Therapeutic effects of date palm (Phoenix dactyliferaL.) pollen extract on cadmium-induced testicular toxicity

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is a well-known testicular toxicant. This study was designed to explore the long-term effects of a single low dose of Cd on spermatogenesis, and testicular dysfunction and oxidative stress, and the therapeutic potential of date palm pollen extract (DPP) in averting such reproductive damage. Adult male Wistar rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of CdCl2 (0 or 1 mg kg(-1) ). Twenty-four hours later, they started receiving DPP (0 or 40 mg kg(-1) ) orally, once daily for 56 consecutive days. Cd exposure caused significant reproductive damage via reduced weight of the reproductive organs, which includes spermatological damage (decreased sperm count and motility and increased rates of sperm abnormalities), increased oxidative stress (increased malondialdehyde and decreased reduced glutathione levels), histological alterations (necrosis, inefficient to completely arrest spermatogenesis and a reduced Johnsen's score) and decreased serum testosterone level. DPP restored spermatogenesis and attenuated the toxic effects of Cd on the reproductive system to the levels observed in the control animals. These findings support the hypothesis that the testis is particularly sensitive to Cd, which can cause testicular damage and infertility. Treatment with DPP can ameliorate the deleterious effects of Cd, probably by activating testicular endocrine and antioxidant systems.

<b>Semen traits, testicular morphometry and histopathology of cadmium-exposed rabbit bucks administered methanolic extract of <i>Phoenix dactylifera</i> fruit

“…The results indicated that Cd significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the volume of testis, carrying capacity and the epididymal length. These effects may be associated with a reduction in serum testosterone levels as earlier postulated by El-Neweshy, El-Maddawy, and El-Sayed (2013). This findings which are consistent with previous reports (Qadori & Al-Shaikh, 2011;El-Neweshy et al, 2013;Saeed, 2013;Zakaria & AlBusadah, 2015) confirm the toxic effect of Cd on the testis.…”

“…These effects may be associated with a reduction in serum testosterone levels as earlier postulated by El-Neweshy, El-Maddawy, and El-Sayed (2013). This findings which are consistent with previous reports (Qadori & Al-Shaikh, 2011;El-Neweshy et al, 2013;Saeed, 2013;Zakaria & AlBusadah, 2015) confirm the toxic effect of Cd on the testis. Cd has been reported to induce necrotic degenerative changes in the testis (Predes et al, 2010) and destruction of testicular germ cells due to membrane damage or macromolecular degeneration (Qadori & Al-Shaikh, 2011).…”

“…Methanolic extract of date have been shown to restore loss of sex drive in rabbits caused by cadmium intoxication (ElNeweshy, El-Maddawy, & El-Sayed, 2013). Incidentally, the libido stimulating property of date palm extract affected the experimental rabbits in a dose-dependent manner (13:07, 11:69 and 10:90 s for 300, 600 and 900 mg kg reported by Brackett (2004) for rabbit bucks.…”

“…The observed therapeutic potency of date extract might be due to several contributing factors primarily including the hormone mediated effects elicited through its content of gonadotropin-like substances or steroidal components (Bajpayee, 1997). This acts like gonad stimulating compounds, improving male fertility and maintaining normal serum levels of testosterone (El-Neweshy et al, 2013). Ahmed et al (2008), El-Neweshy et al (2013) and Wafaa, El-Kashlan, and Ehssan (2012) independently reported increase in testis weight and epididymis weight of Cd induced testicular dysfunction in rats treated with Phoenix dactylifera pollen extract.…”

“…This demonstrates that steroidogenic disruption in Leydig cells is likely to be the initial target of cadmium toxicity as an endocrine modulator. However, there are reports that show that the administration of P. dactylifera resulted both in an increase in sperm density and testosterone level, indirectly promoting spermatogenesis (El-Neweshy et al, 2013;Saeed, Tahir, & Lone, 2015). The result of semen evaluation herein confirmed that the administration of MEPD to cadmium exposed rabbit bucks increased the number of spermatogonia which resulted in the significant (p < 0.05) increase in sperm concentration.…”