Dietary supplementation of yucca (Yucca schidigera) affects ovine ovarian functions

• Published in: Theriogenology 2017-01, Vol.88, p.158-165
• Main Authors: Vlčková, Radoslava, Sopková, Drahomíra, Andrejčáková, Zuzana, Valocký, Igor, Kádasi, Attila, Harrath, Abdel Halim, Petrilla, Vladimír, Sirotkin, Alexander V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Feed - analysis; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Apoptosis (bax, caspase 3); Diet - veterinary; Dietary Supplements; Female; IGF-I; Ovary - physiology; Proliferation (PCNA, cyclin B1); Sheep - physiology; Sheep ovary; Steroid hormone (progesterone, testosterone, estradiol); Yucca; Yucca (Yucca schidigera)
• ISSN: 0093-691X; 1879-3231
• DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.09.026

Yucca (Yucca schidigera) is a popular medicinal plant due to its many positive effects on animal and human physiology, including their reproductive systems. To examine the effect of supplemental yucca feeding on sheep reproduction, including ovarian functions and their hormonal regulators, ewes were fed (or not fed, control) yucca powder (1.5 g/head/day, 30 days). Macromorphometric indexes of the oviduct, ovary, and ovarian folliculogenesis were measured. Reproductive hormone levels in the blood were measured using a radioimmunoassay. Granulosa cells were aspirated from the ovary, and their proliferation and apoptosis were detected using immunocytochemistry. To assess secretory activity and its response to gonadotropin, ovarian fragments of treated and control ewes were cultured with and without follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH; 0, 0.1, 1, 10, or 100 IU/mL), and the release of reproductive hormones into the culture medium was evaluated. Finally, to examine the direct action of yucca on the ovary, ovarian fragments from control ewes were cultured with and without yucca extract (1, 10, or 100 μg/mL), and the release of reproductive hormones was measured. Yucca supplementation significantly decreased the size of small antral follicles (2 to