Pak J Med Sci 2007 Vol. 23 No. 1 www.pjms.com.pk 111 RELATIONSHIP OF ZINC CONCENTRATIONS IN BLOOD AND SEMINAL PLASMA WITH VARIOUS SEMEN PARAMETERS IN INFERTILE SUBJECTS Hasan Al i 1 , Masood Ahmed 2 , Mukht iar Baig 3 , Moazzam Al i 4 ABSTRACT Objective: To find out relationship of zinc concentrations in blood and seminal plasma with various semen parameters between fertile and infertile men. Design: Prospective study. Set t ing: This st udy was carried out in t he Infert ilit y Clinic of Jinnah Post graduat e Medical Cent er (JPMC), Karachi and Department of Biochemistry, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, JPMC, Karachi. Subj ect s & Met hods : Fifty eight primary infertile male subjects, without any treatment, who had regular unprotected intercourse for at least 12 months without conception with their partners, aged 20-40 years, were select ed from Infert ilit y Clinic Jinnah Post graduat e Medical Cent er, Karachi. After semen analyses they were grouped as, oligospermic (30), and azoospermic (28). Twenty five known fertile male selected from general population and after semen analysis were taken as normospermic control group. Semen analyzed according to WHO criteria. Serum and seminal plasma zinc were estimated by 5Br. PAPS Colorimetric method. Result s : This study showed significant difference in serum and seminal zinc levels in normospermic, oligospermic (p<0.05) and azoospermic (p<0.005) subj ects. Seminal plasma zinc showed a positive correlation with sperm count and negative with sperm motility in normospermic and oligospermic and negative correlation with volume, pH, WBC concentration in all three groups. There was no correlation found with sperm morphology. Conclusion: On the basis of the findings of this study and those of other reports, zinc may contribute to fertility through its significant effects on various semen parameters. It seems that the estimation of seminal plasma zinc may help in investigation and treatment of infertile males. KEY WORDS : Seminal Zinc, Oligospermic, Azoospermic, Infertility. Pak J Med Sci January - March 2007 Vol. 23 No. 1 111-114 1. Dr. Hasan Ali MBBS, M. Phil, Assist ant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, 2. Dr. Masood Ahmed MBBS, M. Phil, Pr of essor, Department of Anatomy, 1-2: Baqai Medical University, Karachi. 3. Dr. Mukhtiar Baig MBBS, M. Phi l Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Liaquat National Medical College, Karachi. 4. Dr Moazzam Ali MBBS, M. Phi l Professor, Department of Anatomy, Ziauddin Medical University, Karachi. Correspondence: Dr. Hasan Ali, 16-B, 5 th Floor, Society Apartment, Kashmir Road, Karachi – Pakistan. * Received for Publication: September 20, 2005 * Revision Received: March 26, 2006 * Revision Accepted: July 19, 2006 INTRODUCTION Infertility is complex and has multiple causes and consequences depending on the gender, sexual history, life style of society and cultural background of people it affects.¹ Infertility affects about 8% to 12% of the world’s popu- lation and in about half of cases men are either the single cause of or contribute the couple’s infertility.² In fact trace elements cal- cium, magnesium, copper, selenium, and zinc play very vital role in effecting various param- eters of semen. Among trace elements increas- ing evidence of a direct relationship of zinc was found with seminal parameters.³ Zinc (Zn) in seminal plasma stabilizes the cell membrane and nuclear chromatin of spermatozoa. 4,5 It may also have an antibacterial function 6 and