ABSTRACT
Among the numerous factors that contribute to infertility, oxidative stress (OS) has been shown to play a major role. OS occurs when the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) exceed the seminal antioxidant capacity. Semen analysis has consistently demonstrated the ability to predict the fertility status of a man. A significant factor implicated in the decline of semen quality is OS, which results due to an excess production of ROS and/or a reduced total antioxidant capacity (TAC). ROS represent a group of unstable and highly reactive molecules that lack a fully paired outer electron shell. Chemiluminescence is the most well-established and widely used assay for measuring ROS in semen samples. Conventionally, the Nitroblue Tetrazolium Test (NBT) test is used to study neutrophil function and cellular oxidative metabolism. NBT is a yellow, water-soluble, nitrosubstituted aromatic tetrazolium compound. It is used to stain individual cells, such as spermatozoa and leukocytes.
