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Niloufar Darbandi

Niloufar Darbandi

Academic rank: Associate Professor
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6888-8745
Education: PhD.
ScopusId: 24075112300
HIndex:
Faculty: Science
Address: Arak University
Phone:

Research

Title
Impact of aluminium toxicity on vital human sperm parameters—Protective effects of silymarin
Type
JournalPaper
Keywords
aluminium, oxidative stress, silymarin, vital sperm parameters
Year
2020
Journal ANDROLOGIA
DOI
Researchers Masoumeh Aghashahi ، Hamid Reza Momeni ، Niloufar Darbandi

Abstract

Aluminium is an environmental pollutant which induces oxidative stress, while silymarin is a potent antioxidant. This study was conducted to investigate the possible protective effects of silymarin on adverse effects of aluminium chloride on vital sperm parameters as well as its effects on oxidative stress markers in human spermatozoa. Human spermatozoa were divided into 5 groups as follows: (a) spermatozoa at 0 hr; (b) spermatozoa at 180 min (control); (c) spermatozoa treated with aluminium chloride; (d) spermatozoa treated with silymarin + aluminium chloride; and (e) spermatozoa treated with silymarin. The sperm samples were used to assess sperm vital parameters such as acrosome and plasma membrane integrity, viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and motility as well as sperm malondialdehyde (MDA) level and the total antioxidant capacity. The percentage of acrosome and plasma membrane integrity, viability, MMP, motility and the total antioxidant capacity of spermatozoa treated with aluminium chloride significantly decreased compared with control group, while the level of MDA significantly increased compared with the control group. In the silymarin + aluminium chloride group, silymarin could significantly compensate the adverse effects of aluminium chloride on these parameters. Administration of silymarin alone significantly increased the percentage of acrosome and plasma membrane integrity, viability, motility and total antioxidant capacity, while significantly reduced MDA levels compared with the control group. Aluminium chloride by inducing oxidative stress exerts disastrous effects on the vital parameters of human spermatozoa and silymarin, as a potent antioxidant, could reverse the effects of aluminium chloride on these parameters.