Effects of pentoxifylline on sperm motility and hyperactivation in normozoospermic and normokinetic semen

Variability of the Response to Pentoxifylline in Vitro in Infertile Normozoospermic and Asthenozoospermic Patients

“…Difference in movement parameters between control spermatozoa and those incubated with pentoxifylline occurred for 4 h in both groups of patients. The persistent effect of pentoxifylline after its removal lasted 4 h for Pang et al [25] and 3 h for Tesarik et al [30] in normozoospermics. In asthenozoospermics, the effects lasted only 2 h [30].…”

“…Pentoxifylline, a methylxanthine, has been the subject of many recent studies [20,25,301 demonstrating a stimulating effect in vitro on sperm motility, an effect that continues even after removal of the pharmacological agent by washing and centrifugation. Earlier studies [l, 3, 121 had shown an enhancement of sperm motility but in the presence of pentoxifylline.…”

Modulation of intrasperm Ca2+: A possible maneuver for spermicidal activity

“…It has been reported that pentoxyphylline enhances hyperactivated motility [Pang et al, 1993] and the percentage of acrosome-reacted sperm in fertile males [Jayaprakash et al, 1997]. This effect is produced despite a significant decrease in intrasperm Ca 21 as compared to untreated, thapsigargin-or progesteronetreated sperm [Nassar et al, 1998].…”

The Role of PDE5 Inhibitors in the Treatment of Testicular Dysfunction

“…This effect of caffeine on sperm acrosomal cup counteracts the benefits from its role as a motility stimulant . Pentoxifylline (PTX), is the most widely nonselective PDE inhibitor that has been used in assisted reproductive technology programs (Wang et al, 1983;Marrama et al, 1985;Shen et al, 1991;Fuse et al, 1993;Pang et al, 1993;Tournaye et al, 1994). Although its beneficial effect on the outcome of IVF trials in normozoospermic subjects and oligo-asthenozoospermic patients is well documented (Yovich et al, 1988;Yovich et al, 1990;Tasdemir et al, 1993;Yunes et al, 2005) the efficacy of its oral administration to increase sperm fertilizing ability is controversial (Tournaye et al, 1994).…”

“…PTX has been considered to stimulate flagellar motility by increasing sperm intracellular cAMP (Stefanovich, 1973;Garbers & Kopf, 1980;Tash & Means, 1983;Ward & Clissold, 1987) as well as by reducing sperm intracellular superoxide anion and reactive oxygen species known to damage DNA (Lopes et al, 1998;Twigg et al, 1998). In particular PTX in both in vivo and in vitro studies, appears to increase significantly beat cross frequency, curvilinear velocity, and the percentage of hyperactivated spermatozoa (Rees et al, 1990;Shen et al, 1991;Lewis et al, 1993;Moohan et al, 1993;Pang et al, 1993;Tournaye et al, 1994;Centola et al, 1995;Paul et al, 1996;Nassar et al, 1999).…”