A Comparative Analysis of the Antioxidant Profiles Generated by the RoXstaTM System for Diverse Biological Fluids Highlights the Powerful Protective Role of Human Seminal Plasma.

Abstract

(1) Background: The RoXsta^TM system has been developed as a rapid, effective means of profiling different types of antioxidant activity. The purpose of this study was to examine its performance utilizing a diverse array of biological fluids including semen, blood plasma, serum, urine, saliva, follicular fluid and plant extracts. (2) Methods: The RoXsta^TM system was used to assess the ability of different fluids to suppress free radical formation as well as scavenge a variety of toxic oxygen metabolites including free radicals and both hydrogen and organic peroxides. (3) Results: Human semen was shown to have significantly (p < 0.001) more peroxide scavenging power than any other fluid tested (10-14 mM vitamin C equivalent compared with 1-2 mM for blood serum or plasma), while urine was particularly effective in scavenging free radicals and preventing free radical formation (p < 0.001). The powerful antioxidant properties of human semen were shown to reside within the seminal plasma (SP) fraction, rather than the spermatozoa, and to be resistant to snap freezing in liquid nitrogen. Moreover, comparative studies demonstrated that human SP exhibited significantly (p < 0.001) higher levels of antioxidant potential than any other species examined (stallion, bull, dog) and that this intense activity reflected the relative vulnerability of human spermatozoa to peroxide attack. (4) Conclusions: The RoXsta^TM system provides valuable information on the antioxidant profile of complex biological fluids, supporting its diagnostic role in conditions associated with oxidative stress. Based on the results secured in this study, human semen is identified as a particularly rich source of antioxidants capable of scavenging both hydrogen and organic peroxides, in keeping with the high susceptibility of human spermatozoa to peroxide-mediated damage.