Effect of fruit-juice on spermatozoa viability and lipid peroxidation of Red Sokoto bucks during liquid storage

Abstract

Antioxidants are linked with sperm viability because of their protective effects against cell damage during preservation. In order to enhance the life span of refrigerated buck semen, this study was carried out to determine the effect of fruit-rich antioxidants on spermatozoa viability and lipid peroxidation (LPO) of buck semen during liquid storage. Pooled semen from five Red Sokoto bucks was diluted with Tris-egg yolk based extender and supplemented each with juices from pawpaw tomato and watermelon at 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10/ 100 ml respectively. Following dilution, the semen samples were assessed subjectively after in vitro storage at 5°C for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours as regards sperm motility, abnormalities, and acrosome status using a phase-contrast microscope. The concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) as indices of lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the stored semen was measured in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours. The results showed highest progressive motility in watermelon juice at 2.5% (P<0.05) during the first 24 hours of storage while the lowest progressive motility was recorded at various levels of pawpaw juice (P<0.05). After 48 hours of storage, extender supplemented with watermelon and tomato juices had better progressive motility compared to control except 7.5% and 10%% of tomato juice (P<0.05). Irrespective of level of juice in the extender, the percentage of intact acrosome was similar among the various juices and control. The results showed that spermatozoa extended with watermelon juice had the lowest (P<0.05) percentage abnormality compared to other extenders at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours of storage. Higher (P<0.05) percent spermatozoa abnormality compared to other fruit juices and control was observed at 72 and 96 hours of storage in spermatozoa extended with pawpaw juice. Significant reductions of MDA concentrations were achieved by addition of fruit-rich antioxidants to Tris-egg yolk based extender during the first 72 hours and the reduction was much pronounced in extender supplemented with pawpaw juice compared to control (P<0.05). The findings reveal that fruit-rich antioxidants from watermelon and tomato have protective ability to maintain sperm viability and to reduce concentration MDA of buck semen during liquid storage.