title: The effects of phthalates in the cardiovascular and reproductive systems: A review.
abstract: Every year millions of tons of plastic are produced around the world and humans are increasingly exposed to them. This constant exposure to plastics has raised some concerns against human health, particularly when it comes to phthalates. These compounds have endocrine-disrupting properties, as they have the ability to bind molecular targets in the body and interfere with hormonal function and quantity. The main use of phthalates is to give flexibility to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymers. Phthalates are found in a variety of industrial and consumer products, and as they are not covalently bound to the plastic, phthalates contaminate the environment from which human exposure occurs. Studies in human and animal populations suggest a correlation between phthalate exposure and adverse health outcomes, particularly at the reproductive and cardiovascular systems, however there is much less information about the phthalate toxicity of the later. Thus, the main purpose of this review is to present the studies relating the effects already stated of phthalates on the cardiovascular and reproductive systems, and also present the link between these two systems.
authors.affiliation: CICS-UBI, Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal. Electronic address: melissa.r.mariana@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mariana
authors.affiliation: CICS-UBI, Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal. Electronic address: joanafeiteiro@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feiteiro
authors.affiliation: CICS-UBI, Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal. Electronic address: iverde@fcsaude.ubi.pt.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Verde
authors.affiliation: CICS-UBI, Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal. Electronic address: ecairrao@fcsaude.ubi.pt.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cairrao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D010969:Plastics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D010969:Plastics; C032279:phthalic acid
keywords: Cardiotoxicity; Endocrine-disrupting compounds; Human health; Phthalates; Plastics; Reproductive toxicity