Palliative potential of robinetin to avert polystyrene microplastics instigated pulmonary toxicity in rats

Polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs) are noxious environmental pollutants that pose a significant threat to vital body organs including the lungs. Robinetin (ROB) is a flavonoid which demonstrates various pharmacological potentials. This trial was designed to assess the protective ability of ROB to avert PSMPs provoked pulmonary toxicity in rats. Twenty-four rats were divided into four groups i.e., control, PSMPs (0.1 mg/kg), PSMPs (0.1 mg/kg) + ROB (30 mg/kg) and ROB (30 mg/kg) only supplemented group. PSMPs exposure led to a notable reduction in the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GSR) as well as GSH contents while causing a pronounced elevation in the concentration of MDA and ROS. Furthermore, PSMPs significantly augmented the levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), macrophages, neutrophils, and lymphocytes in BALF. Moreover, the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, NF-κB, IL-6 and COX-2 activities were increased following the PSMPs exposure. Nonetheless PSMPs remarkably decreased Bcl-2 levels, coupled with an escalation in Caspase-9, Caspase-3 and Bax levels. Despite this, severe histological alterations were observed in lungs tissues after PSMPs provision. Nevertheless, ROB provision markedly protected the lungs via regulating aforementioned dysregulations. This investigation validated the shielding strength of ROB to counteract PSMPs caused pulmonary toxicity.