Global Journal of Pharmacology 9 (2): 208-221, 2015 ISSN 1992-0075 © IDOSI Publications, 2015 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.gjp.2015.9.2.1124 Corresponding Author: Hala A.H. Khattab, Department Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Home Economics, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt. E-mail: haya_khattab@hotmail.com. 208 Date Pits Alleviate Reproductive Disorders in Male Diabetic Rats Inas Z.A. Abdallaha, Hala A. H. Khattab, Eman M. Ragheb, 1 1,2 3 Fatimah M. Yousef and Huda M. Alkreathy 2 4 Department of Nutrition and Food Science, 1 Faculty of Home Economics, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt Department of Food and Nutrition, Faculty of Home Economics, 2 King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Regional Center for Food and Feed (RCFF), Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt 3 Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, 4 King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Abstract: The present study aimed to investigate the role of date pits powder (DP) in restoring reproductive functions in male diabetic rats. Chemical composition of DP was determined. Forty male rats weighing (150-170 g) were divided into five groups (n=8 rats) as follows: group 1(control) fed basal diet, group 2 (diabetic rats) fed basal diet, groups 3, 4 and 5 (DP-treated diabetic rats) fed basal diets supplemented with DP at three levels (5, 10 and 15 %). The diet formula in DP-treated diabetic groups was adjusted for their nutritive values. Results showed that date pits contain high percent of fiber (21.54%), while fat and protein amounted 8.17% and 5.47% (dry weight basis), respectively. Diabetic group showed significant reduction in body weight gain, remarkable change in sperm characteristics as evidenced by significant decline in sperm count, motility and viability accompanied by significant elevation of sperm abnormalities. Moreover, significant decrease in serum testosterone level and significant increase in serum glucose level have been recorded to diabetic group to that in control group. Diabetes also induced enhancement in oxidative stress in rats as indicated by significant elevation in thiobarbituric acid reactive substance formation (TBARS) level and the reduction in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in testicular tissues. Additionally, significant hyperlipidemia has been demonstrated in diabetic rats with respect to in control. Counterparts on the other side, supplementation of DP in the diet of diabetic rats induced significant increase in body weights, remarkable improvement in sperm characteristics and glycemic state, increase in serum testosterone level, decrease in TBARS and increase in SOD activity in testicular tissue and improvement in lipid profile, which they almost resettled near the control level. The alleviated effect of DP was concentration dependent. Examination of testis tissues in diabetic group revealed testicular degeneration with absence of spermatogonial cells, as well as necrosis of germ cells and interstitial oedema. Feeding DP overcomes the remarkable changes in the structural organization of testicular tissues; especially the high concentration (15 %) showed hyperactivation of germ cells with impaction of seminiferous lumen with sperm. Therefore, this study demonstrates that DP possesses hypoglycemic, antioxidant and hypolipidemic activities as well as it has promising effect against diabetic induced reproductive disorders. Key words: Date pits Antioxidant Diabetes Rreproductive disorders Rats INTRODUCTION various organs in the body. There are growing evidences Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic progressive species (ROS) in diabetes, which cause oxidative metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia that stress, may wholly or in part contribute towards the causes severe complications and deleterious effects on development of complications in a variety of tissues [1, 2]. proving that the excess generation of reactive oxygen