Abstract
Introduction: Male fertility disorder is attributed to oxidative stress, and β-alanine has antioxidant activity. Thus, this study aimed to determine the effect of β-alanine on semen antioxidant activity and sperm functional parameters in mice. Thus, this study aimed to determine the effect of β-alanine on semen antioxidant activity and sperm functional parameters in mice.
Methods: Eighteen male NMRI mice were allocated to 3 experimental groups. The control group had received no treatment, while mice in group 2 were exposed to morphine (2 mg/kg, i.p) for 21 days. In group 3, mice were co-exposed to morphine (2 mg/kg, i.p) and β-alanine (30 mg/kg, i.p) for 21 days. At the end of the study, the animals were sacrificed, and semen antioxidant activity as well as sperm functional parameters underwent investigation. According to the results, exposure to morphine significantly increased semen malondialdehyde (MDA) production but decreased glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant status (TAS levels) compared to the control group (P<0.05). Likewise, β-alanine substantially decreased the adverse effect of morphine on semen MDA levels, whereas it enhanced GPx, SOD, and TAS levels (P<0.05). Morphine exposure sharply decreased density while increasing immotile and non-progressive motility of the semen (P<0.05 β-alanine markedly increased density and sperm progressive motility (P<0.05). The percentage of sperm with normal morphology significantly decreased following morphine exposure (P<0.05), while supplementation of β-alanine remarkably increased percentage of the normal sperm (P<0.05). During morphine exposure, the percentage of sperm with abnormal head and tail considerably increased, while β-alanine decreased this percentage (P<0.05).
Results: According to the results, exposure to morphine significantly increased semen malondialdehyde (MDA) production but decreased glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant status (TAS levels) compared to the control group (P<0.05). Likewise, β-alanine substantially decreased the adverse effect of morphine on semen MDA levels, whereas it enhanced GPx, SOD, and TAS levels (P<0.05). Morphine exposure sharply decreased density while increasing immotile and non-progressive motility of the semen (P<0.05 β-alanine markedly increased density and sperm progressive motility (P<0.05). The percentage of sperm with normal morphology significantly decreased following morphine exposure (P<0.05), while supplementation of β-alanine remarkably increased percentage of the normal sperm (P<0.05). During morphine exposure, the percentage of sperm with abnormal head and tail considerably increased, while β-alanine decreased this percentage (P<0.05).
Conclusion: These results confirmed that β-alanine supplementation improves mouse sperm due to its antioxidant activity.