Effects of date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera) on sperm cell morphology and reproductive hormonal profiles in cypermethrin-induced male infertility

Date fruits are endowed with medicinal values, including boosting the male fertility status, but with meagre empirical evidence. Thus, the current study was designed to assess the ameliorative and potential adverse effects of date fruit extracts (Phoenix dactylifera) on cypermethrin-induced male infertility. The study was conducted in two phases using adult male Wistar rats (n = 42, 180 – 220 g and aged 14 - 16 weeks). The first phase was a single oral dose toxicity study to ascertain the suitability of date fruit extract and cypermethrin administered at 250 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg, respectively. The second phase, which included four treatment groups of six animals per group, assessed the effects of date fruits on cypermethrin-induced infertility. At the termination of the experiment, semen was collected by epididymal extraction for the assessment of sperm abnormalities, motility, mass activity, semen pH, and percentage live. Serum samples were also collected for testosterone and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) profiling, and the collected data was subjected to statistical analysis. The group administered only cypermethrin showed a decrease in percentage motility, live, mass activity and an increase in total abnormalities over the control group while the group exposed to only date fruits extracts showed increased percentage motility, live, mass activity and a decrease in total abnormalities over the control. The results of a combined administration of date fruit extracts and cypermethrin on a separate group showed a consistently reduced percentage of anatomically abnormal sperm cells and a general improvement of sperm motility and mass activity. There was no significant difference in the weight of the Wister rats in all the groups (p > 0.05). However, testosterone and FSH levels were significantly reduced (p