Effect of Aqueous Carica Papaya Seed Extract on Human Sperm In Vitro

Background: Carica papaya seeds are used in traditional medicineas a male contraceptive. Researchers have investigated itseffects in various animals such as dogs, rats and monkeys invivo showing contraceptive effects.Materials and Methods: C. papaya seeds were washed, driedand ground to powder. Then, ۵g of this powder were extractedwith ۲۰۰ ml of distilled water heated at ۷۰ºC for ۷۲ hours. Theextract was subsequently filtered, frozen at -۲۰ºC and freezedried.Motile human sperm were obtained from ۳۵ healthydonors. Sperm were isolated by means of swim-up and thenincubated for ۶۰ minutes in Human Tubular Fluid Medium containing۱% bovine serum albumin with different concentrations(zero [control], ۰.۰۲۵, ۰.۲۵, ۲.۵, ۲۵, ۲۵۰ and ۲۵۰۰ μg/ml) of theextract. Vitality, various motion parameters, the percentage ofsperm producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrialmembrane potential (MMP), DNA fragmentation, capacitationand acrosome reaction were determined.Results: Results show that sperm motion parameters such as totalmotility, VSL, LIN, STR and BCF did not change comparedto the control. Whereas, progressive motility, VCL, VAP andthe percentage of hyper-activated sperm decreased significantly(P<۰.۰۵). Furthermore, while no difference was observed forthe percentages of vitality, ROS-positive sperm, capacitationand acrosome reaction, the extract caused significant changes inthe percentages of MMP and DNA-fragmented sperm (P<۰.۰۵).Conclusion: Aqueous C. papaya seed extract affects progressivemotility, VCL, VAP, hyper-activation, MMP and DNAfragmentation. However, total motility, VSL, LIN, STR andBCF alongside the vitality and ROS were not affected.

کلیدواژه ها:

Carica Papaya ، Human Sperm ، Contraceptive ، in vitro