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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Oxidative Stress and Male Fertility: Promising Role of Nutraceuticals
ClearImpact of Oxidative Stress on Male Reproduction in Domestic and Wild Animals
This review examines how oxidative stress, an imbalance between harmful reactive oxygen molecules and the body's antioxidant defenses, impairs male reproductive function in both domestic and wild animals. Researchers found that oxidative damage to sperm can reduce fertility, compromise offspring health, and is worsened by environmental pollutants including microplastics. The study highlights the growing concern that environmental contaminants are contributing to reproductive decline across animal species.
Microplastics and impaired male reproductive health—exploring biological pathways of harm: a narrative review
This narrative review summarizes the evidence that microplastics may harm male reproductive health through oxidative stress, hormone disruption, inflammation, and direct damage to reproductive cells. While animal studies show concerning effects on sperm quality, testicular function, and fertility, human studies are still lacking. The review calls for urgent research on microplastic impacts on human male fertility and for policies to reduce microplastic exposure.
Pharmacotherapeutic potential of ginkgetin against polystyrene microplastics–instigated testicular toxicity in rats: A biochemical, spermatological, and histopathological assessment
In a rat study, polystyrene microplastics caused significant damage to the testes, including reduced sperm quality, oxidative stress, and tissue inflammation, but the natural plant compound ginkgetin was able to partially reverse this damage. Ginkgetin worked by boosting antioxidant defenses and reducing the inflammatory response triggered by the microplastics. This suggests that natural antioxidant compounds might help protect male reproductive health from the harmful effects of microplastic exposure.
Microplastics May Be a Significant Cause of Male Infertility
This review examines the potential link between microplastic exposure and the decline in male fertility observed over recent decades. Researchers reviewed evidence showing that microplastics can accumulate in reproductive tissues and may damage sperm quality through oxidative stress, hormonal disruption, and inflammatory responses. The study suggests that microplastics deserve serious attention as a possible contributing factor to rising male infertility rates.
Quantitative analysis and toxicological mechanisms of various male infertility inducers: A network meta-analysis and pharmacological approach.
This network meta-analysis of 201 rodent studies compared nine common male infertility inducers, finding that microplastics caused among the most severe impairments to sperm count and motility — on par with the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide. Oxidative stress emerged as a shared mechanistic pathway across all inducers, pointing to it as a key target for understanding and potentially mitigating reproductive harm from environmental exposures.
Evaluation of possible attenuative role of chrysoeriol against polyethylene microplastics instigated testicular damage: A biochemical, spermatogenic and histological study
Researchers investigated whether the plant compound chrysoeriol could protect against testicular damage caused by polyethylene microplastics in a rat model. The study found that microplastic exposure reduced antioxidant enzyme activity and increased inflammation markers, while co-administration of chrysoeriol showed a protective effect by mitigating oxidative stress and preserving sperm quality.
Polystyrene Microplastics Disrupt Spermatogenesis through Oxidative Stress in Rat Testicular Tissue
Male Wistar rats orally administered polystyrene microplastics showed excessive oxidative stress in testicular tissue across all exposure groups, with spermatogenesis impairment and reduced fertility correlating with dose, demonstrating reproductive toxicity in a mammalian model.
Environmental determinants of male infertility: emerging threats and technological interventions
This review examines how environmental contaminants, including microplastics, air pollution, heavy metals, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, may contribute to declining male fertility. The study suggests these environmental toxins can impair sperm function through oxidative stress, hormonal imbalance, and inflammation, and highlights the need for integrating environmental exposure data into fertility assessments.
The presence of microplastics in human semen and the protective role of nicotinamide mononucleotide against polystyrene nanoplastics-induced reproductive and early embryonic toxicity
Researchers detected microplastics, including polystyrene, in human semen samples using laser direct infrared spectroscopy, confirming that these particles reach the male reproductive tract. In laboratory and mouse experiments, polystyrene nanoplastics impaired sperm motility, increased oxidative stress, and disrupted early embryonic development in a dose-dependent manner. The study found that nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) effectively reversed many of these harmful effects by restoring antioxidant capacity, suggesting a potential protective intervention.
Microplastics Exposure Is Harmful to Male Reproductive Health
This chapter reviewed evidence on how microplastic exposure may harm male reproductive health through multiple pathways including ingestion and inhalation. The study examined mechanisms by which microplastics may disrupt reproductive function, including hormonal interference, oxidative stress, and inflammation in reproductive tissues, suggesting that widespread environmental microplastic contamination warrants attention as a potential factor in male fertility concerns.
Male infertility and its link to microplastics: A sterile future
This review examines the link between microplastic exposure and male infertility, summarizing evidence that microplastics and their chemical additives disrupt reproductive hormones, sperm quality, and testicular function in animal models and human studies.
Epigallocatechin-gallate ameliorates polystyrene microplastics-induced oxido-inflammation and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in testicular cells via modulation of Nrf2/HO-1, /mTOR/Atg-7, and Cx-43/NOX-1 levels
Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics caused oxidative stress, inflammation, and reduced sperm quality in rats, but that treatment with EGCG — a compound found in green tea — reversed most of these harmful effects by restoring antioxidant defenses and reducing cell death pathways in testicular tissue.
