الفهرس 
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Abstract
The current investigation was performed for determining the impact of rosemary and ginseng aqueous extracts and L-carnitine and vitamin E compounds as antioxidants on reproductive performance, sexual activity and ram sperm characteristics. Experimental I (in vivo) was conducted within 12 weeks, i.e. two consecutive spermatogenesis cycles. Thirty adult Ossimi rams were randomly divided into five groups (six each) designated as follow: 1st and 2nd groups were oral administrated 1 mg in 1 ml water / kg BW daily of rosemary and ginseng aqueous extract, respectively. The 3rd group was treated by 500 mg / head / day of L-carnitine. The 4th group was oral administrated 40 mg dissolved in 100 ml water / ram / day vitamin E. The 5th group was oral administrated fresh water and served as control. The results showed that oral administration of rosemary or ginseng aqueous extracts improved (P < 0.001) sexual activity parameters. There were significant decreased in reaction time and latency period. The results indicated that treated groups were greater (P < 0.05) body weight, larger testicular size and higher (P < 0.001) reproductive hormones levels as testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) & follicle stimulating hormone(FSH) than the control. Also, most physical semen characteristics were higher in treated groups compared with the control group. The administration of antioxidants enhanced (P < 0.001) rams’ antioxidant status via increased serum glutathione (GSH) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and decreased lipid peroxidation (LPX). Moreover, serum total protein, albumin, and glucose levels were significant (P < 0.001) increased in treated rams. Contrary, treated groups showed significant (P < 0.05) decreased in total cholesterol levels. However, there were no significant (P > 0.05) differences among experimental groups in liver enzymes activity.
Experimental II (In vitro), this experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of previous treatments post-dilution during different sessions (incubation at 37 °C, storage at 5 °C, equilibration, and frozen-thawing) using six mature Ossimi rams. In different sessions, ejaculates were pooled split into five aliquots. Rosemary and ginseng aqueous extracts and LC and VE compounds were supplemented in each 20 mg/ml of each to the first four portions G1, G2, G3, and G4, respectively. However, the fifth part (G5) served as control without any antioxidant type. The results showed that sperm characteristics, sperm recovery rate, SOD and GSH were higher (P < 0.01), but the concentration of lipid peroxidation and enzymatic activities as Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) were lower (P < 0.01) in G1, G2, G3 and G4 than G5 extenders post-equilibration and thawing conditions. Furthermore, the penetration ability into ewe cervical mucus was significantly (P < 0.001) better in the extended ram semen with plant extracts (G1 & G2) than with compounds antioxidant (G3 & G4).
The findings of this study indicated that treated rams or extenders supplemented with rosemary or ginseng extract could be improved libido, sexual hormones, sperm characteristics, penetration value and reduced oxidative stress marker corresponding to LC and VE during natural or artificial insemination (after cooling and freeze-thawing processes of ram spermatozoa).
Keywords: Antioxidants, cryopreservation, ram spermatozoa, penetration value.