title: Effect of α-Amylase, Papain, and Spermfluid treatments on viscosity and semen parameters of dromedary camel ejaculates.
abstract: Ejaculates from five clinically healthy dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) were used to evaluate the effects of different enzymatic treatments (Amylase, Papain, Spermfluid) on liquefaction and seminal parameters. After collection, ejaculates were divided into 5 aliquots: (1) kept undiluted (control); or diluted 1:1 with: (2) Tris-Citrate-Fructose (TCF), (3) TCF containing Amylase, (4) TCF containing Papain or (5) Spermfluid containing Bromelain. At 120 min after dilution, each aliquot was evaluated, at 20-min intervals, for viscosity, motility, viability and agglutination. Only the aliquots diluted with TCF containing Papain underwent complete liquefaction. Sperm motility decreased significantly during the observation times, except for the samples diluted with Spermfluid (P=0.005). Diluted samples showed different levels of agglutination, with the lowest being observed in the control and the highest in the Papain-treated samples. The viscosity of dromedary camel ejaculates could be effectively reduced by using the proteolytic enzyme Papain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Veterinary Clinics and Animal Production Section, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Str. prov. per Casamassima, km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy. Electronic address: monaco_davide@libero.it.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.affiliation: Livestock and Wildlife Laboratory, Arid Lands Institute, 4100, Medenine, University of Gabès, Tunisia; Higher Institute of Agronomic Sciences of Chott-Mariem, University of Sousse, 4042 Chott-Mariem, Sousse, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Meriem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fatnassi
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Str. prov. per Casamassima, km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Padalino
authors.affiliation: Livestock and Wildlife Laboratory, Arid Lands Institute, 4100, Medenine, University of Gabès, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hammadi
authors.affiliation: Livestock and Wildlife Laboratory, Arid Lands Institute, 4100, Medenine, University of Gabès, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Touhami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Khorchani
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Veterinary Clinics and Animal Production Section, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Str. prov. per Casamassima, km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Michele
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lacalandra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001963:Bromelains / Q000494:pharmacology; D002162:Camelus / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010206:Papain / Q000494:pharmacology; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012661:Semen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014783:Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001963:Bromelains; D000516:alpha-Amylases; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D010206:Papain
keywords: Agglutination; Camelus dromedarius; Liquefaction; Seminal plasma; Sperm motility; Viability