Enhancing semen quality, brain neurotransmitters, and antioxidant status of rabbits under heat stress by acacia gum, vitamin C, and lycopene as dietary supplements: an in vitro and in silico study

Abstract

In the current study, the effects of enhancing semen quality, brain neurotransmitters, and antioxidant status in rabbits under heat stress with acacia gum, vitamin C, and lycopene as dietary supplements were estimated in vitro and in silico. A total of 40 males from New Zealand White rabbits aged 3 months were equally divided into four groups (n = 10). The first group was a control. The other three groups were the heat stress group (oral acacia gum, 100 mg/kg body weight), the ascorbic acid group (30 mg/kg body weight), and the lycopene group (50 mg/kg body weight). All semen showed physical characteristics in terms of increasing sperm motility, motility index, sperm normality, and live sperm as compared to the control group. On the other hand, sperm abnormalities, and dead sperm significantly (p < 0.001) decreased compared with the control group. It is of interest to show that most semen traits were significantly (p < 0.001) better for acacia gum than vitamin C and lycopene. The expression of neurotransmitters (5-HT, DA, Glu, Asp) was enhanced in all treatments compared to the control. The results of acacia gum were better (p < 0.001) than those obtained with vitamin C and lycopene. The acacia gum treatment had a lower plasma semen MDA and NO (p < 0.001) and higher GSH, TAC, SOD, CAT, L-Car, Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase, ATP, and total calcium content (p < 0.001) than in other treatments and controls. These results were confirmed by the prediction of the binding energy, several conventional and carbon H-bonds, hydrophobicity, and SAS through the in silico docking analysis results. It can be concluded that acacia gum, vitamin c, and lycopene are used for enhancing semen quality, brain neurotransmitters, and the antioxidant status of rabbits under heat stress.

HIGHLIGHTS

• One of the most significant influences on animal metabolism and productivity is heat stress.

• Fertility is negatively impacted by heat stress because the level of reactive oxygen species rises.

• Acacia gum, lycopene, and ascorbic acid were used to improve the quality of sperm, brain neurotransmitters, and antioxidant status of rabbits under heat stress in vivo.

Keywords:

• Acacia gum
• vitamin C
• lycopene
• semen quality
• brain neurotransmitters

Author contributions

T.I., W.H., G.A., M.L., A.O., and O.F.: conceptualisation. T.I., W.H., G.A., M.L., A.O., A.E.ِِ.ُ., , A.Q., and O.F.: methodology. A.O., ِA.E., A.Q., and O.F.: software. T.I., W.H., G.A., M.L., A.O., A.Q., and O.F.: validation. A.T., W.H., G.A., M.L., A.O., A.E. A.Q., and O.F.: formal analysis. A.Q., and O.F.: investigation. T.I., W.H., G.A., M.L., A.O., A.Q., and O.F.: data curation. T.I., W.H., G.A., M.L., A.O., and O.F.: writing-original draft preparation. T.I., W.H., G.A., M.L., A.O., A.Q., and O.F.: writing-review and editing. A.T., W.H., G.A., M.L., A.O., A.Q., and O.F.: visualization. A.O., A.Q., and O.F.: supervision. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the authors Hanin A. Bogari and Mohammed M. Aldurdunji and their effort in guidance during the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Animal welfare and ethics approval

The Scientific Ethics Committee, Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, EG. approved (BUAPD-20196) the study's experimental procedures. The experiment was carried out at the Rabbit Research Unit, Benha University.

Additional information

Funding

This research work was funded by Institutional Fund Projects under grant no (IFPIP:1938-249-1443). The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical and financial support provided by the Ministry of Education and King Abdulaziz University, DSR, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.