Enhancement of Sexual Libido and Sperm Production in rabbits using Clomiphene citrate (Clomid®)

Abstract

Two trials were conducted to investigate the efficacy of clomiphene citrate to enhance libido and sperm production in rabbits. In Trial I, two groups of seven adult crossbred New Zealand type rabbits each were assigned to either 6.25 mg (CD1) or 12.5 mg (CD2) clomiphene citrate as Clomid® (Bruno Farmaceutici S.p.A., Rome) daily for 5 days. Another group of 7 bucks was given normal saline during the same period to serve as control (CON). Semen was collected from the bucks once weekly for 12 weeks using an artificial vagina. Blood testosterone was sampled three times during the study - at the beginning, midway and during the last week of the study. In Trial II, two breeds (Chinchilla and Dutch-belted) of six adult rabbits each were used. Three rabbits from each breed were assigned to 6.25mg or 12.50mg of clomiphene citrate as Clomid® daily for 5 days. All the solutions were administered as oral douches. Semen was collected from the animals and two aliquots were taken from each ejaculate, oneanalysed immediately after collection and the other three hours later for motility. In Trial I, the results indicate that sperm concentration was higher (P<0.05) in the treated animals than in the control. Although total sperm per ejaculate was similar (P>0.05) between the control and the CD2 groups, the value for the CD1 group was higher (P<0.05) than that of the control. Semen volume, sperm motility, proportion of abnormal sperm as well as serum testosterone levels did not differ (P>0.05) among the groups. The results obtained in Trial II showed that sperm concentration was higher (P<0.05) in animals treated with 6.25mg of the drug than their counterparts treated with 12.50mg of the drug. The Chinchilla bucks were of higher (P<0.05) sperm concentration than their Dutch-belted counterparts. It was evident from the results that semen from the Chinchilla breed survived the harsh tropical environment than their Dutch-belted counterparts. These results indicate that the administration of 6.25mg of clomiphene citrate would improve sperm production more in the Chinchilla breed of rabbits than in their Dutch-belted counterparts without deleterious effects on sperm morphology and physiology.


[IJARD Vol.3 2002: 102-107]