A master's thesis from the Department of Animal Production/College of Agriculture at the University of Basra examined the effect of adding lycopene on improving the characteristics of diluted and frozen semen and some oxidation indicators of Arabian rams.
The thesis, presented by graduate student Mashael Mohammed Abdul Wahid under the supervision of Assistant Professor Dr. Falah Abdul Mohsen Abdullah, aimed to preserve sperm integrity and vitality and increase sperm motility to improve fertilization rates during artificial insemination of frozen semen.
The thesis addressed the role of lycopene as an antioxidant, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS), peroxides, free radicals, and the oxidation index (MDA), as well as preserving the antioxidant enzymes formed during deep-freezing and thawing of semen.
The thesis concluded that low concentrations of lycopene improved individual sperm motility and the percentage of live sperm, while high concentrations of lycopene preserved the integrity of the merozoite and plasma membrane of sperm during the freezing and thawing processes.