Essential oils rich in monoterpenes are unsuitable as additives to boar semen extender

Despite the development of efficient boar semen extenders, there is still room for improvement of new formulas using new molecules that could increase fertilisation outcomes and substitute cryoprotectants and antibiotics. The goal of this work was to evaluate if the essential oils from the leaves of Myrrhinium atropurpureum and Cymbopogon citratus are suitable as additives in boar semen extender. The major compounds found in the essential oils from M. atropurpureum were 1,8-cineole (37.37%) and terpinolene (19.18%); and geranial (49.8%) and neral (33.24%) in essential oil of C. citratus. The addition of 1% and 0.1% of both essential oils to extended semen had immediate spermicidal effects (p < 0.05). Lower concentrations were tested and no cytotoxic effect was observed when M. atropurpureum essential oil was added at 0.001%. Differently, essential oil from C. citratus reduced sperm motility, membrane functionality and integrity and mitochondrial membrane potential even in concentrations as low as 0.001%. Also, addition of essential oils in low concentrations had no inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth. We conclude that the essential oils from C. citratus and M. atropurpureum, rich in monoterpenes, are cytotoxic to swine spermatozoa, therefore unsuitable as semen extender additives.