ABSTRACT
Background: Neopterin is a significant and sensitive marker in estimating the activity of cellular immune system. Oxidative stress plays a role in the etiology of male infertility. Increased reactive oxygen species is accompanied with increase in neopterin level. Hence neopterin may be involved in male infertility
Objective: The objective of this case-control study was to determine neopterin level in idiopathic infertile and normospermic men; furthermore, to identify its relationship with oxidative stress markers including total oxidant, malondialdehyde, sperm DNA fragmentation, and total antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma
Materials and Methods: Forty seven infertile and forty three normospermic males were selected according to WHO criteria. Their semen and blood samples were taken; subsequently, the levels of neopterin, total oxidant, total antioxidant, malondialdehyde, and sperm DNA fragmentation were measured
Results: The levels of neopterin, total oxidant, and malondialdehyde in seminal plasma of infertile males were significantly higher than those of normospermic group [p=0.038, 0.018, and 0.028, respectively]. Furthermore, sperm DNA fragmentation in infertile men was higher than that of control group [p<0.001]. Moreover, total antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma in infertile males was significantly lower than that of normospermic subjects [p=0.002]. No significant difference was observed in serum neopterin, total oxidant, and malondialdehyde between the infertile and normospermic groups
Conclusion: The significant inverse correlation between seminal plasma neopterin and total antioxidant in the infertile males supports a possible role of neopterin in male infertility. Neopterin can be suggested as a marker in monitoring and diagnosis of idiopathic male infertility
ABSTRACT
To determine the efficacy of different antiseptic solutions [Control group [I], Antibiotic solution [II], Chlorhexidine 0.4% [III], and povidone - iodine 10% [IV]] in sterilizing contaminated osteochondral plugs. Under sterile conditions, the femoral head and condyles of 20 rabbits were removed and cut into equal osteochondral pieces. A total of 200 osteochondral specimens were obtained. All 200 specimens were dropped on the operating room floor for fifteen seconds and assigned to one of four experimental groups. Group I samples were cultured after washing with normal saline solution [Control group]. In other three groups, prior to culturing process, samples were placed in an antibiotic solution after washing with normal saline [Neomycin and Polymyxin] [group II], Chlorhexidine 0.4% [group III], and povidone - iodine 10% [group IV], respectively. In group I, 25 of 50 specimens had positive cultures. Of 50 specimens of group II, III and IV, no positive cultures were found after 10 days. all three agents including antibiotic solution, povidone-iodine 10% and chlorhexidine 0.4% seem effective in sterilizing the contaminated osteochondral samples. According to the literature, povidone-iodine has no negative effect on the cartilage metabolism and seems to be a proper choice of decontaminating solution for osteochondral plugs.To the best of the authors' knowledge, such a study on the contaminated osteochondral specimen has not been previously reported in the literature