Abstract

To compare the effects of reduced glutathione which is an antioxidant and pentoxyfiline which is a phosphodi- esterase inhibitor on sperm functional tests, vitality and motility.

30 infertile couple who attended to Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, In-Vitro Fertilization Center were included in this study. Every semen sample taken for sperm washing process were divided into three and incubated with glutat- hione (10 umol), pentoxyfilline (1 mg/ml) and glutathione * pentoxyfilline (10 umol * I mg/ml) respectively. Befo- re and after the sperm washing process, hypoosmotic swelling test, acrosome reaction test (AR test), sperm-human oocyte penetration test (SHOP) results and motility were compared.

There was an increase and the difference was statistically significant, when motility, vitality and AR test re- sults were compared before and after the incubation with glutathione, pentoxyfilline and glutathione * pentoxyfilli- ne. The increase was more obvious With glutathione * pentoxyfilline combination. Four of twelve patients with ne- gative SHOP test became positive after incubation jith glutathione * pentoxyfilline, while only one SHOP test beca- me posilive in each other groups.

This study revealed that stimulation of sperm with glutathione * pentoxyfilline combination has increased sperm motility and improved sperm function test resujts better than glutathione and pentoxyfiline alone. Therefore, we think that it may be helpful to use glutathione * pentoxyfilline combination to increase sperm motility and sup-

port capacitization during assisted reproductive technigues.