title: Lycopene improves the distorted ratio between AA/DHA in the seminal plasma of infertile males and increases the likelihood of successful pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Male infertility has been associated with imbalance in the polyunsaturated fatty acids arachidonic acid/docosahexaenoic acid (AA/DHA) ratio. This study aimed to assess whether use of the potent antioxidant, lycopene, would affect this imbalance in seminal plasma and to test whether modulation of the AA/DHA ratio correlates with male fertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 44 males from infertile couples who were treated with lycopene for three months before scheduled IVF treatment. The control group was 13 fertile males who were also treated with lycopene for three months. AA and DHA levels were measured in seminal plasma before and after treatment. The outcome of IVF treatment after lycopene use in of males from infertile couples was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The subjects were subdivided into 21 normozoospermic males from couples with idiopathic infertility and 23 males with semen abnormalities. Prior to the treatment with lycopene, the AA/DHA ratios in both subgroups of patients were significantly higher than in fertile controls and improved following treatment with lycopene. Improvement was more marked in the normospermic males. Seven spontaneous pregnancies (16%) occurred before the scheduled IVF treatment and 15 couples (42%) achieved pregnancy after IVF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three months of treatment with lycopene led to a significant improvement in the AA/DHA ratio in seminal plasma of males from infertile couples and facilitated the spontaneous as well as IVF conception.
authors: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors: Radka
authors: R
authors: Filipcikova
authors: Ivana
authors: I
authors: Oborna
authors: Jana
authors: J
authors: Brezinova
authors: Jiri
authors: J
authors: Novotny
authors: Gabriella
authors: G
authors: Wojewodka
authors: Juan Bautista
authors: JB
authors: De Sanctis
authors: Lenka
authors: L
authors: Radova
authors: Marian
authors: M
authors: Hajduch
authors: Danuta
authors: D
authors: Radzioch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012661:Semen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C120561:PufA protein, Dictyostelium; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene