Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Lactobacillus plantarum reduces polystyrene microplastic induced toxicity via multiple pathways: A potentially effective and safe dietary strategy to counteract microplastic harm

Researchers found that Lactobacillus plantarum, a probiotic bacterium commonly found in fermented foods, can reduce the harmful effects of polystyrene microplastics in mice through multiple pathways. The bacteria worked by binding directly to plastic particles to help remove them from the body, reducing oxidative damage, repairing the intestinal barrier, and regulating bile acid metabolism. This suggests that certain probiotics could be a safe dietary strategy to help counteract some of the negative health effects of microplastic exposure.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZP-6 mitigates polystyrene nanoplastics-induced liver damage in colitis mice via the gut-liver axis

The probiotic strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZP-6 mitigated polystyrene nanoplastic-induced liver injury in an animal model through multiple mechanisms including toxin binding, barrier enhancement, and anti-inflammatory activity, suggesting probiotics as a potential strategy for reducing nanoplastic health impacts.

2025 Frontiers in Microbiology
Article Tier 2

Gut microbiota and liver metabolomics reveal the potential mechanism of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG modulating the liver toxicity caused by polystyrene microplastics in mice

Researchers found that the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG helped protect mice from liver damage caused by polystyrene microplastic exposure. The probiotic worked by restoring healthy gut bacteria and normalizing liver metabolic pathways disrupted by the microplastics. The study suggests that supporting gut health through beneficial bacteria may help mitigate some of the toxic effects microplastics have on the liver.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Could probiotics protect against human toxicity caused by polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics?

This review examines whether probiotics could help protect against the harmful effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics in the body. Researchers found evidence that probiotic bacteria may counteract plastic-induced gut imbalances, reduce inflammation, and support intestinal barrier function. The study suggests that probiotics represent a promising area of research for mitigating some of the biological effects of microplastic exposure, though more human studies are needed.

2023 Frontiers in Nutrition 24 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Interactions between polystyrene-derived micro- and nanoplastics and the microbiota: a systematic review of multi-omics mouse studies

Researchers systematically reviewed 15 mouse studies and found that exposure to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics consistently disrupted gut bacteria — reducing beneficial species like Lactobacillus and increasing harmful ones — while also altering metabolic pathways throughout the body. Nanoplastics caused more severe microbiome disruption than larger microplastics, highlighting a serious health concern for humans.

2026 Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part C
Article Tier 2

Probiotics improve polystyrene microplastics-induced male reproductive toxicity in mice by alleviating inflammatory response

Researchers found that giving mice probiotics (beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) helped protect against reproductive damage caused by polystyrene microplastics. The microplastics disrupted gut bacteria and triggered inflammation that traveled to the testes via the gut-testis connection, reducing sperm quality and testosterone levels. Probiotic treatment restored healthy gut bacteria and reduced the inflammatory response, suggesting that maintaining gut health could help counteract some reproductive harm from microplastic exposure.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics sequester the toxicity mitigating potential of probiotics by altering gut microbiota in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Researchers tested whether probiotic pretreatment could protect grass carp from the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on gut health. While probiotics initially boosted immune responses and reduced intestinal damage, the protective effect was not strong enough to fully counteract nanoplastic toxicity over time. The study suggests that nanoplastics can undermine the gut health benefits of probiotics by disrupting the balance of gut bacteria.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

The microplastic-crisis: Role of bacteria in fighting microplastic-effects in the digestive system

This review examines how microplastics affect the human digestive system and explores whether certain bacteria could help counteract the damage. Microplastics disrupt the gut by altering microbial communities, interfering with digestive enzymes, and damaging the protective mucus lining. The authors highlight the potential for probiotic bacteria to bind to microplastics, reduce inflammation, and help repair the gut environment, offering a possible protective strategy against microplastic-related digestive harm.

2024 Environmental Pollution 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus 2038 and Streptococcus thermophilus 1131 suppress polystyrene nanoplastic transcellular permeability and internalization by intestinal epithelial cells

Researchers found that two yogurt starter bacteria, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus 2038 and Streptococcus thermophilus 1131, significantly reduced the uptake and transport of polystyrene nanoplastics by intestinal epithelial cells. The study suggests these specific strains, even when non-viable, may help limit nanoplastic accumulation in the body by suppressing their internalization in the gut lining.

2026 Scientific Reports
Article Tier 2

Impacts of polystyrene microplastic on the gut barrier, microbiota and metabolism of mice

Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene microplastics for six weeks and found that the particles accumulated in the gut, reduced protective mucus secretion, and damaged the intestinal barrier. The microplastics also significantly altered the composition of gut bacteria, decreasing beneficial species and increasing harmful ones. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion could disrupt gut health in mammals by simultaneously impairing the physical barrier and reshaping the microbiome.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 986 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Probiotics as Modulators of Microplastic-induced Toxicity: A Systematic Review

This systematic review found that probiotics can reduce microplastic-induced toxicity in animal models by restoring gut microbiota balance, reducing oxidative stress, and modulating inflammatory responses. The findings suggest that probiotic supplementation may help mitigate the harmful effects of unavoidable microplastic exposure, though human clinical trials are still needed.

2025 Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins
Article Tier 2

Novel probiotics adsorbing and excreting microplastics in vivo show potential gut health benefits

Researchers screened 784 bacterial strains and identified two probiotic strains that can stick to microplastic particles in the gut and help remove them from the body. In mice, these probiotics increased microplastic excretion by 34% and reduced the amount of plastic remaining in the intestine by 67%. This is the first study to show that specific probiotics could help the body get rid of ingested microplastics and reduce gut inflammation caused by them.

2025 Frontiers in Microbiology 14 citations
Article Tier 2

The probiotic SLAB51 as agent to counteract BPA toxicity on zebrafish gut microbiota -liver-brain axis

Researchers tested whether the probiotic supplement SLAB51 could counteract the harmful effects of bisphenol A (BPA), a plastic-derived chemical, in zebrafish and found it significantly restored healthy gut bacteria, reduced liver damage, and protected the brain — suggesting probiotics may help offset harm from plastic-associated chemical exposure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Determination of the ability of native potential probiotic lactobacillus strains in nanoplastic bioremoval in an in-vitro Model

Researchers tested 88 native probiotic Lactobacillus strains for their ability to bind and remove polystyrene nanoplastics in laboratory conditions, finding that a cocktail of three strains achieved up to 77% removal. The most effective strain, L. plantarum RP13, showed strong nanoplastic adhesion confirmed by microscopy imaging. The study suggests that certain probiotic bacteria may have potential as a biological approach to reducing nanoplastic exposure in the gastrointestinal tract.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro-nanoplastics inhibit extracellular polymeric substance and lactate synthesis via perturbing glucose metabolism of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus

Researchers found that micro- and nanoplastics — especially nanoscale PET particles — impair the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus by disrupting central carbon metabolism, reducing its production of lactic acid and protective extracellular polysaccharides, raising concerns that microplastic ingestion could compromise the gut benefits of probiotic bacteria.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

A probiotic for preventing microplastic toxicity: Clostridium dalinum mitigates microplastic-induced damage via microbiota-metabolism-barrier interactions

Using metagenomics and metabolomics, this study found that the probiotic bacterium Clostridium dalinum reduced microplastic-induced gut damage in mice by modulating gut microbiota composition, metabolic pathways, and intestinal barrier integrity.

2025 Current Research in Food Science
Article Tier 2

Adsorption abilities and mechanisms of Lactobacillus on various nanoplastics

Researchers tested whether Lactobacillus, a common probiotic bacterium, could adsorb nanoplastic particles made of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polystyrene. They found that the bacteria could efficiently bind all three types of nanoplastics through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding on their cell surfaces. The study suggests that lactic acid bacteria may have potential as a biological method for reducing nanoplastic contamination in food.

2023 Chemosphere 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and probiotics: Mechanisms of interaction and their consequences for health

This review explores how microplastics interact with probiotics and what that means for gut health. Researchers summarized evidence showing that microplastics can disrupt the gut lining, alter the microbiome, and trigger inflammation, while certain probiotic strains may help counteract these effects by reducing oxidative stress and supporting the intestinal barrier. The study also discusses the emerging possibility of using engineered probiotics for environmental microplastic cleanup.

2025 AIMS Microbiology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt the intestinal microenvironment by altering bacteria-host interactions through extracellular vesicle-delivered microRNAs

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt the gut lining in mice by altering tiny RNA molecules that control the production of protective proteins in the intestinal barrier. The nanoplastics also caused an imbalance in gut bacteria, creating a chain reaction where damaged gut cells release particles that further weaken the intestinal barrier and change the microbiome.

2025 Nature Communications 34 citations
Article Tier 2

The role of gut microbiota in mediating increased toxicity of nano-sized polystyrene compared to micro-sized polystyrene in mice

This mouse study found that nano-sized polystyrene plastics were significantly more toxic than micro-sized ones, causing greater gut inflammation, liver damage, and metabolic disruption. The key difference was driven by how each size affected gut bacteria: nanoplastics caused a more severe shift toward harmful bacteria and away from beneficial ones. The findings suggest that the smallest plastic particles may pose the greatest health risk because they more dramatically disrupt the gut microbiome.

2024 Chemosphere 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Oxidized/unmodified-polyethylene microplastics neurotoxicity in mice: Perspective from microbiota-gut-brain axis

Mice exposed to both regular and environmentally weathered polyethylene microplastics developed brain and gut damage, including behavioral changes, weakened gut and blood-brain barriers, and inflammation -- with weathered microplastics causing even more harm. Importantly, treatment with a probiotic (Lactobacillus) and a prebiotic partially reversed these effects, suggesting that gut-friendly supplements might help protect against microplastic-related brain and intestinal damage.

2024 Environment International 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Perturbation of gut microbiota plays an important role in micro/nanoplastics-induced gut barrier dysfunction

Researchers investigated how micro- and nanoplastics disrupt gut barrier function in mice, finding that different surface chemistries caused varying levels of damage. The study suggests that these plastic particles harm the gut by altering the gut microbiome, which then leads to inflammation and weakening of the intestinal barrier that normally keeps harmful substances out of the body.

2021 Nanoscale 198 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene and polytetrafluoroethylene nanoplastics affect probiotic bacterial characteristics and penetrate their cellular membrane

This study found that polystyrene and PTFE nanoplastics damage the membranes and viability of probiotic bacteria in ways that differ by particle surface chemistry and bacterial strain. Since gut microbiome stability depends on these beneficial bacteria, this research suggests that nanoplastic ingestion could undermine the health benefits of probiotics and more broadly disrupt the gut microbial community.

2026 Environmental Science Nano
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce gut microbiota dysbiosis and hepatic lipid metabolism disorder in mice

Researchers fed mice two sizes of polystyrene microplastics for five weeks and observed significant disruption of gut bacteria and changes in liver fat metabolism. The microplastics decreased mucus production in the gut and shifted the balance of key bacterial populations at multiple taxonomic levels. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion can trigger gut microbiota imbalance in mammals, which may in turn affect metabolic health.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 966 citations