Vet World Vol.18 June-2025 Article - 8
Research Article
Veterinary World, 18(6): 1479-1486
https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2025.1479-1486
Effect of idebenone supplementation in a semen extender on boar spermatozoa quality during liquid storage
1. Veterinary Science Program, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
2. Research Group for Animal Health Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
3. Division of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
Background and Aim: In swine production, over 99% of artificial insemination (AI) procedures utilize boar semen preserved in liquid form at 17°C for up to 5 days. However, spermatozoa are highly susceptible to oxidative stress during storage, which impairs motility, membrane integrity, and overall fertility. Reactive oxygen species-induced lipid peroxidation (LPO) compromises sperm structure and function. Although antioxidants are used to mitigate oxidative damage, idebenone (IDB) – a short-chain benzoquinone with potent mitochondrial antioxidant properties – has not been studied in boar semen preservation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of IDB supplementation in a semen extender on boar spermatozoa quality during 120 h of liquid storage at 17°C.
Materials and Methods: Ejaculates from 25 Duroc boars were diluted with Beltsville Thawing Solution to a final concentration of 30 × 106 sperm/mL. In Experiment 1, semen samples (n = 13) were treated with 0, 78, 156, 312, 625, or 1250 nM of IDB and assessed at 24-h intervals for motility (computer-assisted sperm analysis), viability (eosin-nigrosin), and membrane integrity (hypo-osmotic swelling test). In Experiment 2, 78 nM IDB was selected for its optimal effects and further tested (n = 12) for acrosome integrity (fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated peanut agglutinin), capacitation status (chlortetracycline staining), LPO (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), and kinematic parameters.
Results: After 120 h, the 78 nM IDB group showed significantly improved total motility (81.4%) and membrane integrity (60.3%) compared to control (72.9% and 46.7%, respectively; p < 0.05). Viability was higher in IDB-treated groups, and high concentrations (625–1250 nM) reduced motility. In Experiment 2, 78 nM IDB improved total and progressive motility (84.0% and 46.8%), preserved acrosome integrity (64.06% vs. 58.75%), reduced capacitated sperm (64.72% vs. 59.11%), and decreased malondialdehyde levels (51.84 nmol vs. 59.61 nmol) relative to controls (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: IDB at 78 nM effectively preserves boar semen quality during 5-day liquid storage by enhancing motility, viability, membrane and acrosome integrity, and reducing oxidative stress. These findings highlight its potential as a novel antioxidant additive in AI protocols.
Keywords: antioxidant, artificial insemination, boar semen, idebenone, lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress, sperm preservation.
How to cite this article: Pantecostoma RR, Jiwakanon J, and Sirisathien S (2025) Effect of idebenone supplementation in a semen extender on boar spermatozoa quality during liquid storage, Veterinary World, 18(6): 1479-1486.
Received: 01-02-2025 Accepted: 05-05-2025 Published online: 10-06-2025
Corresponding author: E-mail:
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.1479-1486
Copyright: Pantecostoma, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.