Protective role of ascorbic acid to enhance semen quality of rabbits treated with sublethal doses of aflatoxin B-1

Aflatoxins are toxic to a wide variety of animals, including man. The antio xidant ascorbic acid (AA) plays an important role in various physiological processes in the body including detoxification of different toxic compounds . The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of AA on producti ve and reproductive characteristics of mature male rabbits given two sublet hal doses (15 or 30 mug/kg of body weight; every other day) of aflatoxin B- 1 (AFB(1)). The experiment lasted 18 weeks and included two periods: a trea tment period (first 9 weeks) where the animals were given the tested materi als, and a recovery period (second 9 weeks) where all the drugs were withdr awn. Results showed that live body weight (LBW), dry matter intake (DMI), r elative testes weight (RTW), and serum testosterone were significantly redu ced (P < 0.05) by treatment with AFB(1) in a dose-dependent manner, and the se effects continued during the recovery period. Aflatoxin treatment also d ecreased (P < 0.05) ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, total sperm outp ut, sperm motility index, and semen initial fructose concentration. The neg ative effects of aflatoxin on semen characteristics were dose-dependent and continued during the recovery period. Treatment with AA increased (P < 0.0 5) LEW, DMI, RTW, serum testosterone concentration, improved semen characte ristics, and alleviated the negative effects of AFB(1). Aflatoxin treatment increased (P < 0.05) the numbers of abnormal and dead sperms in a dose-dep endent manner, and this effect continued during the recovery period. Treatm ent with AA alleviated the negative effects of AFB1 during treatment and re covery periods. Results demonstrated the beneficial influences of AA in red ucing the negative effects of AFB(1) on production and reproduction of male rabbits. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.