Ocimum tenuiflorum mitigates iron-induced testicular toxicity via modulation of redox imbalance, cholinergic and purinergic dysfunctions, and glucose metabolizing enzymes activities

Oxidative stress is a primary culprit in the pathophysiology of infertility conditions in males. This study investigated the effects of Ocimum tenuiflorum on redox imbalance, cholinergic and purinergic dysfunctions and glucose dysmetabolism in oxidative-mediated testicular toxicity using in vitro, ex vivo and in silico models. Induction of oxidative testicular injury was carried out by incubating normal testicular tissue with 0.1 mM FeSO₄ and treated by co-incubating with different concentrations of O. tenuiflorum infusion for 30 min at 37°C. O. tenuiflorum displayed significant ferric reducing power activity while scavenging DPPH and hydroxyl (OH˙) free radicals in vitro. Oxidative testicular injury significantly reduced the glutathione level and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities with concomitant elevation of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels and acetylcholinesterase, ATPase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and glycogen phosphorylase (GlyP) activities. Incubation with the infusion significantly reversed these levels and activities. The phytochemical constituent of the infusion was detected by gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy analysis and revealed favourable binding energies when docked with some of the studied proteins. These results suggest O. tenuiflorum exerts a protective effect against Fe²⁺ induced testicular toxicity via mitigation of redox imbalance while modulating metabolic dysfunctions linked to male infertility.