Effects of date palm pollen [Phoenix dactylifera L.] and Astragalus ovinus on sperm parameters and sex hormones in adult male rats

Date Palm Pollen [DPP] and Astragalus genus are used in some countries for the treatment of infertility. This study was designed to investigate effects of DPP and Astragalus ovinus [A. Ovinus] on fertility in healthy adult male rats. 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. 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. Our findings indicate that DPP could improve fertility factors, while A. ovinus can exhibit deleterious effects on gonad and sperm parameters in rats

Anti - tumor activity and cell cycle arrest of a new diterpene ester from daphne mucronata using K562 cells

In our search for new anticancer medicinal plants, the antiproliferative activity of the methanol extract of Daphne mucronata [Thymelaeaceae] was evaluated using human myelogenous leukemia K562 cells. The cells responded to plant treatments in a dose dependent manner and the IC50 of the crude extract [equivalent to 1 g of plant leaves powder per ml] and the purified active component were found to be 42 micro l and 1.3 micro M, respectively. The antiproliferative activity of the plant was also evaluated using flow cytometry technique. The results indicated that the crude extract and the active purified component are capable of arresting the cells in G1 phase of the cell progression cycle. This data may provide a mechanism for the antiproliferative action of the plant