Effect of Antioxidants on the Stored Dromedary Camel Epididymal Sperm Characteristics

摘要

This study was conducted to determine the effect of different type and levels of antioxidant supplementation (0.4 and 0.8 mM from glutathione, GSH or 0.5 and 1.0 g L_1 extender from ascorbic acid, AA) as compared to control, on characteristics of camel epididymal spermatozoa stored at 25°C (room temperature) for 0, 2,4 and 12 h or at 5°C (cool temperature) for 0,12, 24 and 48 h. Testis of camel were collected after animal slaughtering and placed immediately into plastic bag into ice box at 5*C. Epididymal spermatozoa were collected by aspiration from tail and extended with tris-egg yolk extender. Results of epididymal spermatozoa stored at 25°C showed improvement in livability (p<0.05) and abnormality (p>0.05) with GSH (0.4 mM), while sperm motility and curling spermatozoa improved (piO.05) with AA (0.5 g L~'). Storage at 5 "C improved (p<0.05) motility, livability and curling spermatozoa with GSH (0.4 mM), while sperm abnormality improved (p<0.05) with AA (1 g L_l). At different incubation times at 25 or 5°C, percentages of motility, livability and curling spermatozoa decreased (p<0.05) and of sperm abnormality increased (p<0.05) by increasing storage time. The effect of interaction between antioxidant supplementation and storage time on allsperm characteristics studied was not significant. In conclusion, supplementation of tris-egg yolk extender with GSH (0.4 mM) or AA (0.5 g L_1) has a vital role in maintaining function, morphology and membrane integrity of epididymal camel spermatozoa stored at 25 °C for 12 h or at 5 °C for 48 h, respectively.