Testicular mitochondrial redox imbalance and impaired oxidative phosphorylation underlie microplastic-induced testicular dysfunction in Wistar rats
Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect male reproductive function in rats by examining testicular mitochondrial health. The study found that microplastic exposure disrupted mitochondrial redox balance and impaired oxidative phosphorylation in testicular tissue, providing mechanistic evidence for how microplastics may contribute to male reproductive toxicity.
A meta-analysis-based adverse outcome pathway for the male reproductive toxicity induced by microplastics and nanoplastics in mammals
This meta-analysis of 39 studies mapped the adverse outcome pathway for microplastic and nanoplastic-induced male reproductive toxicity in mammals. Increased reactive oxygen species triggers a cascade of cellular damage including mitochondrial dysfunction, sperm DNA damage, and disrupted hormone signaling, ultimately leading to reduced sperm quality, impaired spermatogenesis, and decreased testosterone levels.
Micro- and nanoplastics in human male reproduction: Immune disruption, blood–testis barrier, and clinic-ready biomarkers
This review synthesizes evidence that micro- and nanoplastics have been detected in human testes and semen, with experimental models showing they trigger oxidative stress, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and disruption of blood-testis barrier tight-junction proteins, collectively impairing sperm production and quality.
Microplastics and male reproductive system: A comprehensive review based on cellular and molecular effects
This comprehensive review examines how microplastics affect the male reproductive system at cellular and molecular levels, drawing on studies from multiple scientific databases. Researchers found that microplastics can damage testicular structure and function, impair spermatogenesis, and disrupt sperm parameters through mechanisms including oxidative stress, inflammation, and activation of cell death pathways. The review highlights that microplastics reduce ATP production and trigger signaling cascades that may contribute to male fertility problems.
Microplastics: unraveling the signaling pathways involved in reproductive health
This review examines the effects of microplastics on male and female reproductive health, focusing on the metabolic pathways involved in compromised gamete quality, toxicity, apoptosis, and DNA damage. Evidence indicates that microplastics can increase oxidative stress leading to developmental abnormalities, epigenetic changes, and reduced gamete quality, though research on mammalian and human reproductive effects remains limited compared to studies in aquatic organisms.
Toxic effect of polyethylene microplastic on testicles and ameliorative effect of luteolin in adult rats: Environmental challenge
Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics caused significant testicular toxicity in adult rats including reduced sperm quality and testosterone levels, while luteolin treatment ameliorated these effects through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Attenuative effect of astilbin on polystyrene microplastics induced testicular damage: Biochemical, spermatological and histopathological-based evidences
Researchers found that astilbin, a natural plant compound, significantly reduced testicular damage caused by polystyrene microplastic exposure in rats. The microplastics disrupted hormone levels, sperm quality, and testicular tissue structure, but astilbin treatment counteracted these effects by boosting antioxidant defenses and reducing inflammation. The study suggests that natural antioxidant compounds may offer protective benefits against the reproductive harm associated with microplastic exposure.
Impact of polystyrene microplastic exposure at low doses on male fertility: an experimental study in rats
Researchers exposed adult male rats to varying doses of polystyrene microplastics and found dose-dependent declines in semen quality along with disrupted reproductive hormone levels. Higher doses caused increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and inflammatory responses in testicular tissue. The study suggests that even relatively low doses of microplastic exposure may have adverse effects on male reproductive health in animal models.
Rhamnetin alleviates polystyrene microplastics-induced testicular damage by restoring biochemical, steroidogenic, hormonal, apoptotic, inflammatory, spermatogenic and histological profile in male albino rats
Researchers studied whether the plant compound rhamnetin could protect against testicular damage caused by polystyrene microplastics in rats. Microplastic exposure caused significant harm to sperm quality, hormone levels, and testicular tissue through oxidative stress and inflammation. Co-treatment with rhamnetin restored many of these markers, suggesting it may help counteract some of the reproductive harm associated with microplastic exposure.
Reproductive toxicity of microplastics role of oxidative stress in cellular and molecular damage
This review synthesizes in vitro, in vivo, and epidemiological evidence on how microplastics cause reproductive toxicity, focusing on oxidative stress as the central mechanism. MPs infiltrate reproductive tissues, generate reactive oxygen species, and disrupt gametogenesis, hormone regulation, and embryonic development across multiple species.
Microplastics in ovarian function and ozone-based mitigation strategies: Emerging evidence and translational implications
This review synthesized emerging evidence that microplastics accumulate in human follicular fluid, oocytes, placenta, and semen, causing oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and meiotic disruption in reproductive cells, and discussed ozone-based strategies as potential mitigation approaches.
Disruptors on Male Reproduction – Emerging Risk Factors
This review of emerging risk factors for male infertility covers endocrine-disrupting chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides, radiation, and pharmaceuticals, including a section on microplastics and the plastic-associated chemicals that have been linked to hormonal disruption and reduced sperm quality. While microplastics are one of several disruptors discussed rather than the sole focus, the paper is relevant because it places microplastic exposure within the broader context of the global decline in sperm counts and male reproductive health over recent decades.