Effect of Antioxidants on the Stored Dromedary Camel Epididymal Sperm Characteristics

Abstract

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 LG 1 extender from ascorbic acid, AA) as compared to control, on characteristics of camel epididymal spermatozoa stored at 25EC (room temperature) for 0, 2, 4 and 12 h or at 5EC (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 5EC. Epididymal spermatozoa were collected by aspiration from tail and extended with tris-egg yolk extender. Results of epididymal spermatozoa stored at 25EC showed improvement in livability (p<0.05) and abnormality (p$0.05) with GSH (0.4 mM), while sperm motility and curling spermatozoa improved (p$0.05) with AA (0.5 g LG 1 ). Storage at 5EC 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 LG 1 ). At different incubation times at 25 or 5EC, 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 all sperm characteristics studied was not significant. In conclusion, supplementation of tris-egg yolk extender with GSH (0.4 mM) or AA (0.5 g LG 1 ) has a vital role in maintaining function, morphology and membrane integrity of epididymal camel spermatozoa stored at 25EC for 12 h or at 5EC for 48 h, respectively.