INFLUENCE OF PENTOXIFYLLINE ON HUMAN SPERM MOTILITY IN ASTHENOZOOSPERMIC INDIVIDUALS USING COMPUTER-ASSISTED ANALYSIS

This study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro effects of pentoxify lline on sperm motility from asthenozoospermic men. The sperm were pre pared by a swim-up technique from the unprocessed semen. After centrif ugation, sperm were resuspended in the presence or absence (controls) of 3.6 mM pentoxifylline in Earle's solution for up to 180 min. Sperm motility was measured using computer-assisted (Hamilton-Thom Research) semen analysis. Pentoxifylline significantly increased the numbers of motile (+28-80%) and progressively motile (+54-117%) sperm over the 1 80 min studied. These changes were accompanied by increases in the pro gressive velocity (VSL, +11-44%) and curvilinear velocity (VCL, +12-22 %) up to 120 min after exposure to the drug. Concomitant changes were observed in the amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH, +5-17%) u p to 60 min and the beat cross frequency (+16-34%) between 60 and 180 min. The results suggest that pentoxifylline consistently enhances bot h the numbers of motile and progressively motile sperm and the quality of their movement.