Evaluation of sperm quality, maturation and DNA integrity in adult mice treated with sulpiride

Use of certain antipsychotic drugs has severe effects on fertility in males.
Hypothalamus and hypophysial impressions and changes in plasma hormones
concentration like prolactin, LH and FSH can affect sperm production. In this study, we
investigated the effects of sulpiride on sperm quality, maturation and DNA damage.
Methods: Twenty for adult male mice (age: 6-8 weeks) were divided into three groups.
The treatment group received 40 mg/kg sulpiride solution and the control sham group
was given carrier of the drug intraperitoneally (IP) daily for 45 days but the control
group received nothing. Finally, all the mice were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and
their cauda epididymis were removed surgically. The excised specimens were placed in
1 ml HTF medium and incubated for 30 min in CO2 incubator to allow the spermatozoa
to swim out. Later, sperm count, motility and viability were analyzed. Additionally,
sperm chromatin quality and DNA integrity were assessed by aniline blue and acridine
orange staining.
Results: Significant decrease in sperm motility and count were observed in the
treatment group while the number of abnormal sperm increased as compared with the
other two groups. Sperm viability and DNA maturation showed significant reduction
and the rate of DNA damage increased in comparison with the control sham and the
control groups (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The study showed that sulpiride has negative effects on sperm parameters
in treated animals and in some cases it could cause secondary infertility