OBJECTIVEThis study was to investigate the relationship among zinc, acid phosphatase levels in seminal plasma and sperm parameters in infertile male.

METHODSThe activities of zinc and acid phosphatase in seminal plasma were detected and leucocytes was stained and counted in 169 infertile men and 21 normal fertility as control.

RESULTSAcid phosphatase levels in infertile groups were significantly lower than those in the normal control when grouped both in terms of sperm vitality and density( P < 0.01), but no statistical differences were observed among infertile groups (P > 0.05). Further, zinc levels in necrospermia groups were lower than those in the control (P > 0.05). The leucocyte numbers in infertile groups were larger than those in the control when grouped according to sperm density (P < 0.001), and the same results were obtained when grouped in terms of sperm vitality except in the necrospermia group (P > 0.05). Acid phosphatase and zinc levels were not correlated with leucocyte counting (r = 0.088, P = 0.162; r = 0.119, P = 0.057).

CONCLUSIONThe descent of acid phosphatase and ascent of leucocyte number in seminal plasma can result in the fall of sperm vitality and density, and can be used to be diagnostic indexes of male infertility. Seminal zinc levels in infertile groups were lower than those in the control, but there was no statistical significance.