The effect of ethanol on spermatogenesis and fertility in male Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with acetylsalicylic acid.

Prenatal alcohol is associated with a variety of developmental abnormalies, including neuroanatomical, physical and behavioural features. This study was designed to determine the effects of administration of alcohol, exemplified mostly by ethanol (15 ml/kg, 25%, v/v) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, 15 mg/kg) as a representative of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, individually and their combination (ethanol 15 ml/kg, 25%, v/v ASA 15 mg/kg) on semen quality and fertility after paternal intraperitoneal administration in Sprague-Dawley rats. In the combination study, the rats received ASA about 1 hour before ethanol administration. The combination experiments were conducted to determine if the effects of ethanol can be prevented by pre-treatment with acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) which has been reported to antagonise the rate-depressant effects of ethanol. All animals received this treatment for ten weeks. Semen parameters were determined and compared with controls. The result showed that when given alone, ethanol significantly reduced the sperm density and percentage of motile spermatozoa relative to controls. Pre-treatment with ASA failed to stop the decrease in sperm density and percentage motility caused by ethanol. Moreover none of the experimental male rats was able to fertilize the females exposed to them despite successful mating demonstrated by the presence of sperm plug. The present study demonstrates that chronic consumption of ethanol or ingestion of ASA has toxic effect on spermatozoa and impairs fertility in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Moreover, pre-treatment with ASA has no effect on the deleterious effects caused by ethanol.