Date palm pollen may cure infertility, ulcer

Before  now, the medicinal and health benefit of Date palm has been more of folklore with little or no scientific evidence. But recent animal studies indicate that Date palm pollen seems to cure infertility and chemotherapeutic-induced infertility in male reproductive system by improving the quality of sperm parameters.

Others studies indicate that Date palm ameliorates gastric ulcer and the dry fruits have immuno-stimulant activity for mothers after child birth and invalids.

Commonly called Date palm, Phoenix dactylifera belongs to to the plant family Palmae. To the French it is dattier, vrai dattier (true date) or palmier dattier. It is tamareira (the palm) or tamaras (the fruit) in Portuguese.

In Nigeria, Date palm is called balah (the fruit), nakhl attamr (crushed dates), nakhla (the tree or the fruit) in Arabic-Shuwa. It is tyeet in Birom; dibino in Bura; agiga in Ebira-Etuno; ukuen in Edo (Elugbe), eyop inuen in Efik; dibinoohi in Ful-Fulfulde; dabino in Gwandara-cancara; debino in Karshi; debino in Koro; debino in Nimbia; dibino in Toni. In Hausa language, the very small fruit is called akaskas, large fruit (alaskas), the best of Azben dates (alakkan), black dates (bakin dabiino), the tree or fruit (dabiino) and the fruit (dabiinuwaaa). It is ikekeleku in Igala, dibino in Kanuri and dobina in Nupe.

A botanist at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, says Dates are native to the Persian Gulf area. "They can grow in clusters of up to 200 dates, weighing up to 12 kilogramme. The date palm is considered a symbol of fertility", he says.

In folk medicine practices, Dates are usually used as a "tonic" or "aphrodisiac" remedy. The flower of the plant is used as a purgative. Experimentally, date extracts have been shown to increase sperm count in guinea pigs and to enhance spermatogenesis and increase the concentration of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteininzing hormone (LH) in rats. The pollen grains of date palm have been used in Arabian countries to improve fertility in women as well.

The folklore uses of Date palm are supported by a study published in Iran Journal of Medical Science. The study concludes: "Date palm pollen seems to cure male infertility by improving the quality of sperm parameters. However, further studies are needed to see its beneficial effects in man".

The study is titled "Effect of Phoenix dactylifera Pollen on Sperm Parameters and Reproductive System of Adult Male Rats".

The Phoenix dactylifera date palm pollen (DPP) is reportedly used in the traditional medicine for male infertility.

However, the Iranian study was the first to scientifically determine the effects of orally administered DPP on the reproductive system of adult male rats.

Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained according to standard laboratory conditions. They were divided into five groups (10 in each group)) and received daily gavages of aqueous suspensions DPP containing 30, 60, 120 and 240 mg/kg, for 35 consecutive days. At the end the sperm was collected from ductus deferens (sperm duct) under anaesthesia (painkiller) and their numbers, motility, and morphology were determined under light microscopy.

The DNA integrity or denaturation was also evaluated by acridine orange staining. The weight of the testis and reproductive appendages was also determined, and after tissue processing, their histology was studied by light microscope.

The results of comparative evaluation between control and experimental groups revealed that consumption of DPP suspensions improved the sperm count, motility, morphology, and DNA quality with a concomitant increase in the weights of testis and epididymis(is a structure within the scrotum attached to the backside of the testis.

Maturation and storage of sperm occur in the epididymis). It did not significantly affect the weight of the prostate and the seminal vesicle (a structure in the male that is about five centimetres -two inches- long and is located behind the bladder and above the prostate gland) or the histology of the reproductive tissues.

The researchers concludes; "date palm pollen seems to cure male infertility by improving the quality of sperm parameters. However, further studies are needed to see its beneficial effects in man".

Another study titled, "Protective Effects of Phoenix dactylifera (Date Palm) Pollen Grains against Chemotherapeutic-induced Infertility in Mammals," suggests an essential preventive role of the pollen grains against the chemotherapeutic-induced infertility in male reproductive system.

The researchers include: Karima Mohamed, Hanadi Ali, Falwa Ali, Fatima Nasser, Rokaya Mohamed, Shamma Sultan and Amr Amin of the Biology Department, United Arab Emirate University,

The study investigated the reproductive protective effects of pollen grains of local Phoenix dactylifera, which is widely known in the Middle East for its potential medicinal effects.

Water extract of pollen grains administered by oral route to mice at doses of 250 and 500mg kg-1 significantly inhibit the cisplatin-induced genotoxicity. Cisplatin is a widely used anticancer drug that has a negative effect on fertility through damaging key cells needed for spermatogenesis.

At histopathological level, a significant recovery of the testis histology was observed in animals administered with pollen grains prior to cisplatin treatment.

Furthermore, administration of the pollens' extract caused a decrease in epididymal sperm with tail abnormalities that would interfere with sperm motility, and the highest dose retained normal epididymal sperm number.

Researchers have also established the ameliorative effect of dates on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats.

The results of the study by A.A. Al-Qarawi, H. Abdel-Rahman, B.H. Ali, H.M. Mousa and S.A. El-Mougy of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, King Saud University, Al-Gaseem Branch, Buraydah, Al-Gaseem, Saudi Arabia, indicated that the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the date fruit and, to a lesser extent, date pits, were effective in ameliorating the severity of gastric ulceration and mitigating the ethanol-induced increase in histamine and gastrin concentrations, and the decrease in mucin gastric levels.

According to the study published in Journal of Ethnopharmacology, the ethanolic undialysed extract was more effective than the rest of the other extracts used. It is postulated that the basis of the gastro-protective action of date extracts may be multi-factorial, and may include an anti-oxidant action.

The researchers write: "The present work aimed at testing, in a rat model of ethanol-induced gastric ulceration, a local folk medicinal claim that dates are beneficial in gastric ulcers in humans. Aqueous and ethanolic undialysed and dialysed extracts from date fruit and pits were given orally to rats at a dose of 4 ml/kg for 14 consecutive days.

"On the last day of treatment, rats were fasted for 24 hours, and were then given ethanol, 80 percent (1 ml/rat) by gastric incubation to induce gastric ulcer. Rats were killed after one hour of ethanol exposure, and the incidence and severity of the ulceration were estimated, as well as the concentrations of gastrin in plasma, and histamine and mucus in the gastric mucosa. A single group of rats that were fasted for 24 hours, was administered orally with lansoprazole (30 mg/kg), and was given 80 percent ethanol as above, eight hour thereafter, served as a positive control".

Researchers have also shown immuno-stimulant activity of dry fruits and plant materials including dates used in Indian traditional medical system for mothers after child- birth and invalids.

Puri, A; Sahai, R; Singh, K L; Saxena, R P; Tandon, J S; and Saxena, K C in a study published in Journal of Ethnopharmacology studied for immunostimulant activity of products of certain plants given to mothers after child birth or to invalids using the macrophage migration index (MMI) as a parameter of macrophage activation and cell-mediated immunity and haemagglutinating antibody (HA) titres and plaque-forming cell (PFC) counts as parameters of humoral immunity.

Feeding of Prunus amygdalus (Almond) and Buchanania lanzan (Chirronji) significantly stimulated both CMI and humoral immunity in BALB/c mice as evidenced by the enhancement of MMI, HA titres, and PFC counts.

Euryale ferox (Tel makhana), Phoenix dactylifera (Chhohara) and Zingiber officinale (Sonth), however, stimulated humoral immunity to a greater extent than CMI. The observation provides scientific basis for feeding the products of above plants to mothers after child-birth and to invalids with a relatively poor immune status.

According to The Useful Plants of Tropical West Africa by H. M. Burkill, the fruit is added with Capsicum (Solanaceae) to locally brewed beer (Hausa giya) in Nigeria to make beer, so it is said, less intoxicating.

