Objective: To compare the percentage of sperm tail membrane swelling under hypo-osmotic conditions between sperm treated with pentoxifylline and 2-deoxyadenosine

Design: Experimental in vitro study

Material and Method: Thirty normal semen samples from male partners of infertile couples were collected. After sperm preparation by two-layer Percoll gradient method, each sperm sample was divided into three specimens. Pentoxifylline and 2-deoxyadenosine were separately added into two specimens, while the third specimen was used as a control. Hypo-osmotic swelling test was performed in all specimens. Percentage of swollen spermatozoa in each specimen was evaluated.

Results: The mean percentage of swollen spermatozoa in the semen samples supplemented with pentoxifylline and 2-deoxyadenosine were both significantly higher than those in the control (82.8±7.7 and 83.0±9.5 vs 70.8±12.7; p<0.001). There was no significant differences of swollen spermatozoa between pentoxifylline and 2-deoxyadenosine (p = 0.898).

Conclusion: Addition of pentoxifylline and 2-deoxyadenosine to the sperm prepared by the two-layer Percoll gradient method can almost equally enhance the sperm membrane integrity. Therefore, it may be beneficial to add these compounds to sperm preparation for use in assisted reproduction.

Keywords: Pentoxifylline, 2-Deoxyadenosine, Hypo-osmotic swelling test, Percoll gradient