DESCRIPTION

The goal of this study was to evaluate the action of the green tea plant on male rabbit reproduction and some non-reproductive indexes.

Male rabbits were fed either a standard diet or a diet enriched with green tea powder (experimental groups; E): 5 g (E1) or 20 g (E2) per 100 kg of the milled complete feed mixture.

Weight gain, sperm concentration, total and progressive motility, as well as haematological, and biochemical parameters and changes in testicular tissue histomorphology were evaluated.

Feeding with green tea, at both tested concentrations, decreased weight gain per week and the total average weight gain compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

Furthermore, green tea decreased sperm concentration, motility and progressive motility in the group fed with a lower dose (5 g) of its powder (p < 0.05), whilst a higher dose (20 g) was neutral.

Some haematological and biochemical indexes were decreased in one or both experimental groups (p < 0.05), whilst the triglyceride level was increased in the E2 group (p < 0.05).

The thicknesses of the testicular seminiferous tubules and epithelial layer were not affected by any concentration of tea powder (p > 0.05).

These observations suggest that this tea in the diet may have an adverse effect on rabbit growth and sperm quality, depending from the dose.

The obtained results demonstrate a reduction in rabbit weight gain, but deterioration of sperm quality under the influence of green tea feeding.

This study suggests that tea can affect the metabolic and reproductive systems of rabbit males in different manners, which should be taken into account when assessing the impact of it on a living organism.

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