Dates

             

Dates (Phoenix dactylifera)

 Small Tree of Palm

 Photo by simon on pixabay  

Dates with biological name Phoenix dactylifera L., belongs to the members of the palm family Arecaceae, or Palmae (refer 1). Such name of the species dactylifera or “date-bearing” is combination of two words; one is greek word dáktulos in replacement of “date” and the other one is stem who is associated with the Greek verb ferō. (Refer 2,3).Also in Phoenix dactylifera L. , phoenix refers to date palm and "dactylifera" refers to meaning of finger (Linné, 1734).

                       In the Arabian Peninsula, Dates have significant value. In Holy Quran and Hadith Dates importance have been documented. Dates are
useful in the treatment of several diseases with affordable range without any adverse or fatal side effects. Also dates have been reported for curing/treatment in research zone.

Uses of dates are increased in the month of Ramadhan in Muslims.

Diagram showing construction of date tree

 (Courtesy : Munier, 1973 and Oihabi, 1991)

History of dates

In the Middle East dates are being used about thousands of years.

As a food Dates are used for about 6000years (refer4).

There are different kinds of dates available in several countries with more than 200 specifies available worldwide. (Refer5)

Arabia, Egypt, middle Eastern countries and Asian Countries like Pakistan, India and Bangladesh have crop/palm trees at large scale.There is a thought about the native/origin regarding the palm trees or dates from the Persian Gulf and cultivated into prehistoric Egypt from Mesopotamia as before as 4000 BCE. There are also other historical assumptions are available regarding dates history. According to jews,they believed the date as the holy fruits out of seven holy fruits and they celebrate palm Sunday. (Refer 6,7)

    Benefits of Dates

 Sayings of Last Prophet Mohammad 

P.B.U.H (Hadith) about Dates of Palm tree

One of the Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) Sayings(Hadith Shareef) regarding use of Dates which is narrated by Hazrat Saud (R.A) and the summary of the Hadith is that “ If someone intake in morning seven (in numbers) Ajwa Dates , neither magic nor poison will attack/hurt him on that day. (Refer 8)   

Anti-oxidant activity:

Anti-oxidants neutralize/trap the free radicals to stop them for causing harm/disturbance in body.Research regarding reactive oxygen species in cancer, dietary and endogenous antioxidants provides the important participation as preventive agents for cancer treatment by neutralization of species which are reactive for oxygen.  (Refer 9,10)

         Studies showed that free radicals suppressed by dates of palm.  (Refer 11, 12). A study reported the palm tree dates with antioxidant effect, anti -mutagenic activity, anti-microbial activity in their aqueous extracts. (Refer 13, 14, 15, and 16)

Anti-microbial effect

Studies showed that by using acetone and methanol extracts taken from pits and leaves of Palm tree opposes the growth viability of Alternaria sp, A. alternata, F. solani, Fusarium sp. and F. oxysporum.     (Refer 17)

Anti-tumor effect

According to reported data, antitumor behavior had noticed by the beta D-glucan which was taken from dates of palm. (Refer 18)

Anti-inflammatory effect

Palm tree Dates are container of phenolic and flavonoids, and these (phenolic and flavonoids) are anti-inflammatory agents. (Refer 19)

Ajwa Dates water extracts, methanlic and ethyl acetate application provided the remarkable results on opposing the viability of lipid peroxidation cyclooxygenase enzymes Cox1 and Covx2. (Refer 20)

 A research work on animal model showed the defensing effect by the cytokines expressions modulation by the palm tree. (Refer 21)

Anti-diabetic effect

Different active components are present in dates like phenol, steroids, flavonoids and saponines which are useful while treating diabetic. Such compounds are present in dates of palm tree. A studied on rats cultured with diabetics showed biochemically results improvement by injecting/giving flavonoid compounds from date fruits epicarp. (Refer22)

Also studies showed that good results in the diabetic patients achieved in their glycaemic and lipid control. (Refer 23)

Nephro-protective effect

Reaserch work on dates (Phoenix dactylifera) on rat model which was nephrotoxics reduced urea concentrations, plasma creatinine and ameliorated tubular damage (proximal) (Refer24).

