Assessing the efficacy of a novel sperm-washing medium enriched with serotonin,L-carnitine,and coenzyme Q10:an observational cohort study

This observational cohort study investigated the potential of a novel sperm-washing medium(SWM)enriched with serotonin(5-HT),L-carnitine(L-C),and coenzyme Q10(CoQ10)to enhance sperm motility and reduce DNA damage.It compared this innovative medium(5-HT/L-C/CoQ10 SWM)with two widely used commercial media(SWM 1 and SWM 2).Ninety-eight volunteers from an infertility clinic provided semen samples,which were divided into three aliquots for analysis in different SWMs:group 1,SWM was composed of hydroxyethyl piperazineethanesulfonic acid(HEPES),sodium bicarbonate,human serum albumin(HSA),taurine,and gentamicin sulfate(SWM 1);group 2,SWM was composed of HEPES,sodium bicarbonate,and HSA(SWM 2);and group 3,SWM was composed of HEPES-buffered human tubal fluid supplemented with 5-HT,L-C,and CoQ10(5-HT/L-C/CoQ10 SWM).Sperm motility was categorized as progressive,nonprogressive,or immotile.Apoptosis,reactive oxygen species(ROS)production,and DNA fragmentation were also assessed.There were no significant differences in total or progressive sperm motility among the groups.Spermatozoa in group 3 exhibited reduced apoptosis,necrosis,and ROS levels and increased viability.No significant differences were observed in the DNA fragmentation index among groups.The 5-HT/L-C/CoQ10 SWM reduced sperm oxidative stress and apoptosis compared with those of the two commercially available SWMs,suggesting that 5-HT/L-C/CoQ10 SWM could be useful for enhancing in vitro fertilization success rates.