OBJECTIVETo detect the zinc content in serum, seminal plasma and spermatozoa of asthenozoospermic and oligoasthenozoospermic patients, and analyse the relationship between zinc changes and sperm density as well as sperm motility.

METHODSSperm quality analysis was made according to the WHO standard of Laboratory Manual for the Examination of Human Semen and Sperm-cervical Mucus Interaction (4th edition), and then 90 asthenozoospermic patients, 60 oligoasthenozoospermic patients and 20 fertile men with normal sperm quality were screened out as the objects to be researched. The zinc content in their blood, seminal plasma and spermatozoa was detected by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. And then a statistical analysis was made on the test results.

RESULTSThe blood zinc content among the 3 groups had no significant difference; the seminal plasma zinc of asthenozoospermic and oligoasthenozoospermic patients were significantly lower than that of fertile men (P < 0.05); the spermatozoa zinc content of oligoasthenozoospermic patients was significantly higher than that of asthenozoospermic patients and fertile men (P < 0.01), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThere may be a positive relationship between the feebleness of sperm production and motility of asthenozoospermic and oligoasthenozoospermic patients and the lower content of seminal plasma zinc; however, the relationship between the higher spermatozoa zinc content and the function of sperm production and sperm motility is still not clear, on which a further study should be made.