Protective effects of curcumin on human sperm parameters during cryopreservation

Background: Sperm cryopreservation is a critical technique for preserving male fertility; however, this process often leads to a decline in sperm quality. Antioxidants, particularly curcumin, have been proposed to alleviate structural and molecular damage associated with cryopreservation. This study aims to investigate the effects of pre-treatment with curcumin at varying concentrations (۰, ۲۰, ۵۰, and ۱۰۰ μM) on the parameters of frozen-thawed human sperm. Methods: Semen samples were collected from twenty-five normozoospermic men. Each sample was divided into five equal aliquots: one fresh control group and four frozen-thawed groups supplemented with curcumin at concentrations of ۰, ۲۰, ۵۰, and ۱۰۰ μM. Pre-cryopreservation and post-thaw assessments were conducted to evaluate sperm quality parameters, including chromatin condensation, mitochondrial activity, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and DNA fragmentation. Results: Cryopreservation resulted in a significant decrease in sperm quality. Notably, curcumin supplementation enhanced chromatin condensation and MMP, with the most pronounced effects observed at a concentration of ۵۰ µM, which exhibited the highest

کلیدواژه ها:

Curcumin ، Sperm cryopreservation ، Antioxidants ، Sperm quality ، Chromatin condensation ، Mitochondrial activity ، DNA fragmentation