[Effects of inhaled anesthetics on human sperm motility in vitro].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of inhaled anesthetics on human sperm motility in vitro.


METHODS
Sperm samples were obtained from 20 healthy men by masturbation and prepared by the swim-up technique. The effects of isoflurane and sevoflurane at the clinical concentration (1.4%-5.6%) and high concentration (5.6%-84%) on human sperm motility in vitro were observed at 25 degrees C by the computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA).


RESULTS
The sperm vitality and motility were significantly increased on 0.5-4 h exposure to isoflurane at the clinical concentration and decreased gradually at high concentration (42%-84%). The effect of isoflurane on human sperm motility and vitality at the clinical concentration was reversible when the anesthetic withdrawn. Sevoflurane had no effects on human sperm motility and vitality at either the clinical or high concentration.


CONCLUSIONS
Isoflurane has a reversible increasing effect at the clinical concentration and a significant decreasing effect at the high concentration on the motility and vitality of human sperm, while sevoflurane does not affect human sperm motility and vitality at either concentration.
Wang
Li-Jun
LJ
Department of Anesthesiology, Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
Wang
Xiao-Hai
XH
Sun
Hui-Jin
HJ
Xu
Bo
B
D000328:Adult; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D007530:Isoflurane