• A Preliminary Study: Effect of nanomicelle curcumin on sperm function in varicocele patient
  • Rahil Jannatifar,1,* Seyedeh Saeideh Sahraei,2 Elham Asa,3 Atefeh Verdi,4 Mohadeseh Khoshandam,5
    1. Department of Reproductive Biology, Academic Center for Education Culture and Research (ACECR), Qom, Iran.
    2. Department of Reproductive Biology, Academic Center for Education Culture and Research (ACECR), Qom, Iran.
    3. Department of Reproductive Biology, Academic Center for Education Culture and Research (ACECR), Qom, Iran.
    4. Department of Reproductive Biology, Academic Center for Education Culture and Research (ACECR), Qom, Iran.
    5. Department of Reproductive Biology, Academic Center for Education Culture and Research (ACECR), Qom, Iran.


  • Introduction: Varicocele is one of the most important causes of infertility in men which gradually leads to testicular dysfunction. Testicular heat stress-induced oxidative stress is considered the main cause of pathology in these individuals. In this study, the effects of nanomicelle curcumin, as natural antioxidants, were investigated on spermatogenesis and sperm function in varicocele patients.
  • Methods: This prospective clinical trial included 35 infertile men with varicocele randomly divided into control (n=20) and nanomicelle curcumin (n=15) groups. We assessed semen parameters, DNA integrity [terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL)] and oxidative stress factors (total antioxidant capacity, Malondialdehyde) at the baseline and at the end of the study.
  • Results: At the end of study, statistically significant differences were seen in the sperm concentration, motility, and normal morphology in the intervention group to the control group(p<0.05). In treatment group, the sperm concentration, motility, and normal morphology levels were also statistically increased at the end of study compared to the baseline values(p<0.05). Nanomicelle curcumin supplementation also resulted in a statistically significant improvement in DNA integrity, plasma levels of total antioxidant capacity, and Malondialdehyde in comparison to the control group (p<0.05).
  • Conclusion: Medical therapy of varicocele with nanomicelle curcumin supplement could improve quality of semen parameters. However, further investigation is suggested in this regard.
  • Keywords: DNA Fragmentation; Nanomicelle curcumin ; Sperm function; Varicocele.