Abstract
In this study, oyster fermentation broth (OFB) was prepared by fermenting oysters with yeast, and its effects on oxidative stress and reproductive damage induced by tripterygium glycosides (TG) in male rats were investigated. Component analysis revealed that OFB contained bioactive substances including proteins (1.19 g/L), taurine (0.76 g/L), organic acids (2.30 mg/mL), polyphenols (123.00 mg GAE/L), flavonoids (1.97 mg RE/L), and zinc (1.10 mg/L). In vitro study revealed that OFB exhibited notable antioxidant activity, with a total antioxidant capacity of 1.28 U/mL, and DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radical scavenging rates of 55.80%, 69.54%, and 48.36%, respectively. Animal experiments showed that, compared with the TG-induced model group, rats administered both low-dose (5 mL/kg) and high-dose (10 mL/kg) OFB showed significantly increased testis and seminal vesicle + prostate indices, sperm count, and serum testosterone (T) levels and decreased sperm malformation rate (p < 0.01 for all). Histological analysis of the testis revealed an increased number of spermatogenic cells and sperm within the seminiferous tubules, along with ameliorated pathological conditions compared to the model group. Potential mechanisms might be related to OFB increasing the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) enzymes and reducing levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in testis (p < 0.01). The findings demonstrated that OFB successfully alleviated TG-induced reproductive damage in male rats, which might be attributed to its excellent antioxidant effect. The study offers valuable insights for producing functional foods from oysters and further validates OFB's efficacy in promoting reproductive function.