Natural products mitigate pyrethroid-induced male reproductive toxicity: a systematic review
6 affiliations
- 1Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences
- 2Medicinal Plants Research Center, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences
- 3Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences
- 4Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University
- 5Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and AgResearch
- 6Departamento de Ciencias del Ambiente, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile
Abstract
Background: Pyrethroids are among the most widely used pesticides worldwide and cause reproductive toxicity through oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, and testicular damage. Numerous studies have explored antioxidant-rich natural products and other bioactive compounds to mitigate the effects of pyrethroid exposure.
Purpose: This systematic review comprehensively evaluates the evidence on the efficacy of natural products in mitigating pyrethroid-induced reproductive toxicity in experimental models.
Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched from database inception to July 2025. The animal experimental studies evaluating natural products against pyrethroid-induced reproductive toxicity in adult male laboratory animals were included. Outcomes included sperm parameters, hormonal balance, oxidative stress markers, and testicular histopathology. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using the ARRIVE guidelines and SYRCLE’s Risk of Bias tool for animal studies, respectively.
Results and discussion: Thirty-three animal experimental studies were included in this review. Most indicate that pyrethroid exposure consistently decreased sperm count, motility, and testosterone levels, increased oxidative stress, and disrupted the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. The studies show that natural products such as sage ( Salvia officinalis ), rosemary ( Salvia rosmarinus ), onion ( Allium cepa ), ginseng ( Panax ginseng ), curcumin, quercetin, and resveratrol may ameliorate these effects.
Conclusion: Proposed mechanisms of natural products include enhanced antioxidant defenses, hormonal regulation, DNA protection, and preservation of testicular, structure although direct evidence for these pathways remains limited and has largely been inferred from a subset of the included studies rather than established as generalizable mechanisms. Nanoparticle formulations may improve bioavailability and efficacy. Natural antioxidants show promise in reducing pyrethroid-induced reproductive toxicity in male experimental animals. Further standardized research and clinical trials are essential to establish translational potential.
Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ , identifier CRD42022348260.
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BibTeX
@article{babaei2026natural,
title = {{Natural products mitigate pyrethroid-induced male reproductive toxicity: a systematic review}},
author = {Atefeh Babaei and Sajjad Moradi and Nima Azari-Dolatabad and Sajad Fakhri and Mohammad Hosein Farzaei and Javier Echeverría},
journal = {Frontiers in Pharmacology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fphar.2026.1933092},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2026.1933092/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Natural products mitigate pyrethroid-induced male reproductive toxicity: a systematic review
AU - Atefeh Babaei
AU - Sajjad Moradi
AU - Nima Azari-Dolatabad
AU - Sajad Fakhri
AU - Mohammad Hosein Farzaei
AU - Javier Echeverría
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - Frontiers in Pharmacology
DO - 10.3389/fphar.2026.1933092
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2026.1933092/full
AB - Background: Pyrethroids are among the most widely used pesticides worldwide and cause reproductive toxicity through oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, and testicular damage. Numerous studies have explored antioxidant-rich natural products and other bioactive compounds to mitigate the effects of pyrethroid exposure. Purpose: This systematic review comprehensively evaluates the evidence on the efficacy of natural products in mitigating pyrethroid-induced reproductive toxicity in experimental models. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched from database inception to July 2025. The animal experimental studies evaluating natural products against pyrethroid-induced reproductive toxicity in adult male laboratory animals were included. Outcomes included sperm parameters, hormonal balance, oxidative stress markers, and testicular histopathology. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using the ARRIVE guidelines and SYRCLE’s Risk of Bias tool for animal studies, respectively. Results and discussion: Thirty-three animal experimental studies were included in this review. Most indicate that pyrethroid exposure consistently decreased sperm count, motility, and testosterone levels, increased oxidative stress, and disrupted the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. The studies show that natural products such as sage ( Salvia officinalis ), rosemary ( Salvia rosmarinus ), onion ( Allium cepa ), ginseng ( Panax ginseng ), curcumin, quercetin, and resveratrol may ameliorate these effects. Conclusion: Proposed mechanisms of natural products include enhanced antioxidant defenses, hormonal regulation, DNA protection, and preservation of testicular, structure although direct evidence for these pathways remains limited and has largely been inferred from a subset of the included studies rather than established as generalizable mechanisms. Nanoparticle formulations may improve bioavailability and efficacy. Natural antioxidants show promise in reducing pyrethroid-induced reproductive toxicity in male experimental animals. Further standardized research and clinical trials are essential to establish translational potential. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ , identifier CRD42022348260.
SN - 1663-9812
ER -