Antioxidant effect of vitamin c and polyphenol in testis and spermatozoa.

Oxidative stress due to excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been associated with defective sperm function and infertility. ROS form in the tissue injury in liver, brain, lung, testis and other organs. Organisms have developed many defense mechanisms to protect themselves from injuries by ROS. The small molecule antioxidants, such as Vit C and Vit E are able to interact with oxidizing radicals directly. Also tea catechin and polyphenols have been found to be efficient scavengers of free radicals in a number of in vitro systems. This study was conducted to determine whether treatment with Vit C and polyphenol protects porcine spermatozoa by inhibiting ROS generation induced by xanthine-xanthine oxidase system (X-XO), changes spermatogenesis and antioxidant activity of testis in Vit C deficiency guinea pigs. The first model received Vit C-free diet with low level Vit C water in orally (Vit C 50%). The second model was dieted with rich Vit C 100%, and the third model received Vit C-free diet. The extended porcine semen served as a control, the extended semen was treated with X-XO and the treatment semen supplemented with Vit C (0.0025%) and polyphenol (0.01%). The percentage of motile spermatozoa was evaluated by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and viability, hypoosmotic swelling test (HOST) and chlorteracycline/Hochest 258 (CTC staining) was evaluated as parameters of sperm function test. The increased round spermatid (model 1, 397.89 : 348.72, model 2, 255.90 : 430.87, model 3, 431.90 : 345.61 : 400.88 x 10E6 spermatids /g testis tissue) and glutathione(GSH) level (model 1, 14.89 : 17.18, model 2, 10.18 : 9.78, model 313.59 : 15.11 : 14.00 mM GSH/g testis tissue) in the treatment polyphenol in vivo has shown in this investigation. The low level of lipid peroxidation in three models has shown (model 1, 42.32 : 21.70, model 2, 20.22 : 12.57, model 3, 8.22 : 7.46 : 8.74 muM MDA/g testis tissue). There was no significant difference total antioxidant status in the testis, liver and serum of guinea pig. The porcine sperm motility was significantly increased by the addition of Vit C and polyphenol, it could not be reached to the percentage of catalase addition. There was no significant difference between the treatment groups in liquid semen storage effect by the addition of Vit C and polyphenol. The data suggest that the addition of Vit C and polyphenol might reduce oxidative stress by ROS generation was sufficient to overcome by these antioxidants.