Potential preventive and therapeutic effects of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) pollen grain on cadmium – induced testicular injury in rats

This study was investigated the possible preventive and therapeutic effects of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) pollen grain (DPP) on cadmium (Cd)-induced testicular damage using quantitative, biochemical and histopathological approaches. A total of 25 adult male rats were randomly divided into five groups. control; DPP treated group received a 56 days DPP suspension; Cd treated group received only CdCl₂; pre-treated group received a 15 days of DPP suspension before CdCl₂ injection while post-treated group received a 56-day of DPP suspension following CdCl₂ injection. CdCl₂ (1.2mg/kg bwt) was intraperitoneally injected as a single dose and DPP (120mg/kg bwt) given by gavage suspended in distilled water.

Cd treated group showed significantly decrease reproductive organs index weight, sperm count and motility, reduced glutathione, serum testosterone and Johnsen's score. Meanwhile, sperm abnormalities, lipid peroxidation were significantly elevated. Necrotic changes with poor spermatogenesis to complete spermatogenic arrest were the key histopathological finding.

Although the mechanism is not clear, improved sperm quality and antioxidative status, elevated testosterone level, restored testicular histology and reclaimed spermatogenesis were noticed in DPP post-treated group as therapeutic intervention. While, DPP pretreatment as preventive intervention failed to attenuate the adverse effects of cadmium.