title: Effects of date palm pollen (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and Astragalus ovinus on sperm parameters and sex hormones in adult male rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Date Palm Pollen (DPP) and Astragalus genus are used in some countries for the treatment of infertility.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to investigate effects of DPP and Astragalus ovinus (A.Ovinus) on fertility in healthy adult male rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six rats were divided into six groups (n=6) including control and five treatment groups. DPP (120, 240 and 360 mg/kg) and A.ovinus (100, 500 mg/ kg) were orally given to the treatment groups. After thirty-five days, blood samples were taken to determine serum levels of FSH, LH, testosterone and estradiol. Weight of testis and epididymis, sperm count, sperm motility, seminiferous tubules diameter (STD), germinal cell layer thickness (GCLT), sertoli, leydig and spermatogonia cells were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DPP at the of 120 and 240 mg/kg doses significantly raised the ratio of testis or epididymis to body weight, sperm count, sperm motility , and estradiol level compared to the control group (p<0.05). LH and testosterone levels only noticeably increased at 120 mg/kg of DPP (p<0.01 and p<0.001 respectively). STD increased in the three applied doses (p=0.001). A. ovinus extract at the indicated doses produced a significant reduction in the ratio of testis or epididymis to body weight and sperm motility (p<0.05). Sperm count, spermatogonia, leydig cells and FSH level decreased at dose of 500 mg/kg. Furthermore, GCLT, spermatogonia cells, and serum estradiol level increased at 100 mg/kg dose of A. ovinus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that DPP could improve fertility factors, while A.ovinus can exhibit deleterious effects on gonad and sperm parameters in rats.
authors.affiliation: Medicinal Plant Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran ; Student Research Committee, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
authors.forename: Fouad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mehraban
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrzad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jafari
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akbartabar Toori
authors.affiliation: Medicinal Plant Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran ; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
authors.forename: Behzad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Joodi
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mostafazade
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
authors.forename: Heibatollah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
keywords: AstragalusOvinus; Datepalmpollen; Gonadalhormones; Infertility; Rats