Effect of Dietary Antioxidant Supplementation on Fresh Semen Quality Indigenous Jacks

摘要

Improvement in semen quality after dietary intake of antioxidants alone or in combination with polyunsaturated fatty acids has been reported in a variety of species (Strzezek et al., 2004; Mansour et al., 2006). Alpha tocopherol is a powerful antioxidant and has been shown to afford mammalian cells some protection from oxidative attack in both in vivo (Mickle et al., 1989) and in vitro (Wu et al., 1990) studies. Carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lycopene, are important components of antioxidantdefense against lipid peroxidation in living cells (Agarwal et al, 2005). Similarly, lutein is an oxygenated earotenoid and plays important role as an antioxidant in lipid phases by trapping free radicals or physically quenching singlet oxygen (Tschihashi et al., 1995). The aim of this study was to verify the ability of dietary supplementation of alpha tocoferol acetate, lycopene and lutein to affect sperm characteristics in Indian jacks.