Effects of Date Palm (Phoenix Dactylifera) Gemmule Extract on Morphometric Parameters of Reproductive Tissues, Hormones and Sperm Quality in Rat

Date palm gemmule has been used in traditional medicine to improve the semen quality and treat infertility. Their components remedies those are rich of antioxidant and vitamins can influence spermatogenesis. The aim of this project was to evaluate the effects of date palm gommule water/alcoholic extract on reproductive tissues, sex hormone and sperm quality of rat. Seventy male rats were divided into 7 groups. Five experimental groups were treated with zero, 50, 100, 150 and 200mg/kg/body weight of date palm gemmule water/ alcoholic extract for 50 days. The controls was injected either busulfan or solvent. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were taken to perform hormone assay. The sperm samples were collected and count. The sperm motility and morphology were also measured. The smears were prepared and stained with acridin orange, aniline blue, eosin and chromycin A3. Morphmetrical analyses were performed to measure the seminiferous tubule diameter and the thickness of epithelium of ductus deferens and epididymis. The results indicated estradiol decreased significantly in the group was fed with 50 mg/kg/body weight per day and testosterone decrease in the groups treated with 100 and 150 mg/kg/day of extract. The percent of the sperm with good morphology and normal chromatin histone were increased significantly in a non-linear way (P<0.05). The extract also significantly (P<0.05) increased in seminiferous tubule diameter and epididymis epithelium thickness. In conclusion the components of extract improve the sperm chromatin quality as indicated by aniline blue staining and also the testis morphology and spermatogenesis as indicated by morphometric measurements and Johnson scoring technique respectively. Finally the results showed that the high dose of the extract showed the best protective effects against busulfan toxicity without decreasing in testosterone concentration in comparison to the other treated groups.”Keywords: