Taif University

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Data supporting the findings of this report are available from the corresponding author upon a reasonable request.

Medicinal plants represent valuable sources of bioactive compounds with therapeutic and economic potential. In Saudi Arabia, Mentha longifolia L. has long been used in traditional medicine, while China is renowned for its diverse teas derived from Camellia sinensis L. However, the tissue-specific genomic impact of their metabolites remains poorly understood. We tested three replicates of each blending ratio: 1:1, 1:2, and 2:1 (Tea:Mentha). Moreover, we investigated the putative expression profiles of 273 genes across human tissues using transcriptomic databases to explore the nutrigenomic effects of tea-Mentha blends. 1:2 (Tea:Mentha) Replicate 2 was dominated with 50.77% bioactive compounds, making it the strongest candidate overall. The highest Mentha aroma and bioactive compounds included eucalyptol (~17.3%), (+)-2-bornanone (~12.2%), n-hexadecanoic acid (~16.6%), and phytol (~3.2%). Lipid-derived molecules, including phytol, oleamide, and linolenic acids, showed the strongest transcriptional activation, particularly in endocrine and reproductive tissues, whereas alkaloids such as caffeine exhibited moderate effects. The preliminary integrative analysis combining experimental phytochemical profiling with computational nutrigenomic predictions is designed to generate testable hypotheses for future functional assays. Such blends may contribute to product diversification, standardization, and quality enhancement in the herbal tea industry.

Cypermethrin (CYP) is a widely used insecticide. This study investigated the protective effects of sesame seed oil nanoemulsion (SEONE) against CYP-induced testicular toxicity in 60 rats. Parameters investigated included body and reproductive organ weights, semen quality, oxidative stress markers (catalase, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species, reproductive hormones, and expression of apoptotic and antiapoptotic genes [p53, Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9, Bcl-2]), along with structural evaluation of testes. Compared to controls, CYP reduced body weight (-12%) and reproductive organ weights (-18% to -22%), decreased sperm count (5.62 ± 0.74 × 106) and motility (49.32% ± 2.89%), while increasing abnormal sperm (18.22% ± 1.24%). CYP administration induced oxidative damage, indicated by decreased activities of catalase (-46%) and superoxide dismutase (-55%), reduced levels of reduced glutathione (37.3% ± 2.1%), and elevated malondialdehyde (61.7% ± 23.6%), ROS (64.2% ± 3.2%), and hydrogen peroxide (145.3% ± 3.4%). Testosterone, luteinizing, and follicle-stimulating hormones levels were significantly decreased (-52% to -62%) in the CYP-treated group. These alterations were accompanied by significant upregulation of apoptotic genes p53, Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9 and marked downregulation of the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2. SEONE provided markedly better protection against CYP-induced testicular damage than unprocessed SEO (p < 0.05). Its administration resulted in higher body and reproductive organ weights, improved semen parameters, and restored testicular histology and ultrastructure, producing outcomes that closely resembled those of the control group. The superior performance of SEONE is likely linked to its improved physicochemical properties and multifaceted antioxidant and antiapoptotic protective actions. In conclusion, SEONE effectively mitigates CYP-induced testicular toxicity in rats, supporting its potential as a protective intervention against pesticide-induced reproductive damage.