Table 2.

Sperm membrane function, DNA damage, intracellular ROS, and MMP of raw, control, and post-thaw human sperm samples supplemented with different concentrations of aqueous NSE

Group	Raw semen control	Vitrified semen control	NSE
			1%	2%	3%	4%	5%	6%
Sperm membrane function	65.2±2.4	33.6±2.8a)	67.1±2.5b)	68.3±2.2b)	70.3±2.9b)	70.9±2.8b)	69.2±2.1b)	69.1±2.1b)
MMP	59.5±5.4	29.2±5.7a)	37.7±5.4b)	38.6±5.9b)	42.2±5.1b)	43.4±5.7b)	41.3±5.1b)	41.4±5.3b)
DNA damage	7.4±4.3	10.5±4.1a)	3.6±1.3b)	3.5±1.8b)	2.2±1.5b)	2.2±1.5b)	2.2±1.1b)	2.2±1.1b)
Intracellular ROS	32.3±7.2	53.1±7.5a)	43.9±7.5b)	43.2±7.8b)	39.7±7.4b)	38.1±7.6b)	39.3±7.1b)	39.1±7.0b)

Values are presented as mean±standard error.

ROS, reactive oxygen species; MMP, mitochondrial membrane potential; NSE, Nigella sativa extract.

^a)p<0.05, significant differences compared to the raw semen control group;

^b)p<0.05, significant differences compared to the vitrified semen control group.