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Research into the impacts of oxidative stress (OS), and hormonal balance on reproductive potential has increased over the last 40 years possibly due to rising male infertility. Decreased antioxidant levels and increased OS in tissues result from hormonal imbalance, which in turn leads to male infertility. Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in seminal plasma has been linked to many lifestyle factors such as alcohol and tobacco use, toxicant exposure, obesity, varicocele, stress, and aging. This article provides an overview of the crosslink between OS and gonadal hormone disruption, as well as a potential mode of action in male infertility. Disrupting the equilibrium between ROS generation and the antioxidant defense mechanism in the male reproductive system may affect key hormonal regulators of male reproductive activities. Unchecked ROS production may cause direct injury on reproductive tissues or could disrupt normal regulatory mechanisms of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and its interaction with other endocrine axes, both of which have negative effects on male reproductive health and can lead to male infertility., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Society for Reproductive Investigation.)

Testicular dysfunction, a major contributory factor to infertility, has received a lot of attention over the recent years. Several studies have linked abnormal sperm function and morphology with an enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. The nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2 (Nrf2) is a transcriptional response to cellular stresses (intrinsic or extrinsic) that regulates the oxidative status, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and proteostasis. In this review, the therapeutic role of Nrf2 was explored. To do so, scientific data were retrieved from databases such as Elsevier, Wiley, Web of Science, Springer, PubMed, Taylor and Francis, and Google Scholar using search terms such as "Nrf2" and "testis," "sperm," "testicular function," and "testosterone." It has been noted that Nrf2 influences the physiology and pathology of testicular dysfunction, especially in the spermatogenic process, by regulating cellular resistance to oxidative stress, inflammation, and environmental toxicants. However, numerous compounds serve as activators and inhibitors of testicular Nrf2. Nrf2 activators might play a therapeutic role in the prevention and treatment of testicular dysfunction, while molecules that inhibit Nrf2 might induce dysfunction in testis components. Nrf2 activators protect cells against oxidative damage and activate Nrf2/KEAP1 signaling which promotes its movement to the nucleus, and increased Nrf2 function and expression, along with their downstream antioxidant gene. Nrf2 inhibitors facilitate oxidative stress via interfering with the Nrf2 signal pathway. The Nrf2 activation could serve as a promising therapeutic target for testicular dysfunction. This review explored the effect of Nrf2 on testicular function while highlighting potential activators and inhibitors of Nrf2., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The testis is an immune-privileged organ susceptible to oxidative stress and inflammation, two major factors implicated in male infertility. A reduction in the concentration and activities of testicular function biomarkers has been shown to correlate with impaired hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis and oxidative stress. However, the use of natural products to ameliorate these oxidative stress-induced changes may be essential to improving male reproductive function. Quercetin possesses several pharmacological activities that may help to combat cellular reproduction-related assaults, such as altered sperm function and reproductive hormone dysfunction, and dysregulated testicular apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Studies have shown that quercetin ameliorates testicular toxicity, largely by inhibiting the generation of reactive oxygen species, with the aid of the two antioxidant pharmacophores present in its ring structure. The radical-scavenging property of quercetin may alter signal transduction of oxidative stress-induced apoptosis, prevent inflammation, and increase sperm quality in relation to the hormonal concentration. In this review, the therapeutic potential of quercetin in mediating male reproductive health is discussed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Shanghai Changhai Hospital. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The germinability and protective potential of leaf infusion of Parkia biglobosa, Moringa oleifera and Vernonia amygdalina leaves on okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) seeds against infections simulated with suspended cells of Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, and Penicillium sp. were examined. Prior to planting, the okra seeds were first surface-sterilized in 5% sodium hypochlorite solution before steeping in known concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%) of the respective leaf infusions for a known duration. Seven of the steeped seeds were planted in plastic transparent containers, incubated for 7 days under light, and observed daily. Germination index, germination rate, germination time, and vigor index were calculated for each treatment, using standard procedures. The effective concentrations of the infusions of V. amygdalina, P. biglobosa and M. oleifera were 40, 40, and 60% respectively. Optimum steeping durations in leaf infusions were 1, 5, and 6 h, for P. biglobosa, M. oleifera and V. amygdalina, respectively. All the leaf infusions were observed to protect the okra seeds against infections with the test organisms. Furthermore, seeds steeped in the respective leaf infusions showed remarkably higher germinability potential than the control seeds steeped in water. The study confirmed that the leaf infusions may be attractive as economic alternatives for seed priming and protection., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Liver diseases is a public health issue in sub-saharan Africa and has been reported to be the major cause of many hospital admissions. Oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation play important roles in several diseases including liver injury. Cajanus cajan is an indigenous medicinal plant useful in the traditional treatment of jaundice, inflammation and liver injury., Aim of Study: This study assessed the effects of methanol extract Cajanus cajan (MECC) on mitochondrial permeability transition (mPT) pore opening, biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation in CCl 4- induced liver injury in rats., Methods: Wistar albino rats (200-210g) were completely randomized into five (5) groups of six animals each. Group I (control) was given distilled water orally once daily. Animals in group II were administered CCl 4 in parafin (1:1) at a dose of 0.5 mL/kg i.p on the seventh day. Animals in groups III, IV and V were administered methanol extract of Cajanus cajan (MECC) at doses of 100, 200 mg/kg and silymarin (100 mg/kg) respectively for 7 days prior to a single intraperitoneal dose of CCl 4 . After 24 h of CCl 4 treatment, serum and liver tissues were collected. Mitochondrial permeability transition (mPT) pore opening, mitochondrial ATPase activities and biomarkers of oxidative stress were determined spectrophotometrically. Tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), NF-κB and COX-2 were determined by immunohistochemistry and the phytochemicals present in the extract were determined by GC-MS., Results: Liver enzyme (AST, ALP, ALT and γGT) activities and MDA levels were significantly decreased in rats pretreated with MECC at the dose of 100, 200 and silymarin (100 mg/kg) when compared to the rats administered CCl 4 alone (p < 0.05). GSH, GST, CAT and SOD increased and the expressions of TNFα, NF-κB and COX- 2 were also reduced when compared to the CCl 4 - treated animals. In addition, the liver histopathological analyses revealed that MECC markedly alleviated inflammatory cell infiltration, hepatic fibrosis, hepatocyte ballooning, necrosis and severe apoptosis of hepatocytes induced by CCl 4 . GC-MS analysis yielded 23 compounds including flavonoids, terpenoids and fatty acids., Conclusion: Cajanus cajan leaf extract elicited hepatoprotective action on CCl 4 -induced liver injury via inhibition of mPT pore opening, prevention of CCl 4 -induced hepatic oxidative stress and suppression of inflammatory response thus it may become useful for chemoprevention of liver injury. This supports its traditional use., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)