Human seminal plasma nitric oxide: Correlation with sperm morphology and sperm count.

It has been proposed that nitric oxide plays an important role in male infertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of seminal plasma levels of nitric oxide (NO) with sperm morphology and concentration. Specimens were divided into groups: according to sperm count into normozoospermia (n=68) and oligozoospermia (n=48); according to sperm morphology into normal and abnormal morphology. NO activity was measured by Cortas and Winkind method utilising UV spectrophotometer. Mean NO concentrations in micromol/L were 35.27±12.14, 45.34±13.47 in normozoospermic and oligozoospermic group respectively. Mean NO concentrations in micromol/L were 36.75±11.58 and 46.79±11.58 in normal and abnormal morphology respectively. There was negative correlation between NO concentrations with sperm concentration and sperm morphology (%). This study suggests a possible role of NO in pathophysiology of male infertility.

Role of nitric oxide in male infertility.

It has been proposed that oxidative stress plays an important role in male infertility. Many environmental, physiological and genetic factors have been implicated in poor sperm function and infertility. Although there are some definite causes for male infertility still the term “Idiopathic Infertility” remains. Various studies are going on effect of oxidative stress on fertility potential of male which can be one of the causes of idiopathic infertility. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive oxidizing agent belonging to class of free radicals. Excessive generation of ROS in semen by leukocytes as well as by abnormal spermatozoa could be a cause of infertility because it leads to injury to spermatozoa.Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the reactive oxygen species that has been implicated in variety of physiologic cell signaling mechanisms in many tissues and is recognized as a molecule that importantly regulates the biology and physiology of reproductive function.The clinical significance of seminal oxidative stress is suggested by several independent studies indicating a link between peroxidative damage to human spermatozoa and the incidence of male infertility.

Serum enzymes changes after death & its correlation with time since death.

Estimation of time since death is one of the primary objectives of an autopsy. Forensic Scientists and researchers have been persevering hard to find out methods of accurate determination of postmortem interval since long. However, the concept of “Postmortem Clocking” so far seems to be a distant dream only. The favorite biological fluids, to study postmortem biochemical changes, have been those which withstand putrefactive changes for longer duration, like vitreous humor, cerebrospinal fluid, pericardial fluid etc. In blood, markers like electrolytes, urea, creatinine, glucose etc have been more commonly studied. Enthusiastic studies have been undertaken by various researchers to find out reasonably reliable methods of estimating postmortem interval by studying serial quantitative changes in serum levels of various enzymes and to extrapolate the data obtained therefore in terms of duration of death. However, the accuracy of such an opinion remains big area of concern even today, as the range of duration is mostly too wide to be practically useful.