Effect of reserpine on fertilizing capacity of human spermatozoa

Abstract

The effect of reserpine at various concentrations (2 × 10 −6, 2 × 10 −7, 2 × 10 −8, 2 × 10 −9 and 2 × 10 −10M) on the in vitro fertilizing capacity of human spermatozoa was studied. Spermatozoa collected from presumably fertile men were washed in BWW medium and incubated with different concentrations of reserpine for 5 hr before insemination of the zona-free hamster ova. The spermatozoal penetration of the zona-free hamster ova was scored 6 hr later and the results were analyzed statistically. Reserpine, at all the concentrations tested, caused a significant dose-dependent decrease in the penetration of the denuded hamster ova in comparison to the control (p <0.05). The percent motility of spermatozoa decreased as a function of time during the preincubation period to initiate spermatozoal capacitation but there were no significant differences in the values between the control and the reserpine — treated spermatozoa (p >0.05). These findings indicate that reserpine can affect the fertilizing capacity of human spermatozoa in vitro and provide an additional evidence to suggest the prospective use of reserpine as a vaginal contraceptive.