title: Effect of date seeds on oxidative damage and antioxidant status in vivo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Date seeds have been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants. However, in vivo studies on date seeds are lacking. Therefore the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of date seeds on oxidative damage and antioxidant status in vivo. Male Wistar rats were fed a basal diet containing 0, 70 or 140 g kg(-1) date seeds for 30 days. All three diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric. Indication of oxidative damage was assessed in the liver and serum, and antioxidant status was assessed in the liver. Serum biochemical parameters, including indicators of tissue cellular damage and complete blood count with differential, were also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that date seeds significantly (P<0.05) reduced liver and serum malondialdehyde (a lipid peroxidative damage product) and serum lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase. Liver antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase), complete blood count with differential and other serum biochemical parameters assessed were not significantly altered by date seeds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained suggest a protective effect of date seeds against in vivo oxidative damage, possibly through the action of their bioactive antioxidants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Health, Faculty of Food and Agriculture, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17555, Al Ain, UAE.
authors.forename: Hosam M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.forename: Wissam H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002910:Chronology as Topic; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D028321:Plant Preparations; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D003402:Creatine Kinase