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

One of the emerging pollutants is microplastics, which have been reported to be widespread in various ecosystems. The exposure to them is inevitable. Therefore, the burden of exposure to them must be reduced. In this systematic review, the potential of probiotics to reduce toxicities and the mechanism of action of probiotics were discussed. For this purpose, a search was conducted in databases by designing appropriate keywords. A search was conducted without time limits in three databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. After primary and secondary evaluation, 37 manuscripts were reviewed for full evaluation. Finally, 15 manuscripts were selected for data extraction, including 3 in vitro studies and 12 in vivo studies. By reviewing the extracted data, it was observed that the most commonly used probiotics in this regard were Lactobacillus species. The most important protective mechanism of probiotics is the reduction of oxidative stress caused by exposure to microplastics.