title: The effects of melatonin on sperm motility in vitro in Wistar rats.
abstract: The effects of physiological concentrations of melatonin on motility of spermatozoa from Wistar rats were assessed in vitro. Melatonin had dose-dependent negative effects on sperm forward progression, the quality of sperm motility and on a sperm motility index. Some, but not all of these effects were due to ethanol (0.5% final concentration) which was used as a solvent for melatonin. Addition of ethanol to the incubation medium altered the pH, and increased pH had a significant negative effect on all aspects of sperm motility. Finally, the overlay of oil, which is a routine part of many sperm culture systems, had an ameliorating effect that was probably because of the lipophilic nature of melatonin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa. g98g5421@campus.ru.ac.za
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gwayi
authors.forename: R T F
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Bernard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin