Thymbra capitata (L.) cav. and rosmarinus officinalis (L.) Essential oils: in vitro effects and toxicity on swine spermatozoa

In the last years, Essential Oils are commanding the attention of the scientific world in a variety of fields because of their peculiar characteristics. Among the reasons behind this growing interest, there is their capability of interfering with bacteria, viruses and fungi. Moreover, they can also act as effective antioxidant and spermicidal agents. The aim of this preliminary study was to analyze the effects of the Essential Oils extracted by Cuminumcyminum and Coriandrumsativum on the membranes of spermatozoa using porcine ejaculates as model, with the future prospective of possible applications in reproductive medicine. Four different concentrations of the oils mix (1:1) were tested on samples of swine spermatozoa alongside with two controls (one with and one without Penicillin). The prepared samples were incubated at 16°C (± 1°C) in a refrigerated bath, and evaluated for Viability and Acrosome Status at three different time points (24, 72 and 120 h). When compared to the control samples, the two lower tested concentrations (0.1 and 0.2 mg/ml) do not seem to alter viability nor acrosome reaction percentage. On the other hand, the two remaining concentrations impair both parameters in a concentration-dependent manner. Overall, these preliminary results prove how this Essential Oils mix can interact with the spermatozoa membranes, both cytoplasmic and acrosomal