luteolin co-treatment abates polystyrene microplastics (ps-mps) induced spermatotoxicity and dysgonadogenesis in rats via up-regulation of gonadotropin, enhanced spermatogenesis, downregulation of caspases, and oxido-inflammation

Polystyrene microplastics (ps-mps) pose a significant scientific concern due to their chemical makeup. luteolin (lut), a phytochemical-biological substance with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, was tested against polystyrene microplastics (ps-mps)-induced reproductive toxicity in male wistar rats. the rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups and treated as follows: group i received 0.01 ml kg^-1 of dmso alone, group ii received 100 mg kg^-1 of lut dissolved in dmso, group iii received 0.01 mg kg^-1 of ps-mps, and group iv received 0.01 mg kg^-1 of ps-mps and 100 mg kg^-1 of lut. ps-mps alone dramatically increased sperm morphological defects, xanthine oxidase, and lipid peroxidation while decreasing testicular enzymes, luteinizing hormone (lh), follicle-stimulating hormone (fsh), testosterone, antioxidants, and interleukin-10 (il-10). the study demonstrates that ps-mps can alter male rat testicular function and androgenicity. however, as a result of lut co-treatment, sperm count, motility, and viability were increased whereas mda and xo, il-1β and tnf-α, and caspase-3 activities in the testis were reduced. supplementing with lut might act as a cytoprotective agent to lessen the spermatotoxicity and dysgonadogenesis brought on by ps-mps.