Preliminary studies on the in vitro and in vivo effect of salicylate on sperm motility.

We have studied the in vitro effect of different concentrations of salicylic acid on the motility of normal human spermatozoa. Sperm motility was evaluated over 48 h at 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/L of salicylate concentrations. Results are reported as the mean % motility, where 100% motility at each time interval was taken to be the motility of the control (0 mg/L of salicylate). At 48 h, the mean % motility (n = 12) was 61, 43, and 33% at 50, 100, and 200 mg/L of salicylate. Twenty-four-hour values (n = 17) were 75, 65, and 48%. Eosin supravital staining demonstrated that the decrease in sperm motility was caused by direct inhibition of motility rather than by spermatozoal death. Four healthy males (17-51 years of age) gave a semen specimen prior to taking 650 mg of salicylate four times daily, followed by a second semen specimen 72 h later. Each individual, therefore, served as his own control. The mean % motility in the postdrug sample at 2, 24, and 48 h was 49, 53, and 47% of the motility found in the predrug sample (n = 4). We conclude that salicylate significantly decreases sperm motility in vitro and in vivo.