Lippia citriodora (verbascoside) extract supplementation: Effect on rabbit semen quality in vivo and in vitro

Abstract

Verbascoside, the main component of Lippia citriodora extract, is one of the most powerful free radical scavengers exhibiting a wide biological activity. In in vivo study 20 adult New Zealand white rabbit bucks were divided into two homogeneous groups, one control (CON) and one verbascoside-supplemented (0.1%) in feed mixture (EXP) and later in vitro effects of verbascoside on the motility aspects of rabbit spermatozoa were analysed. The spermatozoa concentration, ejaculate volume, spermatozoa motility, progressive motility, distance parameters, velocity parameters and type of spermatozoa movement were negatively affected by Lippia citriodora leaves extract after the first 4 weeks of dietary treatment, till the end of experiment (8 weeks). Four weeks after the suspension of feed additive supplementation, all spermatozoa traits values returned to the normality, and in line with CON group. For in vitro findings, ejaculates from 10 male New Zealand white bucks were collected using an artificial vagina. Then it was diluted in physiological saline solution containing different concentrations of verbascoside at the concentration of 0, 0.0024, 0.0219, 0.157, 120.0 mg/ml (Ctrl, VB1, VB2, VB3, VB4 groups, respectively), using a dilution ratio of 1 : 4. The obtained data proved that verbascoside at the concentration of 0.0024 and 0.0219 mg/ml had no adverse effect on spermatozoa. Additionally, we found that verbascoside at higher concentrations (0.157 and 120.0 mg/ml) significantly altered all the motility parameters analysed in the experiment. In conclusion a possible negative effect of verbascoside supplementation into feed mixture (0.1%) on semen quality parameters in rabbit bucks as well as in vitro can be stated, obviously considering that target organs of antioxidant activities of phenylpropanoid glycosides are various. In addition it has to be emphasized that the extract showed a reversible action, since the semen traits of treated animals returned to the normality after the dietary administration period.

Time and Dose-Dependent Effects of Viscum Album Quercus on Rabbit Spermatozoa Motility and Viability in Vitro

“…2014, Rafay andParkanyi 2016). Some herbal extracts have been proven to have effects on male infertility, for example, gossypol, papaya seed, neem oil, neem seaweed and verbascoside (Mosher and Pratt 1991, Dehghan et al 2005, Roychoudhury et al 2009, Okab et al 2013, Vizzarri et al 2019.…”

Exogenous Factors Affecting the Functional Integrity of Male Reproduction

“…The exposure to oxidative stress may result in adaptation (increased activity of defense mechanisms), damage to macromolecules (DNA fragmentation, protein modifications, lipid peroxidation) [ 172 , 173 ], or cell death (apoptosis, or even necrosis with a wider impact on surrounding cells and tissue) [ 174 ]. The effect of OS may be also mitigated by antioxidants by oral administration [ 175 , 176 , 177 , 178 ] or direct supplementation of reproduction-associated cells [ 179 , 180 , 181 , 182 , 183 ].…”

Relief of the negative effects of heat stress on semen quality, reproductive efficiency and oxidative capacity of rabbit bucks using different natural antioxidants

“…The reproductive efficiency of bucks is economically important because semen with high characteristics is required for avoiding the loss in valuable genotypes and achieving high fertility [3]. Oxidative stress plays an important role in sperm motility, function, quality and fertility, since lipid peroxidation increases under heat stress, HS [4].…”