Protective effect of esterified glucomannan on aflatoxin-induced changes in testicular function, sperm quality, and seminal plasma biochemistry in rams

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of aflatoxin (AF) on spermatologic, biochemical, and testis parameters in rams, and the protective efficiency of esterified glucomannan (EG) co-administered with AF. Thirty-two Merino rams (12–14 months old) were used. The experimental design consist...

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Published in:Theriogenology 2014-02, Vol.81 (3), p.373-380
Main Authors: Ataman, Mehmet Bozkurt, Dönmez, Hasan Hüseyin, Dönmez, Nurcan, Sur, Emrah, Bucak, Mustafa Numan, Çoyan, Kenan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acrosome - drug effects
Acrosome - ultrastructure
Aflatoxin
Aflatoxins - toxicity
Animal Feed
Animals
Glucomannan
Glutathione - metabolism
Hyaluronoglucosaminidase - metabolism
Male
Malondialdehyde - metabolism
Mannans - pharmacology
Protective Agents - pharmacology
Ram
Reproductive parameters
Semen - drug effects
Semen - metabolism
Sheep - physiology
Sperm Motility - drug effects
Testis - drug effects
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Summary:The aim of this study was to determine the effect of aflatoxin (AF) on spermatologic, biochemical, and testis parameters in rams, and the protective efficiency of esterified glucomannan (EG) co-administered with AF. Thirty-two Merino rams (12–14 months old) were used. The experimental design consisted of four dietary treatments. The control group was fed commercial feed. The AF group was fed with commercial feed plus 250 μg/d of total AF. The EG group received commercial feed plus 2 g/d of EG. The AF + EG group was given commercial feed plus 250 μg/d of total AF and 2 g/d of EG. There were treatment, time, and treatment-by-time interaction effects on sperm motility, abnormal spermatozoa, damaged acrosome, and dead spermatozoa (P < 0.01). The percentage of motile sperm was lower and the percentages of abnormal sperm, sperm with damaged acrosomes, and dead sperm were greater in the AF group than in the control, AF+EG, and EG groups, as from week 3 until the end of week 12 (P < 0.05). As from week 3, hyaluronidase activity in the seminal plasma increased significantly in the AF group, compared with the control. The co-administration of AF+EG was found to be effective in preventing the increase in hyaluronidase activity. As week 4, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly higher in the AF group compared with the control. The combined administration of AF+EG was found to be effective in lowering the MDA levels, increased by AF, to the levels measured in the control (P < 0.05). Although glutathione (GSH) levels were determined to have significantly decreased in the AF group in comparison to the control, it was observed that, in the group co-administered with AF and EG, particularly after week 7, the GSH levels, which had decreased owing to AF, were largely ameliorated (P < 0.05). In conclusion, AF adversely affected spermatologic, biochemical, and testis parameters, and the combined administration of EG with AF reversibly eliminated these adverse effects in rams.
ISSN:0093-691X
1879-3231
DOI:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2013.10.007