An Innovative Use of Propolis in the Production of Dipping Sauce Powder as a Functional Food to Mitigate Testicular Toxicity Induced by Cadmium Chloride: Technological and Biological Evidence

Abstract

Propolis is a common natural ingredient used in food production, food packaging, and pharmaceutical products. Therefore, the aim of our study was to prepare dipping sauce powders as an innovative functional product with a regular and spicy taste from economical raw materials with high nutritional value. The developed products were fortified with propolis powder at 250, 500, and 750 mg/kg. All studied dipping sauces were subjected to a palatability test, a nutritional evaluation, and a microbiological assay performed during 6 months of storage. In addition, an in vivo study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of these products in preventing the testicular toxicity disorders induced by cadmium chloride (CdCl2) in albino rats. Based on the palatability test, the dipping sauces supplemented with propolis at 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg were preferred. Moreover, all samples were safe to consume within 6 months. Biological results showed that all investigated propolis-enriched dipping sauce samples caused an improvement in all CdCl2-induced testicular histopathological and biochemical changes, especially the spicy dipping sauce powder fortified with 500 mg/kg of propolis.

Propolis Protects GC-1spg Spermatogonial Cells against Tert-Butyl Hydroperoxide-Induced Oxidative Damage

“…In the south hemisphere, the values decrease to 127-142 mg GAE/g and 33-53 mg QE/g in Brazil [29]. Noteworthy, our values are also in the same range as the ones from Chinese (135.26 mg GAE/g and 29.03 mg QE/g) and Egyptian (200.70 mg GAE/g and 91.86 mg QE/g) propolis used in a recent study demonstrating their preventive potentialities in male reproductive function impairment [27]. The chemical composition of propolis is strongly dependent on the plant sources available around the hive, the geographical and climatic conditions, as well as the surrounding flora [30][31][32].…”

“…Administration of propolis in rats and rabbits shows an improvement in body and reproductive organs’ weight, an increase in sperm production, motility, count, and quality, and a reduction in abnormal and dead sperm numbers [ 19 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. In co-administration with OS-inducers, like cadmium, aluminum, and copper, propolis ameliorated testicular histopathological and biochemical alterations, decreased the number of apoptotic cells, increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes, with a simultaneous decrease in malonaldehyde levels, a marker of lipid peroxidation [ 19 , 21 , 26 , 27 ]. In men, propolis administration was demonstrated to reduce the free radical-induced lipid peroxidation, as well as increase superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity [ 22 ].…”

Ameliorative impacts of propolis against testicular toxicity promoted by doxorubicin

“…In addition, propolis therapy enhances the weight of organs, body weight, semen characteristics, and testosterone hormone [ 9 ]. In addition, biological data demonstrated that all tested propolis-enriched dipping sauce samples improved all cadmium chloride-induced testicular histological and biochemical changes [ 10 ]. Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly effective lipid-coated anticancer drug used in chemotherapy [ 11 – 13 ].…”