Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T07:25:09.647Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Physiological response and semen quality of rabbit bucks supplemented with Moringa leaves ethanolic extract during summer season

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 February 2017

N. I. El-Desoky
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Fish Production, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria 21545, Egypt
N. M. Hashem*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Fish Production, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria 21545, Egypt
A. Elkomy
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Fish Production, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria 21545, Egypt
Z. R. Abo-elezz
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Fish Production, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria 21545, Egypt
*
Get access

Abstract

Exposure of rabbit bucks to summer heat stress reduces their homeostasis and semen quality leading to a temporal subfertility. The potentiality of ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaves (M. oleifera ethanolic extract (MLEE)) to reduce negative impacts of heat stress on physiological and semen quality traits was investigated. A total of 28 adult V-line rabbit bucks were randomly distributed among four experimental groups of seven rabbits each. The first group received water (placebo) and served as a control (M0). The other three groups were given orally MLEE at levels of 50 (M50), 100 (M100) and 150 (M150) mg/kg BW every other day for 12 consecutive weeks during the summer season. Chemical constituents of MLEE were detected by gas chromatography/MS. During the experimental period, ambient temperature and relative humidity were recorded daily and were used to estimate temperature and humidity index. Feed intake, BW, rectal temperature were recorded and blood serum biochemical attributes were determined. Semen samples were collected weekly and were analyzed for semen quality traits. Results showed that MLEE contained high percentages of long-chain fatty acids and antioxidant agents. Feed intake and BW were not affected significantly by the treatment, however rectal temperature was decreased significantly by 0.42°C, 0.24°C and 0.40°C in the M50, M100 and M150 groups, respectively, compared with the M0 group. Treatment with 50 mg/kg BW increased concentration of serum albumin (115%; P<0.05), total antioxidant capacity (132%; P<0.05) and testosterone (160%; P=0.098) as well as seminal plasma initial fructose (127%; P=0.092) compared with the control group. Compared with the control, MLEE supplementation with 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg BW increased significantly sperm concentration by 118%, 151% and 158%, sperm progressive motility by 117%, 120% and 118%, sperm viability by 129%, 137% and 127%, sperm normal morphology by 114%, 113% and 114%, intact acrosome sperm by 109% (on average) and sperm with integrated cell membrane by 109%, 123% and 114%, respectively. In conclusion, MLEE supplementation at a level of 50 mg/kg BW could be effectively used to improve heat tolerance, oxidative status and semen quality of rabbit bucks during summer season.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Agarwal, A, Makker, K and Sharma, R 2008. Clinical relevance of oxidative stress in male factor infertility: an update. Journal of Reproductive Immunology 59, 211.Google Scholar
Ahmad, A, Rasheed, N, Gupta, P, Singh, S, Siripurapu, KB, Ashraf, GM, Kumar, R, Chand, K, Maurya, R, Banu, N, Al-Sheeha, M and Palit, G 2012. Novel Ocimumoside A and B as anti-stress agents: modulation of brain monoamines and antioxidant systems in chronic unpredictable stress model in rats. Phytomedicine 19, 639647.Google Scholar
Akbarian, A, Michiels, J, Degroote, J, Majdeddin, M, Golian, A and De Smet, S 2016. Association between heat stress and oxidative stress in poultry; mitochondrial dysfunction and dietary interventions with phytochemicals. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology 7, 3751.Google Scholar
Alizadeh, A, Esmaeili, V, Shahverdi, A and Rashidi, L 2014. Dietary fish oil can change sperm parameters and fatty acid profiles of ram sperm during oil consumption period and after removal of oil source. Cell Journal 16, 289298.Google Scholar
Al-Shanty, H 2003. Using vitamin C and sodium bicarbonate to alleviate the effect of heat stress on rabbit performance. Egyptian Poultry Science Journal 23, 129139.Google Scholar
Attia, YA and Kamel, KI 2012. Semen quality, testosterone, seminal plasma biochemical and antioxidant profiles of rabbit bucks fed diets supplemented with different concentrations of soybean lecithin. Animal 6, 824833.Google Scholar
Bernardini, M, Castellini, C and Dal Bosco, A 1999. Effect of dietary n-3/n-6 ratio on fatty acid composition of liver, meat and perirenal fat in rabbit. Animal Science 68, 647654.Google Scholar
Castellini, C, Lattaioli, P, Dal Bosco, A, Minelli, A and Mugnai, C 2003. Oxidative status and semen characteristics of rabbit buck as affected by dietary vitamin E, C and n-3 fatty acids. Reproduction Nutrition Development 43, 91103.Google Scholar
Dalton, JC 2011. Semen quality factors associated with fertility. In Proceedings of Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 30 September–1 October 2011, Boise, ID, USA.Google Scholar
