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The Role of Nanocurcumin in Nanoplastics-Induced Pathological Alterations in Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
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Tiny plastic particles in water (nanoplastics) harmed the growth, liver, gut, and gills of farmed bass, raising concerns about the ripple effects of plastic pollution on the seafood we eat. Researchers tested curcumin (a compound from turmeric) as a possible fix and found it helped reduce some of the damage—like liver and gut problems—but didn't protect the fish's gills and even caused some gill irritation on its own. This suggests turmeric-based supplements might one day help farmed fish cope with plastic pollution, but more research is needed before it's a reliable solution.
Nanoplastics (NPs) are emerging aquatic pollutants that may threaten farmed fish health. This study evaluated whether dietary nanocurcumin (NCUR) modulates NP-associated biological disturbances in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). A total of 480 fish (initial weight 11.52 ± 0.02 g) were assigned to four treatments for 21 days: control, 0.2% NCUR, 100 μg/L NPs, and 0.2% NCUR + 100 μg/L NPs. NP exposure significantly reduced growth and feed intake (p < 0.05) and was accompanied by gill, hepatic and intestinal tissue alterations, disturbed serum lipid parameters, changes in hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities, and altered mRNA expression of antioxidant- and metabolism-related genes. Dietary NCUR was associated with partial modulation of several NP-associated responses, including hepatic and intestinal structural alterations, serum lipid changes, adaptive antioxidant enzyme responses, and transcriptional changes in Nrf2/Keap1- and SIRT1/FoxO1-associated genes. However, NCUR did not alleviate NPs-induced gill damage, and NCUR alone also caused branchial histopathological alterations. Therefore, 0.2% NCUR may partially mitigate selected NPs-induced disturbances in M. salmoides, but its independent effects, branchial safety, and pathway-level mechanisms require further investigation.
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Effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on oxidative stress, histopathology and intestinal microbiota in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
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Researchers exposed largemouth bass — a commercially important freshwater fish — to polystyrene nanoplastics (tiny plastic particles 100 nanometers in size) for up to 19 days, finding tissue damage in the gills, liver, and intestines along with elevated markers of cellular stress. While growth was not significantly affected, the fish adjusted their gut microbiome in response, suggesting nanoplastics trigger adaptive but potentially harmful physiological changes.
Effects of waterborne exposure to varying concentrations of micro- and nano-plastics on liver and intestinal histology, antioxidant systems, and intestinal microbiota in Qihe River crucian carp (Carassius auratus)
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Scientists exposed farmed carp to microplastics and even smaller nanoplastics in water, finding both damaged the fish's gut and liver, disrupted digestion and gut bacteria, and slowed growth, with the tinier nanoplastics causing more harm. Since these fish are a food source, this raises questions about how widespread plastic pollution in waterways could affect the health and quality of fish we eat.
Curcumin Mitigates Microplastic-Induced Damage in Livestock and Poultry: Mechanistic Insights and Strategies for Sustainable Farming
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This review examines how curcumin, a natural compound from turmeric, can protect livestock and poultry from microplastic-induced damage. The research shows that curcumin activates antioxidant defenses and reduces inflammation caused by microplastic exposure in animals, suggesting that natural dietary supplements may offer a strategy for mitigating some health effects of plastic contamination.
Protective effect of curcumin against microplastic and nanoplastics toxicity
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This review gathers preclinical studies that tested curcumin, the main active compound in turmeric, against the toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics. In all but one of the studies reviewed, curcumin returned oxidative and tissue damage measures to normal. The evidence is from cells and animals.
Dietary administration of PVC and PE microplastics produces histological damage, oxidative stress and immunoregulation in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.)
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Researchers fed European sea bass diets containing PVC and polyethylene microplastics for three weeks and examined the effects on their organs and immune systems. They found significant tissue damage in the liver and intestine, along with signs of oxidative stress and altered immune function. The study suggests that even short-to-medium-term microplastic ingestion can compromise fish health, with longer exposures potentially leading to irreversible organ damage.
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