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Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs on Sperm Motility of Normal Controls and Epileptic Patients with Long‐Term Therapy
Author(s) -
Chen ShunSheng,
Shen MengRu,
Chen TsanJu,
Lai ShungLong
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1992.tb02298.x
Subject(s) - motility , sperm motility , carbamazepine , sperm , epilepsy , in vivo , pharmacology , semen , phenytoin , medicine , andrology , chemistry , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , psychiatry
Summary: The in vitro effects of four antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) on human sperm motility were studied with a transmembrane migration method. Sperm motility of epileptic patients receiving chronic AED therapy was also investigated. Sperm motility was measured immediately after semen had been mixed with AED and after a 2‐h preincubation at 37°C. Both in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that AEDs inhibited sperm motility. When the drug effect was evaluated after the semen‐AED mixture had been preincubated for 2 h, sperm motility was inhibited to 50% of control at concentrations of 1.59,4.23, and 5.00 mM for phenytoin, carbamazepine, and valproate, respectively. Both with and without preincubation, phenobarbital, even up to 12.92 mM, did not inhibit the motility to <50% of the control. In the in vivo study, poor sperm motility was noted in epileptic patients with long‐term AED therapy despite serum levels within the therapeutic range. Shorter duration of activity of spermatozoa was also observated in these patients. Interference with sperm membrane function by AEDs may be the underlying mechanism.