# The Role of Steroidogenic Expression, Apoptotic, and Inflammatory Mediators in Polyphenol-Rich Extract of Ocimum gratissimum Mitigation of Cadmium-Induced Reprotoxicity in Male Rats

## TL;DR

This study shows that a polyphenol-rich extract from Ocimum gratissimum can reduce cadmium-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats by improving testicular function and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.

## Contribution

This is the first study to investigate the mitigating effects of PREOG on cadmium-induced reprotoxicity in male rats.

## Key findings

- PREOG treatment improved testicular weight, sperm quality, and testosterone levels in cadmium-exposed rats.
- PREOG reduced oxidative stress and inflammation by upregulating antioxidant enzymes and downregulating inflammatory markers.
- PREOG protected testicular histopathology and improved reproductive outcomes in cadmium-exposed rats.

## Abstract

Cadmium, as a toxic heavy metal abounds in our habitat, and its impact on the testes contribute to the global decrease in the male fertility rate. Several natural compounds have been used to manage Cd-induced infertility successfully. Polyphenol-rich extract of Ocimum gratissimum is one plant whose potency has been reported in various studies. Nevertheless, no report has explored PREOG impairment of reprotoxicity induced by cadmium in male animals. This study, therefore, is designed to evaluate the effect of PREOG against cadmium reprotoxicity in adult male Wistar rats. 66 male rats were randomly assigned to 6 groups A to F (n = 11) per group, orally received the following treatment daily for 8 weeks: A (distilled water alone as control), B (3 mg/kg CdCL2), C (100 mg/kg PREOG), D (200 mg/kg PREOG), E (100 mg/kg PREOG + 3 mg/kg CdCL2), and F (200 mg/kg PREOG + 3 mg/kg CdCL2) at the end, six rats from each group were sacrificed, blood, semen, and testes were harvested for analysis, while the remaining males from each group were introduced to untreated female in a ratio of 2:1 for fertility study and result indicated; PREOG treatment enhances testicular weight, GSI and EPI, sperm quality and quantity, serum testosterone levels, and upregulate steroidogenic gene (3β-HSD, 17β-HSD, and StAR) expression. PREOG impaired testicular oxidative stress (enhance GST, SOD, and GPx value) and inflammation by decreasing testicular expression of COX-2 and TNF-α, and plasma IL-6 and TNF-α concentration. Also, PREOG impaired testicular apoptosis by decreasing caspase-3 protein distribution, protected histopathologic alteration of the testes, and finally enhanced reproductive outcome. The impairment of cadmium-induced reprotoxicity in male rats by PREOG treatment affirms its therapeutic and reproductive benefits.