ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Animal Reproduction - Theriogenology
This article is part of the Research TopicNanoparticles Assisted Improvement of Semen Quality in LivestockView all 3 articles
Effects of Ashwagandha-Derived Silver Nanoparticles on Pre-and Post-Thaw Semen Quality in Bulls
Provisionally accepted
ARUSHI KANWAR1,2*
Meenakshi Virmani2Kartik Singh Chaudhary3Sandeep Kumar2
Dr. PREETI LAKHANI2
Rajesh Kumar2Neeraj Panihar2- 1Animal Husbandary Department, Himachal Pradesh Government, Nahan, India
- 2Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, India
- 3Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, India
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of silver nanoparticle (AgNP) supplementation on bovine semen quality, with a focus on determining whether green-synthesized AgNPs derived from ethanolic Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) extract could mitigate cryopreservation-induced damage. Bovine semen samples were supplemented with AgNPs at concentrations of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 µg/mL. The effects on semen quality were assessed by measuring antioxidant activity, sperm motility, morphological abnormalities, acrosome integrity, and lipid peroxidation, both in fresh semen and after cryopreservation. AgNP supplementation led to a dose-dependent increase in antioxidant activity. Among the concentrations tested, 20 µg/mL produced the most significant improvements in sperm motility and a reduction in morphological abnormalities in fresh semen. This concentration also enhanced acrosome integrity and decreased lipid peroxidation, indicating protection against oxidative stress during cryopreservation. While post-thaw motility showed limited differences, pre-freezing kinematic parameters improved with AgNP supplementation, suggesting enhanced sperm quality.Green-synthesized AgNPs, particularly at 20 µg/mL, have the potential to improve bovine semen quality and reproductive performance by reducing oxidative stress and supporting sperm function. These findings suggest AgNPs as promising additives for improving livestock reproduction, with additional research needed to explore broader applications in reproductive biology and agricultural sciences.
Keywords: Antibacterial, antioxidant, Ashwagandha, nanoparticle, sliver
Received: 20 Sep 2025; Accepted: 15 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 KANWAR, Virmani, Chaudhary, Kumar, LAKHANI, Kumar and Panihar. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: ARUSHI KANWAR
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.