Delivery and labor relaxation

Dates consumption/eating by the women cause reduction in labor and delivery pain. (Refer 25)

Effect of dates on infertility

Dates intake of date palm polen extract (DPP) which are sterols, estrone that influence male fertility. (Refer26,27)

Nutrients in Dates or active compounds in dates

Dates photo by jackmac34

• ·         Saponines
• ·         Flavonoids
• ·         Steroids
• ·         P-coumaric
• ·         Ferulic
• ·         Sinapic acids
• ·         Procyanidins
• ·         Carbohydrates
• ·         Salts
• ·         Minerals
• ·         Dietary fibre
• ·         vitamins
• ·         Fatty acids
• ·         Amino acid              (Refer 28)

Types of dates

Many dates of palm tree types are found in different region of world with its exclusive shape and medicinal values.

These are some of the following types of the dates.

i)    Ajwa

ii)   Sukkary / Sukkari

iii)  Anbara

iv)  Safawi

v)   Barhi

vi) Khudri / Khidri

vii) Kholas

viii) Segai

ix) Canary Palm

x)  Dwarf Palm

xi)  Wild Date Palm or Sugar Palm

xii) Rocky Date Palm

xiii) Dwarf Palm

xiv) Hental or Juliana Palm

xv)  Zahidi

xvi) Mejdool/Medjoul/Medjehuel/Me-jool/Mejhool/ Majhol/ Medjhool/ Majul/ Majhoul

xvii) Hilali

xviii)Ruthana

xix)  Munifi

xx) Khodry

xxi) Segae/ Saghai

xxii) Sefri

xxiii) Khalas

xxiv)  And many more

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References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3992385/#b15

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11.    Comparison of antioxidant activity, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and phenolics of three native fresh and sun-dried date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) varieties grown in Oman.

Al-Farsi M, Alasalvar C, Morris A, Baron M, Shahidi F

J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Sep 21; 53(19):7592-9.

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15.    Saddiq AA, Bawazir AE. Antimicrobial activity of date palm (phoenix dactylifera) pits extracts and its role in reducing the side effect of methyl prednisolone on some neurotransmitter content in the brain, hormone testosterone in adulthood. Acta Hort (ISHS) 2010;882:665–690.

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19.    Anti-inflammatory bioactivities in plant extracts. Talhouk RS, Karam C, Fostok S, El-Jouni W, Barbour EK J Med Food. 2007 Mar; 10(1):1-10. [PubMed] [Ref list]

20.    Zhang CR, Aldosari SA, Vidyasagar PS, Nair KM, Nair MG, J Agric Food Chem. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory assays confirm bioactive compounds in Ajwa date fruit. 2013 Jun 19; 61(24):5834-40.

21.    Anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities of date palm pollen (Phoenix dactylifera) on experimentally-induced atypical prostatic hyperplasia in rats.

Elberry AA, Mufti ST, Al-Maghrabi JA, Abdel-Sattar EA, Ashour OM, Ghareib SA, Mosli HA J Inflamm (Lond). 2011 Dec 23; 8(1):40.

22.    Bioactivity of diosmetin glycosides isolated from the epicarp of date fruits, Phoenix dactylifera, on the biochemical profile of alloxan diabetic male rats.

Michael HN, Salib JY, Eskander EF , Phytother Res. 2013 May; 27(5):699-704.

[PubMed] [Ref list]

23.    The glycaemic index of dates and date/yoghurt mixed meals. Are dates 'the candy that grows on trees'?

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[PubMed] [Ref list]

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Al-Kuran O, Al-Mehaisen L, Bawadi H, Beitawi S, Amarin Z

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28.    The fruit of the date palm: its possible use as the best food for the future?

                  Al-Shahib W, Marshall RJ,Int J Food Sci Nutr.   

         2003 Jul; 54(4):247-59.

29.  Photos on dates and palm tree by user name : simon  and jackmac34 on pixabay.com