title: Effectiveness of thymoquinone in the treatment of experimental asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thymoquinone (TQ), the main active constituent of the volatile oil extracted from Nigella sativa's seeds, is used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and exhibits a variety of pharmacological effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight BALB/c female mice were divided into four groups: I (sham-operated control group), II, III, and IV. All groups except for the sham-operated group were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin. The sham-operated group received nebulized saline in challenge period. Mice in groups III and IV were administered TQ at a dose of 3 mg/kg and dexamethasone 1 mg/kg, respectively, intraperitoneally once a day for the final 5 days of the challenge period. Animals were sacriﬁced 24 h after the last drug administration and the airway samples were evaluated histologically by light microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All histological parameters in Group III, similar to Group IV, were improved when compared to Group II. All variables except numbers of goblet cells were found to be significantly better in Group III and Group IV compared to Group II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, we demonstrated that TQ administration alleviates the pathological changes of chronic asthma. TQ might be a promising therapy for asthma in the.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine Mugla University, Mugla, Turkey. skalemci79@mynet.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalemci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cilaker Micili
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Acar
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Senol
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dirican
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Omeroglu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bagriyanik
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kamaci
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
chemical_list: D016227:Benzoquinones; C003466:thymoquinone