Effect of Propylparaben on In Vitro Maturation of Porcine Oocytes and Embryo Development

Parabens are synthetic chemicals that, due to their antibacterial and fungicidal effects, are widely used as preservatives in food, cosmetics, and personal care products, such as shampoos, hair conditioners, body creams, soaps, deodorants, makeup, wet wipes, lotions, female hygiene products, and vaginal lubricants. Several years ago, they were considered noncytotoxic, but studies have since shown that parabens act as endocrine disruptors due to their similarity to estradiol and could interfere with fertility. In recent decades, they have been associated with decreased fertility in the population. Although there are studies showing the effect of various parabens on reproduction, there are few related to the effect of propylparaben (PrPB) on oocyte maturation and embryo development. The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro effect of PrPB on oocyte maturation and embryo development. The calculated lethal concentration (LC₅₀) and concentration of inhibition of maturation (IM₅₀) for both events was 140 μM. After 144 h post fertilization, the viability of developed embryos was reduced according to the PrPB increased. The total number of dividing embryos was classified from two blastomeres to late blastocyst. In all concentrations, there was embryo development, except in the concentration 300 μM, in which all were dead. The results of this study provide evidence that PrPB could affect female reproductive health by reducing oocyte maturation and delaying early embryo development. Therefore, further studies are required to explore the possible mechanisms producing the damage caused by the constant use of products containing PrPB.