Sperm cromatin integrity in stallions with Lepidium meyenii (Maca) dietary supplementation

Stallions used for reproduction are selected for their appearance, performance, pedigree and lineage. It is often necessary to improve semen quality and preserve it for assisted reproductive technologies using safe and effective methods. Lepidium meyenii (Maca) is a traditional Andean crop that grows in the Peruvian Highlands. It has fertility-enhancing and antioxidant properties. In this study, the effect of dietary supplementation with Maca on chromatin integrity of fresh (at D0, D1, D2, D3, D4) and cooled-stored stallion sperm (after 24, 48 and 72 h) was assessed using the TUNEL assay. Animals were divided in: control (C; n = 5) and a treated group (M; n = 5). Animals from both groups received the standard diet but the M group received addition- ally daily food supplemented with 20 g of Maca for 60 days (from May to June 2015). The highest percentage of DNA strand breaks was found in cooled-stored sperm from animals belonging the C group in comparison to M group (D0: 10.04 ± 4.1 and 12.1 ± 2.5%, respec- tively, and D4: 10.7 ± 3.2 and 5.9 ± 1.8, respectively, p < 0.05). This percentage increased during the storage time, but significantly lower in M respect to C (D4 C: 33.2±4.1; 64.3±3.6; 70.6±4.8 at 24, 48, 72 h, respectively; D4 M: 15.6 ± 2.9; 20.4 ± 5.3; 30.2 ± 4.5 at 24, 48, 72 h, respectively; p < 0.05). In conclusion, oral administration of Maca improves semen quality in stallions and enhances cooled storage.