ReviewFrontiers in nutrition2023
Could probiotics protect against human toxicity caused by polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics?
Review in Frontiers in nutrition, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 26 citations in OpenAlex.
- Advances in Male Reproductive Toxicology of Nanoplastics: Potential Risks to Human Reproduction-A Systematic Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Pooled it
- Chemical Components in the Breast Milk of Passive Smoker Women: A Systematic Review and Health Risks Assessment.Biological trace element research · 2025Pooled it
- Storage-Dependent Changes in Microplastic-Associated Recoverable Residues in Yogurt ContainingToxics · 2026Article
- Probiotic and Microbial Enzymatic Mechanisms for PFAS Detoxification.Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins · 2026Review
- Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Cardiovascular Disease: An Emerging Cardiovascular Risk Factor.Cardiovascular toxicology · 2026Review
- Emerging mechanisms of microplastic-induced skin diseases: a perspective from the gut-skin axis.Journal of translational medicine · 2026Review
- Protective effects of multi-strain probiotics against polystyrene nanoplastic-induced parotid gland toxicity: role of NRF2/HO-1 and NF-κB pathways.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- Microplastics, Gut Dysbiosis, and Inflammatory Pathways in Ulcerative Colitis.Journal of inflammation research · 2026Review
- Microplastics and neurotoxicity: could prenatal exposure to microplastics boost congenital enteric neuropathies?Frontiers in toxicology · 2026Review
- All roads lead to NF-κB: the NF-κB pathway as a major target for intestinal inflammatory disorders.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Microplastics and probiotics: Mechanisms of interaction and their consequences for health.AIMS microbiology · 2025Review
- Recent Progress of Oral Functional Nanomaterials for Intestinal Microbiota Regulation.Pharmaceutics · 2024Review
- Review
- Micro(nano)plastics: an Emerging Burden for Human Health.International journal of biological sciences · 2024Review
- Modulation of gut microbiota with probiotics as a strategy to counteract endogenous and exogenous neurotoxicity.Advances in neurotoxicology · 2024Article
- Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Nanoplastics (NPs) and microplastics (MPs) made of polystyrene (PS) can be toxic to humans, especially by ingestion of plastic particles. These substances are often introduced into the gastrointestinal tract, where they can cause several adverse effects, including disturbances in intestinal flora, mutagenicity, cytotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and exacerbated oxidative stress. Although there are widespread reports of the protective effects of probiotics on the harm caused by chemical contaminants, limited information is available on how these organisms may protect against PS toxicity in either humans or animals. The protective effects of probiotics can be seen in organs, such as the gastrointestinal tract, reproductive tract, and even the brain. It has been shown that both MPs and NPs could induce microbial dysbiosis in the gut, nose and lungs, and probiotic bacteria could be considered for both prevention and treatment. Furthermore, the improvement in gut dysbiosis and intestinal leakage after probiotics consumption may reduce inflammatory biomarkers and avoid unnecessary activation of the immune system. Herein, we show probiotics may overcome the toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics in humans, although some studies are required before any clinical recommendations can be made.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.