The effects of L-Ergothioneine,N-Acetylcystein and cystein on freezing of ram semen [Koç spermasının dondurulması üzerine L-Ergothionin,N-Asetil sistein ve sisteinin etkileri]

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of different doses of l-ergothioneine (le),cystein and n-acetylcystein (nac) on post-thawing semen parameters in rams. ejaculates collected from four tushin rams were evaluated and pooled at 35°c. semen samples were diluted with skim-milk based extender containing le (5,10 mm),cystein (5,10 mm),nac (5,10 mm) or not containing any antioxidant (control) and loaded to 0.25 ml french straws. straws were cooled to 5°c for 2 h,frozen in liquid nitrogen vapour (aprox.-120°c) for 15 min and then being stored in liquid nitrogen until thawing process. straws were thawed in water bath (37°c for 1 min). the percentages of motility,viability,abnormal acrosome,total abnormalities,membrane integrity (hypoosmatic swelling test,host) were statistically assessed. also total antioxidant capacity (tac) and total oxidatif stres (tos) were evaluated in samples from replications. it was seen that le was superior to n-acetylcystein and cystein in motility,viability,defected acrosome,total morphological abnormalities,host and tac,(p<0.05) except cystein in motility. neverthless,there was not any statistically difference between le and control groups (p>0.05). it was conlcluded that there was not any beneficial or detrimental effects of le on post thawing semen parameters in rams while it was determined that cystein and nac may have been some detrimental effects on post thawing semen parameters in rams. these results warrants future scientific studies on le,nac and cystein in ram semen cryopreservation. © 2015,veteriner fakultesi dergisi. all rights reserved.