KP Skandhan¹, B Sumangala¹, P Sahab Khan¹, S Amith², KPS Avni^3
1 Sree Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences, Chalakka 683 594, Ernakulam, India
² University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Mercy), 1400 Locust St, Pittsburgh PA 15219, USA
³ Malabar Institute of Medical sciences, Calicut - 673 016, India

Click here for correspondence address and email

• Authors referred the first report of gold in semen of 1981, which was carried out by employing neutron activation analysis. ^[1]
• Processing semen sample for atomic absorption spectrophotometric study was modified and has been in regular use. ^[2]
• By employing atomic absorption spectrophotometer, we estimated gold in normal and pathological semen samples, resulting in a clue that gold is essential for normal functioning of spermatozoa. ^[3],[4]
• By using Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX) on electron microscope, we observed gold inside and outside human spermatozoa. ^[5]
• The presence of the metal in human male system was studied with X-ray diffraction analysis method. Gold was present throughout human male genital system except in seminal vesicles. ^[6] Initially, by employing mass emission spectroscope, we had shown that gold reached semen from caput epididymis. ^[7] The gold remained in a trimetal complex with copper and zinc. ^[6] Direct couple plasma emission spectroscope failed to show gold in semen. ^[8]
• "Suvarna bhasma" (Gold Ash) was found to be very useful in the treatment of different pathological conditions. ^[9]
• Gold may be entering body through drinking water and food. Study on this line was designed. It was present in human semen of both sets of people: i) where soil had gold content and ii) where soil had no measurable amount of gold. Gold content in semen was more in the people where gold was present in soil. ^[10] Further, the difference in the quality of semen surrounding a gold mine and away will be published elsewhere.

References

1.	Skandhan KP. Gold in human semen. Andrologia 1981; 13: 78-81.   [PUBMED]
2.	Skandhan KP. Copper in seminal plasma: Comparison of two processing methods for atomic absorption spectrophotometric study. Arch Androl 1986;16:243-5.    [PUBMED]
3.	Skandhan KP. Gold in seminal plasma of normal and pathological specimens. Israel J Med Sci 1981;17:769-70.
4.	Skandhan KP, Sumangala B, Mehta YB, Roy PB, Amith S, Avni KP. Level of gold in normal and pathological semen. Urologia 2010;77:254-6.   [PUBMED]  [FULLTEXT]
5.	Skandhan KP, Sumangala B, Amith S, Avni KP. Electron microscopic (Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis) study on human male reproductive organs and semen. Biol Trace Elem Res 2010. Available from: http://www.springerlink.com/content/y30248p4757757l4/ [Last none accessed on 2010 June 5].
6.	Skandhan KP, Amith S, Avni KP. X ray diffraction study on human male reproductive tract and semen. Urologia 2009;76:198-202.
7.	Skandhan KP, Abraham KC. Presence of several elements in normal and pathological human semen sample and its origin. Andrologia 1984;16:587-8.
8.	Skandhan KP, Pandya CB. Direct couple plasma emission spectroscopic study on human seminal plasma. Adv Contra Dely Syst 1986 ; 2: 256-57
9.	Skandhan KP, Singh G, Prasad SB, Thakar AB, Godatwar PR, Rao N, et al. Veracity of ′Suvarna Bhasma′ (gold ash), an indigenous Ayurvedic preparation as a therapeutic agent for male infertility. J Ayur 2009;3:83-6.
10.	Sahab Khan P, Skandhan KP, Ajesh K, Siraj MV. Gold in human semen around and away from a gold deposit area. Biol Trace Elem Res 2010. http://www.nebi,nih.gov/pubmed/20680513. Aug 3.

Correspondence Address:
K P Skandhan
Sree Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences, Chalakka 683 594, Ernakulam
India

1

DOI: 10.4103/0974-7788.76798

PMID: 21455459