Use of Sputolysin form liquefaction of viscid human semen.

A comparative study evaluating the effect of different mucolytic agents on viscid semen and on sperm motility at successive time intervals was carried out. Sputolysin (dithiothreitol, Calbiochem Behring, 1978) was found to be most efficient in liquefying viscid semen and also in preserving sperm motility. The mean liquefaction times for Sputolysin, Alevaire (a mucolytic detergent), and alpha-amylase were found to be 10 minutes, 39 minutes, and 20 minutes, respectively. The rate of decline in sperm motility over an interval of 24 hours was found to be least with Sputolysin, followed in order by phosphate-buffered saline, alpha-amylase, control, and Alevaire. The adverse effect of Alevaire on sperm motility over successive time intervals was quite marked. A serial dilution study with Sputolysin showed that, at higher dilution (1:80), liquefaction time was prolonged (24 minutes), but it was still shorter than with Alevaire (39 minutes) and nearly the same as with alpha-amylase (20 minutes).