Honey as an Alternative to Antibiotics for Cryopreservation of Nili-Ravi Buffalo Bull Spermatozoa

作者：Shiza Nasreen, Muhammad Amjad Awan, Asma Ul Husna, Bushra Allah Rakha, Muhammad Sajjad Ansari, William V. Holt, Shamim Akhter · 发表于：Biopreservation and Biobanking · 年份：2019 · DOI：10.1089/bio.2019.0054 · 被引用次数：10 · 研究领域：Bee Products Chemical Analysis、Seed Germination and Physiology、Sperm and Testicular Function

The antimicrobial properties of honey have stimulated interest in evaluating it as an alternative to antibiotics for cryopreserved buffalo semen. Acacia nilotica, Brassica campestris and Ziziphus jujuba honey were analyzed and Z. jujuba honey was found suitable in terms of quality and purity. Buffalo semen (24 ejaculates) was studied for in vitro dose tolerability to Z. jujuba honey (0.1%–1%), and up to 0.2% (v/v) was not toxic to buffalo spermatozoa. Afterward, semen from three bulls (24 ejaculates) was cryopreserved (four replicates) in tris-citric egg yolk extender supplemented with 0.1% or 0.2% honey, with or without streptomycin–penicillin (SP); extender with SP used as a control. After dilution and cooling, extender without antibiotics but with 0.2% honey was better (p < 0.05) than control in terms of sperm motility and plasma membrane integrity. After thawing, the extenders containing 0.1% honey with antibiotics and extender having 0.2% honey without antibiotics consistently yielded good results in terms of all parameters studied compared to control and other extenders. The extender containing 0.2% honey without antibiotics was better (p < 0.05) in terms of total aerobic bacterial count. In conclusion, 0.2% honey improves the post-thaw quality of buffalo spermatozoa and can replace the use of antibiotics in extender through its antimicrobial activity.