Orally administered Chrysin improves post‐thawed sperm quality and fertility of rooster

Abstract

Chrysin is a bioflavonoid compound found in passion flower, chamomile, propolis and honey at high levels. Post-thawed sperm quality and fertility of Chrysin-fed roosters were assessed in this study. Twenty 40-week-old male broiler breeders were randomly divided into four groups and fed basal diet supplemented with different levels of Chrysin including 0 (Ch-0), 25 (Ch-25), 50 (Ch-50) or 75 (Ch-75) mg/day for 12 consecutive weeks. Semen samples were weekly collected from 6th to 9th week of experiment to evaluate some sperm quality parameters including total and progressive motility, plasma membrane integrity and functionality (in fresh and post-thawed samples) and mitochondrial activity (only in post-thawed samples). Also, collected semen samples from 10th, 11th and 12th week of experiment were frozen and then artificially inseminated to test fertility rate. According to the results, an improvement in both fresh and post-thawed sperm quality including total [fresh: 88.00 ± 0.58 and 87.25 ± 0.67 (p < .01); post-thawed: 51.07 ± 2.05 and 52.72 ± 1.96 (p < .01)] and progressive motility [fresh: 76.00 ± 0.58 and 78.25 ± 0.65 (p < .01); post-thawed: 40.61 ± 2.01 and 39.88 ± 2.01 (p < .01)], plasma membrane integrity [fresh: 91.60 ± 0.58 and 89.85 ± 0.59 (p < .01); post-thawed: 56.99 ± 1.86 and 54.39 ± 1.86 (p < .01)] and functionality [fresh: 75.40 ± 0.42 and 77.90 ± 0.96 (p < .01); post-thawed: 45.69 ± 1.71 and 46.35 ± 1.71 (p < .01)] was noted for both Ch-50 and Ch-75, respectively, groups compared to control group. Despite no significant change in mitochondrial activity, fertility rate of post-thawed spermatozoa was significantly improved in all Chrysin-fed groups compared to Ch-0 group. In conclusion, oral Chrysin administration to roosters could ameliorate cryopreservation-induced impairment of sperm quality and fertility rate.

Lycopene-loaded nanoliposomes improve the performance of a modified Beltsville extender broiler breeder roosters

“…The greater sperm progressive motility and membrane integrity resulting from 0.2 mM lycopene-loaded nanoliposomes treatment likely increased the population of functional sperm in the sperm storage tubules and thus improved fertility. Additionally, improvement in cellular parameters of sperm through reinforcement of the antioxidant system and mitochondria activity potentially will increase the function of sperm during passage through the reproductive tract (Zhandi et al, 2017). This fertility enhancement was likely not only due to increasing the number of live spermatozoa after freeze-thawing but also by improving their functionality.…”

Effect of crocin and naringenin supplementation in cryopreservation medium on post-thaw rooster sperm quality and expression of apoptosis associated genes

“…Despite its utilization over 70 years ago [ 1 ], cryopreservation of poultry sperm leads to low fertility, which limits its application in genetic stock preservation [ 2 ]. Cryopreservation causes harmful effect on sperm which decreases sperm viability and motility [ 3 ].…”

Effect of crocin and naringenin supplementation in cryopreservation medium on post-thawed rooster sperm quality and expression of apoptosis associated genes

“…Despite its utilization over 70 years ago [1], cryopreservation of bird sperm causes low fertility, which limits its applying in genetic stock preservation [2]. Cryopreservation causes harmful effects on sperm that decrease sperm viability and motility [3–5].…”