چکیده (انگلیسی):

Objectives: Cotinine, the principal metabolite of nicotine found in smokers' seminal
plasma, has been shown to adversely affect sperm functionality while quercetin, a flavonoid
with diverse properties is associated with several in vivo and in vitro health benefits. The
aim of this study was to investigate the potential benefits of quercetin supplementation
against damage caused by the by-products of tobacco smoke in human sperm cells.
Methods: Washed human spermatozoa from 10 normozoospermic donors were treated
with nutrient medium (control), quercetin (30 mmol/L) and cotinine (190 mg/mL,
300 ng/mL) with or without quercetin for 60 and 180 min incubation periods.
Computer-aided sperm analysis was used to assess sperm motility while acrosomereacted
cells were identified under a fluorescent microscope using fluorescein
isothiocyanate-labelled Pisum Sativum Agglutinin as a probe, viability was assessed by
means of a dye exclusion staining technique (eosin/nigrosin) and oxidative stress by
flow cytometry using dihydroethidium as a probe. Values were expressed as
mean ± S.E.M. as compared by ANOVA.
Results: Higher cotinine concentrations reduced the number of viable cells after 60 and
180 min of exposure while viability of cells was increased in the cotinine aliquots supplemented
with quercetin after 180 min of exposure when compared with cotinine only
treated group.
Conclusion: This study indicates that the ameliorating ability of quercetin on cotinineinduced
decline in sperm function is associated with increased number of viable cells.