Search

OBJECTIVE: Male infertility is a wide spread disease among couple of childbearing age. Spermatozoa are highly susceptible to oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are capable of damaging the sperm membrane and DNA, inducing lipid peroxidation and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF). Antioxidant supplementation is currently suggested after a complete diagnostic work-up, as recognized by the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS). Indeed, it has been showed to improve sperm quality, DNA fragmentation and pregnancy rate. The administration of Serenoa repens extracts (SrE), including free fatty acids (FFA), methyl and ethyl esters, glycerides, flavonoids and sterols, has never been investigated for male infertility. However, their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties provide the rational for their possible effectiveness. The aim of this review was to collect all the evidence supporting the potential usefulness of SrE, alone or in combination with other molecules with proven antioxidant effects, like selenium and lycopene (along with which they are often commercialized), to improve sperm parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search was performed using Pubmed, MEDLINE, Cochrane, Academic One Files, Google Scholar and Scopus databases. The search strategy included the following key words: Serenoa repens, selenium, lycopene, oligozoospermia, oxidative stress, DNA fragmentation, male infertility, pregnancy rate. CONCLUSIONS: By triggering multiple inflammatory and oxidative pathways, the combined administration of SrE, selenium and lycopene might likely improve the sperm quality. Proper studies are needed to test this hypothesis. Finally, since prostatitis can affect the sperm quality and considering the anti-estrogenic properties of SrE, we speculate about a possible specific indication in those patients with male infertility and “metabolic” prostatitis (where obesity and abnormal androgen/estrogen ratio concomitantly occur). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myo-inositol (MYO) usually represents a therapeutic option for female infertility associated with insulin resistance. Recently, several evidences are accumulating about the potential use of MYO for the treatment of male infertility. This article summarizes the rationale for MYO in the treatment of male infertility. In particular, it illustrates the potential antioxidant and prokinetic role of MYO, and its importance for the modulation of hormonal regulation. In the final part of the manuscript has been added a proposal for a clinical algorithm reserved for patients with asthenozoospermia, where probably MYO could exert specific pharmacological effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Inositol is a component of the vitamin B complex. Myo-inositol (MYO) is the most biologically important form in nature. It is involved in several systemic processes and in mechanisms of signal transduction in the plasma membrane as precursor of second messengers. On the male reproductive function, MYO appears to regulate seminal plasma osmolarity and volume; the expression of proteins essential for embryogenetic development and sperm chemiotaxis; and sperm motility, capacitation, and acrosome reaction. Recently, a seminal antioxidant action has also been suggested. Aim of the Study: To evaluate the effects of MYO on sperm mitochondrial function and apoptosis. Materials and Methods: Spermatozoa isolated from 5 normozoospermic men and from 7 patients with oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia (OAT) were incubated in-vitro with 2 mg/ml of MYO or placebo (control) for 2 hours. After this incubation period, the following sperm parameters were evaluated by flow cytometry: mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) by JC-1 staining; phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization by annexin V and propidium iodide double staining; and chromatin compactness following propidium iodide staining. Results: MYO did not affect the mitochondrial function of spermatozoa isolated from normozoospermic men, whereas it increased significantly the number of spermatozoa with high MMP and decreased significantly the number of those with low MMP in OAT patients. No effect of MYO was observed on PS externalization and chromatin compactness in both normozoospermic men and OAT patients. Conclusion: The data suggest that MYO is able to ameliorate mitochondrial function in OAT patients. We conclude that this compound may be useful for the treatment of male infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptorchidism is the most frequent defect of the male urogenital tract at birth. It represents a risk factor for primitive testiculopathy associated with long-term complications (infertility, testicular neoplasia, and hormonal changes). An only consensus exists: "children with bilateral cryptorchidism who are not treated in early age are certainly set to become infertile". The majority of Authors agrees that the cryptorchid testicle will be in for structural and functional alterations and the rate of infertility is inversely proportional to the age at the time of orchidopexy. Cryptorchidism causes secretory primitive testicular pathology responsible for infertility. It is correlated to a non-specific severe histopathological pattern that can be useful to predict future infertility at the moment of orchidopexy. Also cryptorchidism represents the major risk factor associated with germ cell testicular neoplasia (5-10 times more probably than a normal testicle) due to genetic, hormonal, environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]