Morphine and Phoenix dactylifera (dates) effects on the histological features of male rat reproductive organs (original) (raw)

Journal of Research in Medical Sciences

brain. [2] In addition, excessive or repeated use of the drug may play a significant role in male infertility. [3,4] Several studies have shown that chronic morphine exposure adversely affected male fertility by reducing testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels as well as decreasing the partial weights of testes, seminal vesicles (SVs), and prostate glands (PGs). [5,6] Columnar epithelial cells are the crucial part in the SV and PG as their functions are to secrete fructose and prostaglandins into their glandular lumina, which provides energy for sperm. Therefore, the decreased weight of the SV and PG could be due to the reduction Background: Previous studies have shown that morphine negatively effects male fertility while Phoenix dactylifera (dates) could cure male infertility by the exhibition of antagonist effects. This study was conducted to assess the possible ameliorating effects of dates on the histological features of morphine-induced male rat reproductive organs. Materials and Methods: Adult male Sprague Dawley rats age 7-9 weeks old, 200-250 g body weight (BW) were divided into six rats per each group: Group 1, force-fed with distilled water, 1 ml/kg BW for 35 days (control); Group 2, intramuscularly (IM) injected with morphine, 20 mg/kg BW for 7 days followed by force-fed with distilled water for 28 days; Group 3, force-fed with distilled water for 7 days followed by crude P. dactylifera extract, 200 mg/kg for 28 days; Group 4, injected (IM) with morphine, 20 mg/kg BW for 7 days followed by force-fed of crude P. dactylifera extract, 200 mg/kg for 28 days. Rats were sacrificed on day 36. The seminal vesicle (SV) and prostate gland (PG) were removed and fixed before histological processes. Results: In morphine-treated rats, the SV showed the absence of honeycomb-like appearance with flattened columnar cells while in the PG, eosinophilic secretion was noted to be absent from glandular lumina as compared to the control group. Administration of P. dactylifera extract in Group 4 showed improvement in histoarchitecture of the SV and PG with complex mucosal infoldings and glands luminal filled with secretion. Conclusion: P. dactylifera extract has a protective effect against the adverse effects of morphine on the male rat reproductive organs.