Effect of extender supplemented with date palm pollen grain on bovine semen qualities

Natural extract from plant-based has grown in popularity as protective properties in extender for preserving animal semen. Date palm pollen grain (DPPG) is commercially used for male fertility by enhancing sperm count, motility and DNA quality because DPPG contains flavonoids. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of a) extender supplementation with different concentration of DPPG on sperm motility, viability and membrane integrity b) different preservation storage of chilled and frozen bovine semen after seven days. The semen was collected through electrical stimulation and assigned to four treatment groups. The semen were diluted in Tris citric fructose egg yolk (TCFY) diluent (control group; CG) or supplemented with DPPG with different concentration (G1 = 2%, G2 = 4% and G3 = 6% in 20 mg DPPG/40 mL of Tris citric fructose (TCF). Semen samples were chilled (experiment 1) in the refrigerator (4°C) for seven days and cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen (experiment 2) prior to dilution to four treatments. The samples were thawed in a water bath (37 °C) and analysed for motility, membrane integrity and viability by conventional laboratory methods. No significant difference was observed among treatment groups in experiment 1. However, in the second experiment, the addition of 6% DPPG resulted significantly higher (p<0.05) in sperm viability compared to control groups (71.25±1.04) vs (56.47±4.69). The supplementation of 6% DPPG showed the ability to protect the viability of bovine sperm, respectively.

Protective Role of Phoenix dactylifera Date Palm Pollen against Doxorubicin-Induced Toxicity in the Liver, Kidney, Testis and Biochemical Parameters in Male Rats

Date palm pollen (DPP) has a prophylactic role, known for its antioxidant effects. For this, the present study was designed to study the protective role of DPP against histological toxicity in hepatic, renal, and testicular tissues, as well as the level of (Total cholesterol, Triglyceride, Total proteins, Albumin, and testosterone hormone) in male white rats. The Iraqi date palm trees (Phoenix dactylifera L.) were selected from Salah Aldeen farms located at Salah Aldeen governorate. Pollen was collected from 20th March to 25th April 2019. This study used 20 male white rats that were distributed to four groups and weights close. All groups were given food and water continuously throughout the experiment, the second group (DPP) was given an orally administered suspension of date palm pollen (60 mg/kg) every day for four weeks, the third group intraperitoneal injections were given (10 mg/kg), and the fourth group (10 mg/kg) were given intraperitoneal injections one time per week and four weeks, in addition to that, orally-administered suspension of DPP (60 mg/kg) was given as well every day for four weeks. The results of the study showed a significant increase (P≤0.05) in the level of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and a significant decrease (P≤0.05) in the level of Total Protein, Albumin, and testosterone hormones, Current results suggest that the protective effect of (DPP) may by its antioxidant properties, and thus reduce the positive effects.

Evaluation of Artemia franciscana Cysts to Improve Diets for Mass Rearing Stethorus gilvifrons, a Predator of Tetranychus turkestani

Stethorus gilvifrons is an acarophagous coccinellid distributed in the Mediterranean region and could potentially be mass-reared for the augmentative biological control of Tetranychus turkestani and related species on crop plants. The hypothesis that brine shrimp Artemia franciscana cysts can improve diets for rearing of S. gilvifrons was tested in laboratory experiments. The diet treatments included A. franciscana cysts (D1), A. franciscana cysts plus a vitamin B complex (D2), A. franciscana cysts plus date palm pollen (D3), and A. franciscana cysts plus date palm pollen and Ephestia kuehniella eggs (D4). The results indicated that D1 did not support immature development. D2 supported egg–larval development but not pupal–adult development. Both D3 and D4 supported development to the adult stage and reproduction. However, D4 was the most effective diet, determined by observations of S. gilvifrons oviposition behavior and fecundity. A life table analysis corroborated these results; an intrinsic rate of increase, net and gross reproductive rates, and mean generation time were best for S. gilvifrons fed D4 rather than D3. A mixed diet composed of A. franciscana cysts, date palm pollen, and E. kuehniella eggs can be used to mass rear S. gilvifrons.

