New Delivery Systems on Sperm Quality Improvement
摘要
Oxidative stress has become a major concern in the field of spermatology, and the use of antioxidant protection would be one of the possible solutions to this acute problem. More studies are needed in this field as very contradictory results have been obtained regarding the addition of antioxidants. Vitamin E is a powerful biological antioxidant, but its low stability and high hydrophobicity limit its application in spermatology, making necessary the use of organic solvents, which renders spermatozoa practically motionless. We propose to use nanotechnology as an innovative tool in spermatology, formulating nanoemulsions (NE) and hydrogels (HVE) that accommodate vitamin E, protecting it from oxidation and promoting its release into the medium. With that in mind, we have proposed the use of hydrogels and nanoemulsions, alone or in combination, as carriers for the controlled release of vitamin E, improving its solubility and stability and preventing oxidative stress on sperm cell. It is the first time that vitamin E is formulated as hydrogels. This new formulation could be hardly relevant for sperm physiology preservation which means a bright approach against sperm oxidative damage.