Research
Effects of Adding Human Follicular Fluid and Pentoxifylline on IUI Outcome of Asthenozoospermic Patients
Background: Although there are many motility stimulants have been found to play an important role in improving the active sperm motility and morphologically normal sperm (MNS) percentages when added in vitro with the culture medium for semen ,the results of pregnancy rate following intra-uterine insemination (IUI)still not exceed 20% . Objective: This study is a trial to improve the results of pregnancy rate following IUI by adding the follicular fluid (FF),and pentoxifylline (PX) to the culture medium used for preparation of asthenozoospermic semen samples. Subjects, Material and methods: Ninety five infertile couples were involved in the current study (asthenozoospermic male partners with intact spouses) divided into three groups according to the sperm stimulants which were used for in vitro sperm activation followed by intrauterine insemination technique. Group one was FF-treated semen samples and consists of 40 couples, group two was FF+PX-treated semen samples and consists of 25 couples and lastly, group three was Ham's F-12 culture medium as a control group and consists of 30 couples. All the couples were followed up for determining outcome of pregnancy after IUI was done. Results: Out of the all 95 couples, 22 pregnancies (23.15%) were resulted following IUI. The best results were obtained by group one (FF treated group) in which out of 40 cases enrolled in this group, 12 pregnancies (30%) were resulted following IUI. Regarding group two (FF+PX treated group), out of 25 cases enrolled in this group, 5 women (20%) were pregnant following IUI. Regarding group three (Ham's F-12 treated group), out of 30 cases enrolled in this group, 5 women (16.67%) were pregnant following IUI. Conclusion: Adding FF to culture media for in vitro sperm activation was associated with a higher pregnancy rate following IUI than other treated culture media.
DNA Normality Following In Vitro Sperm Preparation with Pentoxifylline and L-Carnitine for Asthenozoospermic Infertile Men
Background: Sperm cells from infertile patients have poor motility and defected DNA. Pentoxifylline (PX) and Lcarnitine (LC) are added in the medium for in vitro activation to increase sperm motility and improve the pregnancy outcome. However, there are few studies about the effect of PX with LC medium on sperm DNA normality. Objective: The goal of this study is to found out the optimum medium can increase the active motility percentage and reduce sperm DNA damage for asthenozoospermic men using the motility stimulant substances, PX and LC for this purpose. Methods: Semen was collected from 100 infertile men involved in the current study. Each semen sample was divided into four portions. One part was considered as a control group and in vitro activated by using culture medium only. The other portions were considered as treated groups and in vitro activated by adding PX (1mg) and/or LC (0.5mg) to the culture medium. Certain sperm function parameters were examined before and following in vitro activation using layering technique. Sperms DNA damage was detected by using acridine orange (AO) test. Results: The results revealed a highly significant (P<0.01) increment in the mean of sperm concentration (m/ml) percentage of progressive sperm motility grade (A), grade (B) and grade (A+B) and the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (MNS) after using PX and/or LC medium in comparison with control medium .As well as, a highly significant (P<0.001) increase in the percentage of sperm normal DNA by using AO test. Conclusion: It was concluded from the results of the present study that using layering technique with adding PX and/or LC to the culture medium resulting in an improvement in certain sperm function parameters and in the percentage of sperm normal DNA of asthenozoospermic men.
In Vitro Sperm Preparation by Progesterone, Pentoxifylline and Glycyrrhiza Glabra for Asthenozoospermic Men
Background: Results of artificial insemination (AI) still does not exceed 20-25% because of different factors one of them is male factor infertility. Therefore, the global companies concern on the culture media that used for activation of semen samples of infertile men. However, till now, there are many semen samples did not response to these media leading to failure in AI. The objective of this study is to improve certain sperm function parameters in vitro of asthenoteratospermic patients by using novel combination motility stimulants substances that improved medium to be used for assisted reproductive technologies (such as artificial insemination) in future. One hundred asthenozoospermic patients are involved in this study. They are divided randomly into equal four groups. Each semen sample had been divided into two parts. One part was considered as a control by using Ham’s F10 medium and the other part is considered as treated group by adding the following substances in combination; Pentoxifylline (PF) 1mg/ml, Progesterone (P) 0.409 mg/ml and Glycyrrhiza glabra (Gg) 1mg/ml in the following groups. Group 1:PF and Gg, Group2: PF and P,Group3: Gg and P, and Group4:PF,Gg and P. Sperm function parameters are examined before and following in vitro preparation using wash and spin technique. The results revealed highly significant increment (P<0.01) in the percentage of total active sperm motility grades (a+b) and forward progressive sperm motility grade (a) with a significant improvement (P<0.05) in the percentage of progressive sperm motility grade (b) and morphologically normal sperm when using PF and Gg medium in comparison with control medium and other combination medium following 10, 30 and 60 minutes incubation The pentoxifylline is a phosphodiestrase inhibitor of the methylxanthine group which inhibit the degradation of cAMP of the sperm and increase the influx of Ca++ inside the sperm cell leading to increase the sperm motility. The Gg is a herbal plant th