EFFECT OF ERUCA SATIVA EXTRACTS MIXTURE ON TESTOSTERONE HORMONE OF ALBINO MICE

A mixture of date palm pollen (dried or ethanol- extracted) and vitamin D3 IN 4000 IU and(dried or ethanol- extracted ) Eruca sativa were used to treat 20 albino mice to determine the activity of the testosterone hormones. The mice divided into five groups each group contains 5 of mice male groups( treated with ethanol extract of the mixture at 400, treated with ethanol extract of the mix at 500, treated with dried extract of the mixture at 400, and treated with dried extract of the mixture at 500) mg \kg respectively, significant differences in the results in the highest effect of 500mg/kg dried powder of the mixture of date palm pollen and vitamin d3 and Eruca sativa on group 4 at day week 6 compared to the control in group 5. The lower effect, according to the significant differences in group 1 at week three yet it’s still promising due to a higher level than control which is the control. Other were with treatment with gradual change for the extreme results in week six the testosterone level was measured gradually

Date Palm Pollen Extract Avert Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy Fibrosis and Associated Oxidative/Nitrosative Stress, Inflammatory Cascade, and Apoptosis-Targeting Bax/Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 Signaling Pathways

Doxorubicin (DOX) has a potent antineoplastic efficacy and is considered a cornerstone of chemotherapy. However, it causes several dose-dependent cardiotoxic results, which has substantially restricted its clinical application. This study was intended to explore the potential ameliorative effect of date palm pollen ethanolic extract (DPPE) against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity and the mechanisms underlying it. Forty male Wistar albino rats were equally allocated into Control (CTR), DPPE (500 mg/kg bw for 4 weeks), DOX (2.5 mg/kg bw, intraperitoneally six times over 2 weeks), and DPPE + DOX-treated groups. Pre-coadministration of DPPE with DOX partially ameliorated DOX-induced cardiotoxicity as DPPE improved DOX-induced body and heart weight changes and mitigated the elevated cardiac injury markers activities of serum aminotransferases, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and creatine kinase-cardiac type isoenzyme. Additionally, the concentration of serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI), troponin T (cTnT), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP), and cytosolic calcium (Ca+2) were amplified. DPPE also alleviated nitrosative status (nitric oxide) in DOX-treated animals, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant molecules as glutathione content, and glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities and inflammatory markers levels; NF-κB p65, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. As well, it ameliorated the severity of histopathological lesions, histomorphometric alteration and improved the immune-staining of the pro-fibrotic (TGF-β1), pro-apoptotic (caspase-3 and Bax), and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) proteins in cardiac tissues. Collectively, pre-coadministration of DPPE partially mitigated DOX-induced cardiac injuries via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and anti-apoptotic potential.

Date Palm Pollen: Features, Production, Extraction and Pollination Methods

Date palm pollen (DPP) plays a very important role in the fertilization process, since its viability and the pollination method influence on the quality, development, and yield of the fruit. In the present study, a broad review of its main characteristics, consumption, and DPP production are presented, as well as a description of its extraction methods and viability tests. The evolution of the pollination methods used in the date palm is also presented, from its natural pollination to the use of specialized mechanical and electrical devices, as well as the use of dry DPP and the current trend towards the use of DPP in liquid suspension. Likewise, the efficiency of the methods of natural pollination (wind); traditional (strands placement); dusting hand; dusting with manual, mechanical, or electric pollinator; and liquid pollination were evaluated from the fruit set percentage (FSP). Finally, starting from a scientometric analysis, the pollination methods were widely discussed, concluding that the dusting spraying of pollen suspension with liquid DPP is the pollination method that commonly presents the highest FSP, followed by dusting dry DPP with a motorized pollinator.