Stimulating effects of Quercetin (QUE) in tris citric acid extender on post thaw quality and in vivo fertility of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa

• Published in: Theriogenology Vol. 134; pp. 18 - 23
• Main Authors: Ahmed, Hussain, Jahan, Sarwat, Salman, Mian Muhammad, Ullah, Farhad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.08.2019
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidant; Buffalo spermatozoa; Buffaloes - physiology; Cryopreservation - veterinary; Fertility; Male; Motility; Plasma membrane integrity; Quercetin; Quercetin - pharmacology; Semen Analysis - veterinary; Semen Preservation - veterinary; Spermatozoa - drug effects; Spermatozoa - physiology; Buffalo spermatozoa; Motility; Antioxidant; Fertility; Plasma membrane integrity; Quercetin
• ISSN: 0093-691X; 1879-3231
• DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.05.012

Aim of this study was to evaluate the stimulating effects of quercetin (QUE) on post thaw quality and in vivo fertility of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa. QUE is a well-known flavonoid having antioxidant properties to scavenge free radicals. Semen was collected from three buffalo bull through artificial vagina (42 °C) and were evaluated initially for volume, motility, concentration, followed by dilution in five extenders (n = 5 aliquots, control, C = no QUE; treatment 1, T1 = 50 μM QUE; treatment 2, T2 = 100 μM QUE; treatment 3, T3 = 150 μM QUE and treatment 4, T4 = 200 μM QUE supplementation). The experiment was repeated thrice (n = 3 replicates). At post dilution, sperm progressive motility (PM, %) plasma membrane integrity (PMI, %), supra vital plasma membrane integrity (SVPMI, %) and acrosome integrity (ACR-1, %) of buffalo bull were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in extenders supplemented with QUE than C. At thawing, sperm PM of buffalo bull was higher in T3 and T4 than C, T1 and T2. Sperm SVPMI was significantly higher in T2, T3 and T4 than C and T1. Sperm ACR-I was higher in T3 and T4 than C, T1 and T2. Sperm DNA integrity was higher in T4 than C. QUE supplementation increased in vitro semen quality during 30 and 60 min of incubation at 37 °C than C. The in vivo fertility was higher in T3 and T4 than C (%, 61.82 vs. 65.22 vs. 46.90). It is concluded that QUE @ 150 and 200 μM improved post thaw semen quality and in vivo fertility of buffalo bull. •The present study was designed to assess the stimulating effects of Quercetin (QUE) in tris citric acid extender on post thaw quality and in vivo fertility of buffalo bull spermatozoa.•Inclusion of Quercetin improves semen quality in terms of progressive motility, plasma membrane, supra vital plasma membrane, acrosome and DNA integrities of buffalo bull spermatozoa.•The present study revealed that inclusion of Quercetin improves the in vivo fertility of buffalo bull spermatozoa.