In Northern Nigeria, dates with bran and seeds of Sterculia tomentosa (Sterculiaceae) are given to young heifers to improve fecundity. Fecundity, derived from the word fecund, generally refers to the ability to reproduce. In biology and demography, fecundity is the potential reproductive capacity of an organism or population, measured by the number of gametes (eggs), seed set or asexual propagules.

Fecundity is under both genetic and environmental control, and is the major measure of fitness. Fecundation is another term for fertilisation.

A nutritionist at the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos, Dr. Chinyere Rosemary Anyanwu, "the nutritional value of the relatively easy-to-store date fruit is high in sugar - comprising up to 70 per cent of the fruit." She says a single serving of date contains 31 grammes of carbohydrates, making it a powerhouse of energy. "Eating dates and drinking water is an ideal way to replenish the body's need for potassium."

Anyanwu explains: "Dates are also good sources of iron, potassium, magnesium (important for use of voluntary muscles), sulphur, copper, calcium and phosphorus (important in building muscles and neuro-tissues). Dates contain 13.8 per cent water and about three per cent protiens as well as at least six vitamins including a small amount of vitamin C, and vitamins B1, thiamine, B2, riboflavin, nicotinic acid (niacin) and vitamin A.

"Other minerals and salts that are found in various proportions include boron, cobalt, fluorine, phosphorous, sodium and zinc. Additionally, the seeds contain aluminum, cadmium, chloride and lead in various proportions. Dates contain elemental fluorine that is useful in protecting teeth against decay.

Selenium, another element believed to help prevent cancer and important in immune function, is also found in dates. The protein in dates contains 23 types of amino acids, some of which are not present in popular fruits such as oranges, apples and bananas. Dates contain 0.5-3.9 per cent pectin, which may have important health benefits".

A homeopath and professor of Alternative medicine, Osmond Ifeanyi Onyeka told The Guardian that the fruit, because of its tannin content, is used medicinally as a detersive and astringent in intestinal troubles.

Onyeka explains: "In the form of an infusion, decoction or paste is administered as a treatment for sore throat, colds, bronchial catarrh. It is taken to relieve fever, cystisis, gonorrhoea, oedema, liver and abdominal troubles. The seed powder is an ingredient in a paste given to relieve ague.

A gum that exudes from the wounded trunk is used for treating diarrhoea and genito-urinary ailments in India. The roots are used for toothache. It has been reported that damaged dates that are not fit for human consumption, when added to animal feed, can increase the flow of milk in farm animals.

"The invert sugar in dates is immediately absorbed by the body without being subjected to the digestion that ordinary sugar undergoes. Date consumers in Saharan areas are known to have the lowest rate of cancer diseases, a fact attributed to the magnesium found in dates. With only one milligramme of sodium per 100 gramme, dates are good food for those on a low sodium diet.

"Studies have shown that dates contain certain stimulants which strengthen the muscles of the uterus in the last months of pregnancy. This assists in the dilation of the uterus at the time of delivery. Dates are also recommended for women in the postpartum period and during lactation due to its value as a nutritious, high-energy food.

"A medical study cited in the British Medical Journal found that placing a sugary substance in the mouth of a baby reduces the sensation of pain".

Last year, Saudi researchers sought to assess the ability of date flesh and pits to prevent some of the toxic actions of carbon tetrachloride on the liver in animals, the latter being a model for acute liver hepatitis. Treatment with aqueous extract of date flesh or pits significantly reduced ill effects and suggests the induced liver damage can be ameliorated by treatment of extracts from date flesh or pits.

Kuwaiti researchers carried out a preliminary study for the first time on date fruits' antioxidant and anti-mutagenic properties 'in vitro'. Results indicated that antioxidant and anti-mutagenic activity in date fruit is quite potent and implicates the presence of compounds with potent free-radical-scavenging activity.

However, there need for caution. Some studies have shown that edible dates can be a source of endogenous yeasts and filimentous fungi reported in opportunistic infections involving skin or in immuno-compromised patients.

It emphasises the importance of the common practice of washing hands following the consumption of these fruits by hand.