Sperm Membrane and Acrosomal Integrity Affected by using Black Currant

Abstract

This study was designed in order to investigate and determine the effect of black current (Prunus cerasus) extract on semen membrane and acrosome integrity of the rams. Twelve mature healthy rams were used in this study aged between 2-3 years, kept in the animal farm of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Al-Kufa University. Semen ejaculates was collected using electro-ejaculator methods once weekly a total of 36 ejaculates were collected among the period of the study. The black current (Prunus cerasus) extract was prepared by using maceration and added to the diluted semen in five doses groups (0.25 gm/ml as G1, 0.5 gm/ml as G2, 1 gm/ml as G3, 2 gm/ml as G4, 4 gm/ml as G5) and the positive control group left without any addition. The treatment samples were evaluated under cooling for five consecutive days, the membrane integrity test was evaluated using hypo-osmotic solution and acrosome integrity was analysis using semen smear stained with eosin–nigrosin stain. The result showed that high concentration of aqueous plant extract give negative result as listed in G3, G4 and G5 in the all preservation days. As found in acrosome integrity at the 5thday of incubation showed decreased at highly significantly sequentially. We conclude that the G1 and G2 of black current extract (Prunus cerasus) should be used in chilling process as a part of artificial insemination in sheep due to its protective effect of the membrane and acrosome integrity.