Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

A potential therapeutic approach for ulcerative colitis: targeted regulation of mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy through phytochemicals

This review explored how plant-based compounds could be used to treat ulcerative colitis by targeting mitochondrial function. Researchers discussed how dysfunctional mitochondria generate excessive reactive oxygen species that drive intestinal inflammation. While focused on therapeutic approaches rather than microplastics directly, the study is relevant to understanding how environmental stressors that damage mitochondria may contribute to gut inflammation.

2025 Frontiers in Immunology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Rosmarinic acid alleviates intestinal inflammatory damage and inhibits endoplasmic reticulum stress and smooth muscle contraction abnormalities in intestinal tissues by regulating gut microbiota

This study found that rosmarinic acid, a natural plant compound, protected mice from intestinal inflammation by restoring healthy gut bacteria and reducing cell stress and damage. While not directly about microplastics, the research is relevant because microplastics are known to cause similar gut inflammation and disrupt the gut microbiome. Understanding how natural compounds can repair gut damage may help develop strategies to counteract the harmful effects of microplastic exposure on digestive health.

2023 Microbiology Spectrum 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Natural Compounds in the Modulation of the Intestinal Microbiota: Implications in Human Physiology and Pathology

This review examines how natural compounds including polyphenols, fatty acids, and fiber can modulate the gut microbiome and affect human health. While focused on nutrition and gut health rather than microplastics, the gut microbiome is increasingly recognized as a target of microplastic toxicity, making dietary protective factors relevant.

2020 IntechOpen eBooks 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Oxidative and Inflammatory Damage by Environmental Polyethylene Microplastics in Caco‐2 Cells Is Prevented by Polyphenol‐Rich Limoncella Apple Extract

Lab experiments on human gut cells (Caco-2) found that polyethylene microplastics increase oxidative stress and trigger cellular changes associated with disease progression, but that an extract from Limoncella apples rich in polyphenols could counteract these harmful effects. This raises the possibility that dietary antioxidants could offer a protective strategy against microplastic-induced damage in the human digestive system.

2026 Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
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

Quercetin intervention mitigates small intestinal damage and immunologic derangement induced by polystyrene nanoplastics: Insights from multi-omics analysis in mice

Researchers found that quercetin, a natural compound found in fruits and vegetables, protected mice from gut damage and immune system disruption caused by polystyrene nanoplastics. The nanoplastics damaged the small intestine and disrupted immune balance, but quercetin reversed much of this harm by restoring healthy gut bacteria and gene activity. This suggests that dietary compounds like quercetin might help counteract some negative health effects of nanoplastic exposure.

2024 Environmental Pollution 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Food-derived cyanidin-3-O-glucoside reverses microplastic toxicity via promoting discharge and modulating the gut microbiota in mice

Researchers found that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), a naturally occurring anthocyanin compound found in many fruits and vegetables, helped reduce the harmful effects of polystyrene microplastics in mice. C3G supplementation promoted the excretion of microplastics, reduced tissue accumulation, and alleviated oxidative stress and inflammation caused by the particles. The study also showed that C3G helped restore healthy gut microbiota that had been disrupted by microplastic exposure.

2021 Food & Function 52 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Considering the Importance of Medicinal Plants and Natural Products and Their Mechanisms of Action for Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders

This bibliometric analysis of over a thousand articles reviewed medicinal plants and natural products for treating gastrointestinal disorders, highlighting their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and gut-protective mechanisms. While not focused on microplastics, the gut-protective properties of certain natural compounds are relevant to understanding how to mitigate gastrointestinal damage from environmental contaminants.

2025 Military Medical Science Letters
Article Tier 2

Modulation of Gut Microbial Metabolism by Cyanidin-3-O-Glucoside in Mitigating Polystyrene-Induced Colonic Inflammation: Insights from 16S rRNA Sequencing and Metabolomics

A natural plant compound called cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), found in red bayberry and other berries, reduced colon inflammation caused by polystyrene microplastic exposure in mice. C3G worked by reshaping the gut bacteria community and restoring healthy levels of anti-inflammatory signaling molecules. This suggests that certain dietary antioxidants may help protect the gut from damage caused by microplastic exposure.

2024 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects induced by polyethylene microplastics oral exposure on colon mucin release, inflammation, gut microflora composition and metabolism in mice

Researchers fed mice polyethylene microplastics for 30 days and found that even low doses reduced protective mucus in the colon, altered inflammation markers, and shifted the composition of gut bacteria. The microplastics increased the ratio of Bacteroides to Firmicutes bacteria and affected metabolic pathways in the gut microbiome. The study suggests that oral microplastic exposure may disrupt intestinal health by modifying the gut microbial community and its metabolism.

