Can Herbal Medicine Protect Against Microplastic-Induced Lung Damage?

Polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs), small plastic fragments measuring less than 5 µm in diameter, are increasingly recognized as harmful air-borne pollutants. Studies demonstrate their ability to penetrate deep into the lungs, where they can induce oxidative stress, inflammation and airway remodeling. A recent study by Balkrishna et al. (2025) investigates these effects in a murine model and evaluates Bronchom, a plant-based herbal formulation, as a potential protective intervention.

Assessing Airway Hyper Responsiveness with flexiVent

Lung function was quantified with the flexiVent system, which enables precise measurement of airway resistance (Rrs), elastance (Ers) and compliance (Crs). After 21 days of repeated PSMP instillation, exposed mice displayed clear signs of airway hyper responsiveness (AHR). When challenged with methacholine, the mice showed increased airway resistance, reduced compliance, and higher elastance. These changes indicate airway narrowing, stiffer lung tissue, and a loss of overall flexibility.

Inflammation and Tissue Changes

Beyond functional impairments, PSMP exposure caused:

An influx of neutrophils and lymphocytes into bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF)
Increased release of pro inflammatory cytokines, including TNF α, IL 1β, IL 6, IL 5 and MIP 2α
Histopathological evidence of leukocyte infiltration and mild fibrosis in lung tissue

Bronchom as a Protective Intervention

Mice pretreated with Bronchom showed dose dependent protection:

Improved resistance, elastance and compliance values compared to untreated PSMP exposed animals
Reduced leukocyte inflitration and cytokine release
Attenuation of lung tissue fibrosis
Lower PSMP bioaccumulation in lung tissue, confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy

Phytochemical Insights

Ultra-high-performance-liquid-chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/QToF-MS) identified 80 phytochemicals in Bronchom, including flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins and phenolics. These compounds are well known for their antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties and likely contribute synergistically to the observed protective effects.

Key Takeaways

This study highlights two important insights for respiratory research:

Environmental relevance: Air-borne microplastics are not just an ecological issue but a direct threat to lung health, contributing to to airway hyper responsiveness and inflammation.
Therapeutical potential: Herbal formulations such as Bronchom may represent a novel intervention strategy that complements conventional drugs in mitigating pollutant induced lung disease.

Limitations and Future Directions

The study focuses on one microplastic type and a short exposure period, which does not fully reflect chronic, real world conditions. The mechanism underlying the reduced microplastic signals observed in Brochom-treated lungs also remains unclear. Whether this protection is due to enhanced mucociliary clearance, biodegradation or immune-mediated removal still needs to be investigated.

Future studies will test different plastics, longer exposures and eventually evaluate Bronchom in human trials to better understand its potential against microplastic-induced lung damage.

Conclusion

By combining advanced lung function assessment with flexiVent and detailed molecular analysis, Balkrishna et al. show that microplastics impair respiratory health while natural, phytochemical rich formulations counter these effects. As air-borne pollutant exposure continues to rise, this research offers valuable insight into both the risks and possible remedies for respiratory health.

Reference

Balkrishna, A., et al. (2025) Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 187, 118122. Polystyrene microplastic induced airway hyper-responsiveness and pulmonary inflammation are mitigated by Bronchom treatment in murine model of lung disease.

Empowering researchers

Welcome to SCIREQ’s knowledge center. You can find everything from software registration to document downloads to complete list of SCIREQ publications in this section. Everything you need to get the most out of your SCIREQ system.