Serum and Testicular Antioxidant Potentials of White Male Japanese Quails at Three Different Physiological Age Groups

Label Problem: Bird spermatozoa are characterised by high proportions of fatty acids which make them very vulnerable to oxidative stress due to over production of free radicals.

Aim: This study aimed at assessing the antioxidant potentials of Japanese quails at three different physiological age groups and to evaluate the correlation between antioxidant capacity in the blood and testes of white male quails at the three age groups.

Study Design: The design of the study was completely randomised design.

Place of Study: The research was carried out at the Poultry Section (Quailery Unit), Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

Methodology: A study was carried out on the assessment of serum and testicular antioxidant potentials of white strains of male Japanese quails at three different physiological age groups: Pubertal (7-10 weeks), matured (14-20 weeks), and adult (≥24 week). Fifty-four white male quails were used and blood was sampled for antioxidant analysis. The animals were sacrificed, testes excised and homogenized for antioxidant determination. Total antioxidant capacity, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were evaluated in the serum and testicular homogenate.

Results: Only glutathione peroxidase in the blood was significantly (p<0.05) higher in matured and adult quails than the pubertal quails. The testicular catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity were not significantly different across the age groups. There was a positive significant correlation between serum and testicular catalase (r =0.78). Serum glutathione peroxidase was positively correlated with testicular total antioxidant capacity (r =0.20).

Conclusion: The blood glutathione peroxidase activity was optimal in the matured age group than other age groups. Antioxidant activity in the blood and testes were positively correlated.