Evaluación del Efecto Combinado de la menaquinona-4 y L-carnitina sobre la Crioconservación del Semen Ovino

Abstract

This biological research was conducted at the Reproduction Laboratory of the Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Ecuador, and focused on the cryopreservation of ram genetics, a process that negatively affects sperm functionality and viability due primarily to oxidative stress (OS) generated during freezing and thawing, as a consequence of the biochemical properties of the sperm plasma membrane. The study evaluated the post-thaw effect of L-Carnitine (1 mM) and Menaquinone-4 (1 mM), individually and in combination (1 mM × 1 mM), on ovine semen collected from a single ram, assessing vitality, viability, plasma membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, and sperm kinetics using the Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA) system. Significant differences (p<0.05) were detected in several parameters, where the membrane integrity (%HOST, p=0.002) indicated a negative effect associated with ionic imbalance, the high immotile index (p=0.047) reflected excess additives in the extender, and the reduced linearity (%LIN, p=0.005) was related to the absence of cofactors supporting antioxidant activity. The high variability among internal and external factors (replicates) affecting sperm performance suggests that antioxidant dosage and exposure times must be considered to better understand their synergistic or antagonistic biological effects under oxidative stress conditions.

Keywords: Antioxidant; Ecuador; Biological Effects; Oxidative Stress; Genetics; Biological Research.