Antioxidative effect of epichlorohydrin on rat cauda epididymal spermatozoa

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of epichlorohydrin (ECH) on the antioxidant system of rat cauda epididymal sperm. Fresh epididymides of adult male rats were obtained from JIPMER, (Pondicherry) were collected by chopping the epididymis in modified Ringer's phosphate solution (RPS medium). After several washings the sperm samples were equally dispersed in RPS medium and incubated with epichlorohydrin (25, 50 and 100 μmol) and ECH /ascorbate (50/100 μmol) with or without ECH (25, 50 and 100 μmol) for 3 h at 32oC. After incubation, the sperm motility and viability were assessed. An aliquot of sperm samples were homogenized and centrifuged and the supernatant used for biochemical studies. In ECH-incubated sperm and in sperm co-incubated with ECH and vitamin C, the sperm motility and viability showed no significant changes as compared to the corresponding controls. In ECH-incubated sperm the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-Stransferase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly decreased while lipid peroxidation was significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner. Co-incubation of sperm with ECH and vitamin C showed no significant changes in the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase and glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase and in the level of lipid peroxidation. Epichlorohydrin induced oxidative stress in epididymal sperm of rat by decreasing the level of antioxidant enzymes. Co-incubation of sperm with ECH and vitamin C, a natural antioxidant, reversed the effect of ECH.