Elnagar, SA. 2010. Royal jelly counteracts bucks’ ‘summer infertility’. Animal Reproduction Science 121, 7480.Google Scholar
Ezhilan, BP and Neelamegam, R 2012. GC-MS analysis of phytocomponents in the ethanol extract of Polygonum chinense L. Pharmacognosy Research 4, 1114.Google Scholar
Gliozzi, TM, Zaniboni, L, Maldjian, A, Luzi, F, Maertens, L and Cerolini, S 2009. Quality and lipid composition of spermatozoa in rabbits fed DHA and vitamin E rich diets. Theriogenology 71, 910919.Google Scholar
Hashem, NM, AbdEl-Hady, A and Hassan, O 2013. Effect of vitamin E or propolis supplementation on semen quality, oxidative status and hemato-biochemical changes of rabbit bucks during hot season. Livestock Science 157, 520526.Google Scholar
Hubbard, RW, Matthew, WT, Horstman, D, Francesconi, R, Mager, M and Sawka, MN 1984. Albumin-induced plasma volume expansion: diurnal and temperature effects. Journal of Applied Physiology: Respiratory, Environmental and Exercise Physiology 56, 13611368.Google Scholar
In-Surk, J, Ko, Y, Moon, Y and Sohn, S 2014. Effects of vitamin C or E on the pro-inflammatory cytokines, heat shock protein 70 and antioxidant status in broiler chicks under summer conditions. Asian-Australian Journal of Animal Science 27, 749756.Google Scholar
Kadhim, MJ, Mohammed, GJ and Hameed, IH 2016. In vitro antibacterial and phytochemical analysis of methanolic extract of fruit Cassia fistula . Oriental Journal of Chemistry 32, 13291346.Google Scholar
Kambayashi, Y, Binh, NT, Asakura, HW, Hibino, Y, Hitomi, Y, Nakamura, H and Ogino, K 2009. Efficient assay for total antioxidant capacity in human plasma using a 96-well microplate. Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition 44, 4651.Google Scholar
Lenzi, A, Picardo, M, Gandini, L and Donder, F 1996. Lipids of the sperm plasma membrane: from polyunsaturated fatty acids considered as markers of sperm function to possible scavenger therapy. Human Reproduction Update 2, 246256.Google Scholar
Makkar, HPS, Francis, G and Becker, K 2007. Bioactivity of phytochemicals in some lesser-known plants and their effects and potential applications in livestock and aquaculture production systems. Animal 1, 13711391.Google Scholar
Marai, IFM, Habeb, AAM and Gad, AE 2001. Rabbits productive, reproductive and physiological performance traits as affected by heat stress: a review. Livestock Production Science 78, 7190.Google Scholar
Marai, IFM, Habeb, AAM and Gad, AE 2008. Performance of New Zealand white and Californian male weaned rabbits in the subtropical environment of Egypt. Animal Science Journal 79, 472480.Google Scholar
National Research Council 1977. Nutrient requirements of rabbits, 9th revised edition. National Academies Press, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
Poljsak, B, Šuput, D and Milisav, I. 2013. Achieving the balance between ROS and antioxidants: when to use the synthetic antioxidants. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2013, 111.Google Scholar
Potts, RJ, Notarianni, LJ and Jefferies, TM 2000. Seminal plasma reduces exogenous oxidative damage to human sperm, determined by the measurement of DNA strand breaks and lipid peroxidation. Mutation Research 44, 249256.Google Scholar
Prabsattroo, T, Wattanathorn, J, Iamsaard, S, Muchimapura, S and Thukhammee, W 2012. Moringa oleifera leaves extract attenuates male sexual dysfunction. American Journal of Neuroscience 3, 1724.Google Scholar
Prabsattroo, T, Wattanathorn, J, Iamsaard, S, Somsap, P, Sritragool, O, Thukhummee, W and Muchimapura, S 2015. Moringa oleifera extract enhances sexual performance in stressed rats. Journal of Zheijang University Science B 16, 179190.Google Scholar
Rai, J, Pandey, SN and Srivastava, RK. 2004. Testosterone hormone level in albino rats following restraint stress of long duration. Journal of the Anatomical Society of India 53, 1719.Google Scholar
Rasooli, A, Jalali, MT, Nouri, M, Mohammadian, B and Barati, F 2010. Effects of chronic heat stress on testicular structures, serum testosterone and cortisol concentrations in developing lambs. Animal Reproduction Science 117, 5559.Google Scholar
Sharma, R, Yang, Y, Sharma, A, Awasthi, S and Awasthi, YC 2004. Antioxidant role of glutathione S-transferases: protection against oxidant toxicity and regulation of stress-mediated apoptosis. Antioxidant Redox Signal 6, 289300.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute 2001. In SAS/STAT user’s guide. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.Google Scholar
Swiatkiewicz, S and Koreleski, J 2009. Effect of crude glycerin level in the diet of laying hens on egg performance and nutrient utilization. Poultry Science 88, 615619.Google Scholar
Tavares, RS, Escada-Rebelo, S, Correia, M, Mota, PC and Ramalho-Santos, J 2016. The non-genomic effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on mammalian sperm. Reproduction 151, R1R13.Google Scholar
Walker, WH 2009. Molecular mechanisms of testosterone action in spermatogenesis. Steroids 74, 602607.Google Scholar
Wathes, DCD, Abayasekara, DRE and Aitken, RG 2007. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in male and female reproduction. Biology of Reproduction 77, 190201.Google Scholar
Yang, RY, Tsou, SC, Lee, TC, Chang, L, Kuo, G and Lai, P 2006. Moringa, a novel plant rich in antioxidants, bioavailable iron, and nutrients. American Chemical Society Symposium Series 925, 224239.Google Scholar