{
  "abstract": "Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants that pose significant environmental and health concerns attributed to environmental persistence and potential ecotoxicity. The study assessed the protective efficacy of puerarin(Pr), a major isoflavone extracted from Pueraria lobata roots against microplastic toxicity in rats. Male albino rats (n = 42), were exposed to carboxylated polystyrene beads in two sizes, 1µm, and 5 µm for 28 days. Group I was the negative control. Groups III and IV received 1μm and 5 μm PS beads respectively while Group V and VI received the PS beads respectively along with a single oral dose of puerarin (10 mg/kg body weight). Microplastic intoxication with both sizes of PS-MP beads (1 µm and 5 µm) led to oxidative stress. Additionally, a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase was also observed in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the pro-apoptotic proteins. The hepatic expression of p53 was significantly reduced coupled with the suppression of Nrf-2 followed by a downregulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. The DNA damage was observable with distinct comets on exposure to both sizes of MPs compared to the control. These results suggest that puerarin at the tested dosage alleviates oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and DNA damage in rats caused by PS-MPs. However, further investigations on different doses and extended exposure duration could establish dose-response correlation and translational significance.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia",
    "Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia",
    "Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia",
    "Central Research Laboratory, Vice Rectorate for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ebtesam Abdullah Alqhtani"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Promy Virk"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Rawan Matar Al-Harbi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Mai Elobeid"
    },
    {
      "name": "Seham Soliman Alterary"
    },
    {
      "name": "Weam Ibrahim Al-nogair"
    },
    {
      "name": "Manal Qayyadh Saad Alanazi"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ramesa Shafi Bhat"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nada M. Merghani"
    },
    {
      "name": "Dalia Fouad"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8asmxvrmynpwd.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0355931",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "8asmxvrmynpwd",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0355931",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2310|Microplastics and Plastic Pollution"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Antioxidants"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Nucleic acids/DNA/DNA damage"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cell processes/Cell death/Apoptosis"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Oxidative stress"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/DNA/DNA damage"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene types/Suppressor genes/Tumor suppressor genes"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune response/Inflammation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Toxicology/Toxicity"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Clinical medicine/Signs and symptoms/Inflammation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune response/Inflammation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Pathology and laboratory medicine/Toxicology/Toxicity"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Pharmaceutics/Drug therapy/Antioxidant therapy"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7211945692",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0355931&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-08",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8asmxvrmynpwd.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0355931",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0355931"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:cell biology",
      "subfield": "cell-biology"
    },
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:genetics",
      "subfield": "genetics-genomics"
    },
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:immunology",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Puerarin attenuates polystyrene (PS-MPs) induced oxidative stress, apoptosis and DNA damage in a Rat model",
  "title_text": "Puerarin attenuates polystyrene (PS-MPs) induced oxidative stress, apoptosis and DNA damage in a Rat model",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8asmxvrmynpwd",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}