peroxidation (by the malondialdehyde level) were assessed in each group after 2, 4, and 6 hours. Afterward, the samples were analyzed by the World Health Organization (2010) criteria. The data were statistically analyzed via SPSS software. Results: In the control group, total and progressive motility after 2 hr and the membrane integrity of the sperm were significantly decreased after 4 hr (P=0.028, P=0.019, and P=0.025, respectively), while malondialdehyde levels significantly increased after 4 hr (P=0.018). Sperm parameters in the L-carnitine group increased significantly after 2 hr, such as total motility (P=0.028), progressive motility (P<0.019), and sperm membrane integrity (P<0.025), while malondialdehyde levels significantly decreased compared to the control group in 6 hr (P<0.001 vs. P=0.045). Conclusion: L-carnitine can conserve the motility and sperm membrane integrity of sperm from the hazardous impact of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation during sperm preparation.