Seminal plasma ascorbic acid level and its relationship to sperm characteristics in Murrah buffalo bulls

Abstract

Ascorbic acid levels were investigated in the seminal plasma of Murrah buffalo bulls and its relation was investigated
with various parameters of sperm morphology. Semen samples were collected using bovine artificial vagina. Semen
volume, sperm concentration, initial motility, livability, sperm abnormality, hypo osmotic swelling, acrosomal integrity
and post thaw motility were assessed using standard procedures. Ascorbic acid contents in the seminal plasma were estimated by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) procedure using UV detection at 254 nm. Bulls were divided into 3 categories depending on the extent of sperm abnormality. The mean ± SEM values of
seminal plasma ascorbic acid (mg/ dl) were 4.81 ± 0.08, 3.17 ± 0.09 and 1.79 ± 0.05 in good, medium and poor groups
of Murrah buffalo bulls. The seminal plasma ascorbic acid differed significantly in all 3 groups. The seminal plasma
ascorbic acid level was positively correlated with spermatozoa with volume/ ejaculate (r² = 0.710), conc./ ejaculate (r²= 0.915), initial motility (r² = 0.944), livability (r² = 0.933), acrosomal integrity (r² = 0.955), HOS reactiveness (r² = 0.946) and post-thaw motility (r² = 0.906); whereas it was negatively correlated with sperm abnormality (r² = –0.896).