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Interactions of human drug transporters with chemical additives present in plastics: Potential consequences for toxicokinetics and health
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Chemicals added to plastics, like those found in food packaging and everyday products, can interfere with proteins in our cells that normally control how drugs and hormones move in and out of our bodies. This review pulls together existing research showing these interactions happen even at the low levels most people are exposed to daily, which could affect how our bodies process both medications and these plastic-derived chemicals. More research is needed, but this matters because it suggests everyday plastic exposure might have subtle effects on drug effectiveness and hormone balance that scientists don't yet fully understand.
Human membrane drug transporters are recognized as major actors of pharmacokinetics; they also handle endogenous compounds, including hormones and metabolites. Chemical additives present in plastics interact with human drug transporters, which may have consequences for the toxicokinetics and toxicity of these widely-distributed environmental and/or dietary pollutants, to which humans are highly exposed. The present review summarizes key findings about this topic. In vitro assays have demonstrated that various plastic additives, including bisphenols, phthalates, brominated flame retardants, poly-alkyl phenols and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, can inhibit the activities of solute carrier uptake transporters and/or ATP-binding cassette efflux pumps. Some are substrates for transporters or can regulate their expression. The relatively low human concentration of plastic additives from environmental or dietary exposure is a key parameter to consider to appreciate the in vivo relevance of plasticizer-transporter interactions and their consequences for human toxicokinetics and toxicity of plastic additives, although even low concentrations of pollutants (in the nM range) may have clinical effects. Existing data about interactions of plastic additives with drug transporters remain somewhat sparse and incomplete. A more systematic characterization of plasticizer-transporter relationships is needed. The potential effects of chemical additive mixtures towards transporter activities and the identification of transporter substrates among plasticizers, as well as their interactions with transporters of emerging relevance deserve particular attention. A better understanding of the human toxicokinetics of plastic additives may help to fully integrate the possible contribution of transporters to the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of plastics-related chemicals, as well as to their deleterious effects towards human health.
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Researchers tested whether polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics interfere with human drug transporter proteins, which are responsible for moving medications across cell membranes. They found no significant effects on either the activity or the gene expression of these transporters when exposed to the plastic particles. The study provides reassuring evidence that microplastics may not directly disrupt how the human body absorbs and distributes pharmaceutical drugs.
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This research review found that tiny plastic particles we're exposed to from the environment might change how medicines work in our bodies by affecting how drugs are absorbed, broken down, and eliminated. The plastic particles can stick to medications and disrupt the normal processes that control drug levels in our blood, which could make some medicines less effective or more dangerous. This is especially concerning for critical medications like blood thinners and seizure drugs, though scientists still need more studies in humans to understand the full impact.
Microplastics and Nanoplastics as Emerging Modifiers of Human Drug Pharmacokinetics: Implications for Adme and Therapeutic Outcomes
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**TLDR:** This review of existing research found that tiny plastic particles we're exposed to from the environment might interfere with how medications work in our bodies. These microplastics and nanoplastics can potentially make some drugs less effective or change how they're absorbed, which could be especially risky for critical medications like blood thinners and seizure drugs. While scientists need more human studies to fully understand the impact, this suggests our plastic pollution problem might also be affecting how well our medicines work.
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