Abstract
Background: In recent years, it is evident from different studies that the oxidative stress has a definite role in inducing male infertility. Antioxidants help to fight against the oxidative stress.

Aims and Objective: To estimate the levels of antioxidants namely ascorbic acid (vitamin C), α-tocopherol (vitamin E), and reduced glutathione (GSH) in the seminal plasma of human subjects with different fertility potential.

Materials and Methods: This study was done on four groups. Four groups were group 1: control (n = 10) normozoospermic fertile, group 2: normozoospermics (n = 20) infertile, group 3: oligoasthenoteratozoospermics (n = 30) infertile, and group 4: asthenoteratozoospermics (n = 20) infertile. Their semen analysis was done and the levels of the antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, and the reduced GSH were measured using analysis of variance (ANOVA) test and Bonferroni’s post test.

Result: Coefficient of correlation (r value) was calculated to find the relationship between different parameters. Ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, and reduced GSH level was significantly more in group 1 as compared with the other groups. Ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, and reduced GSH levels of seminal plasma were found to be positively correlated with sperm concentration (r = 0.63, r = 0.73, r = 0.55, r = 0.57), sperm motility (r = 0.44, r = 0.51, r = 0.57, r = 0.59), and normal sperm morphology (r = 0.72, r = 0.63, r = 0.73, r = 0.59).

Conclusion: Decreasing levels of seminal plasma antioxidants could have a significant role in the etiology of impaired sperm function. The seminal plasma antioxidant levels are closely related to male fertility; and the decreased level of antioxidants in seminal plasma may be one of the causes of male infertility.