2021 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 238 citations
Article Tier 2

Lactic acid bacteria reduce polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics-induced toxicity through their bio-binding capacity and gut environment repair ability

Researchers found that lactic acid bacteria, the kind used in yogurt and fermented foods, can reduce the toxic effects of polystyrene micro and nanoplastics in mice. The bacteria worked by physically binding to the plastic particles and by repairing damage to the gut lining and restoring healthy gut bacteria populations. This suggests that probiotics could be a practical way to help protect the digestive system from the harmful effects of microplastic exposure through food and water.

2024 Environmental Pollution 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Maltol attenuates polystyrene nanoplastic-induced enterotoxicity by promoting AMPK/mTOR/TFEB-mediated autophagy and modulating gut microbiota

Researchers found that maltol, a natural food flavoring compound, can protect against intestinal damage caused by polystyrene nanoplastics in mice. Maltol worked by activating cellular cleanup processes (autophagy) and restoring the balance of gut bacteria disrupted by nanoplastic exposure. The study suggests that dietary compounds like maltol could potentially help mitigate some of the gut health effects associated with nanoplastic ingestion.

2023 Environmental Pollution 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of the cytotoxicity micro- and nano-plastic on human intestinal Caco-2 cells and the protective effects of catechin.

Researchers used a human intestinal cell line (Caco-2) to test cytotoxicity of polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics, finding dose-dependent cell damage and disruption of intestinal barrier function. The study supports growing concerns that ingested microplastics could contribute to gut inflammation and compromise the protective lining of the human intestine.

2024 Environmental science. Processes & impacts
Article Tier 2

Active compounds of licorice ameliorate microplastics-induced intestinal damage by targeting FADD

Researchers tested whether active compounds from licorice root could protect intestinal cells from damage caused by microplastic exposure in mice, finding that licorice compounds reduced inflammation and oxidative stress in the gut and partially restored intestinal barrier integrity.

2025 Food and Chemical Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Anthocyanins as protectors of gut microbiota: mitigating the adverse effects of microplastic-induced disruption

This review examines how anthocyanins, bioactive compounds found in berries and other pigmented plants, may protect gut microbiota from disruption caused by microplastic exposure. Researchers synthesized evidence suggesting that anthocyanins counteract microplastic-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in the gut. The findings indicate that dietary anthocyanins could serve as a protective factor against the adverse effects of microplastics on digestive health.

2025 Food Innovation and Advances 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Resveratrol Attenuates Oxidative Stress-Induced Intestinal Barrier Injury through PI3K/Akt-Mediated Nrf2 Signaling Pathway

This study investigated the antioxidant compound resveratrol as a potential treatment for oxidative stress-induced intestinal barrier damage, finding it protected gut lining integrity through a specific cell signaling pathway. While focused on intestinal health generally, the mechanisms studied are relevant to how microplastic exposure can damage gut barriers.

2019 Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 329 citations
Article Tier 2

Protective effects of exocarpium citri grandis extract and its flavonoid components against polystyrene microplastic-induced hepatointestinal injury

Scientists found that an extract from citrus fruit peels (called ECG) helped protect mice from liver and gut damage caused by tiny plastic particles. The citrus extract reduced harmful inflammation and oxidative stress while improving healthy gut bacteria balance. This research suggests that natural compounds from citrus peels might help protect our bodies from the health risks of microplastics that we encounter in our food and environment.

2026 Cytotechnology
Article Tier 2

Lactobacillus plantarum A3 attenuates ulcerative colitis by modulating gut microbiota and metabolism

Researchers showed that Lactobacillus plantarum A3, a probiotic strain isolated from horses, reduced symptoms of ulcerative colitis in mice whose gut microbiomes had been disrupted by antibiotics. The probiotic restored beneficial bacteria like Akkermansia, reduced gut inflammation, and increased levels of natural anti-inflammatory compounds in the body.

2023 Animal Diseases 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Exacerbation of polyethylene microplastics in animal models of DSS-induced colitis through damage to intestinal epithelial cell conjunctions

Researchers tested the effects of UV-aged polyethylene microplastics on mice with chemically induced colitis, a model for inflammatory bowel disease. They found that the microplastics worsened intestinal inflammation by damaging the junctions between intestinal lining cells, weakening the gut barrier. The study suggests that microplastic exposure could aggravate existing gut conditions by compromising the protective intestinal wall.

2025 Current Research in Toxicology 3 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