The Effect of Palm Pollen and Black Seed Pollen on Male Sex Hormones and Sperm Quality: A Single-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial Study

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, using medicinal properties is a good alternative for infertility treatment to use them is in- creasing in the world. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Herbal oral capsules included palm pollen extract (DPP) and Nigella Sativa extract (NS) on sex hormones in adult infertile men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this a single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial study, a total of 62 infertile men be- tween 22 and 42 years of age were randomly selected and tested for sex hormones and prolactin. Thirty people in the case group received two 500 mg/kg capsules on a daily basis containing an herbal composition of palm pollen extract (350 mg) and black seed powder extract (250 mg) and the 20 in the control group received a placebo in the morning and at night for 3 months. The herbal composition capsules were manufactured by the Golbadistan Company. At the end of the three -month period, blood and semen tests were performed before and after the intervention in the case group that was compared with the control group. Hormonal assays were performed by Immunoradiometric Assay (IRMA) method. The data entered SPSS statistical software and the level of significance was set at P≤0.05. RESULTS: The spermiogram test results showed significant changes in the sperm count, progressive motility and rapid progressivity of the case group at the end of a quarterly period after consuming plant composition except for morphol- ogy (P=0.001, P=0.001, P=0.02, P=0.23). In addition, in the case group, the concentration of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) was significantly increased compared to the control group (P=0.000, P=0.004, P=0.012). CONCLUSION: It seems that taking one 500 mg/kg capsule of DPP and NS extract can significantly increase sperm pa- rameters and testosterone (registration number: IRCT2015020120895N1).