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A PRISMA - Guided Review of Hepatic Toxicity and the Homoeopathic Approach for Microplastic detoxification.
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This review pulls together existing research showing that tiny plastic particles we're exposed to daily can damage liver cells through inflammation and stress. Some natural remedies have helped protect the liver from other toxins, but scientists haven't yet tested whether they specifically counter microplastic damage, so more research is needed before drawing conclusions.
Background: Microplastics have become an emergent environmental and health risk. The liver has been recognized as a key organ for MP-induced toxicity. Hepatic injury induced by MPs is primarily due to processes such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, lipid metabolic derangements, and inflammation. Although these toxicological activities are well delineated in conventional science, complementary medical therapies such as the preventive and curative avenues with Homoeopathy have not yet been exhaustively explored. Objective: The objective of the review is to study the existing evidence for MP-induced hepatotoxicity, to review homoeopathic treatments reported for hepatoprotective activity, and identify research gaps for future interdisciplinary research. Methods: A PRISMA-ScR guided review was carried out. Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were undertaken against keywords relevant to the topic. The review included in-vitro, in-vivo, or clinical models describing either MP-caused hepatic toxicity or homoeopathic treatments of hepatotoxicity. Results: Sixty-two studies met inclusion criteria, reporting that MPs like polystyrene, polyethylene, and polymethyl methacrylate cause hepatic changes including oxidative stress, cytokine induction, and metabolic disruption. Homeopathic remedies such as Carduus marianus, Chelidonium, Nux vomica, Lycopodium, Natrum sulphuricum, and Solanum tuberosum showed efficacy in chemically induced liver injury models, but no studies directly evaluated homeopathic treatments for MP-induced hepatotoxicity. Conclusion: MPs have demonstrable hepatotoxicity, whereas selected homoeopathic preparations indicate possible hepatoprotective activity. Combining these pieces of evidence gives a theoretical basis for systematic experimentation for MP-specific liver damage models, with an emphasis on the necessity for targeted interdisciplinary studies to confirm complementary strategies.
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