title: Carvacrol and pomegranate extract in treating methotrexate-induced lung oxidative injury in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to evaluate the effects of carvacrol (CRV) and pomegranate extract (PE) on methotrexate (MTX)-induced lung injury in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 32 male rats were subdivided into 4 groups: control (group I), MTX treated (group II), MTX+CRV treated (group III), and MTX+PE treated (group IV). A single dose of 73 mg/kg CRV was administered intraperitoneally to rats in group III on Day 1 of the investigation. To group IV, a dose of 225 mg/kg of PE was administered via orogastric gavage once daily over 7 days. A single dose of 20 mg/kg of MTX was given intraperitoneally to groups II, III, and IV on Day 2. The total duration of experiment was 8 days. Malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and oxidative stress index (OSI) were measured from rat lung tissues and cardiac blood samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum and lung specimen analyses demonstrated that MDA, TOS, and OSI levels were significantly greater in group II relative to controls. Conversely, the TAC level was significantly reduced in group II when compared to the control group. Pre-administering either CRV or PE was associated with decreased MDA, TOS, and OSI levels and increased TAC levels compared to rats treated with MTX alone. Histopathological examination revealed that lung injury was less severe in group III and IV relative to group II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MTX treatment results in rat lung oxidative damage that is partially counteracted by pretreatment with either CRV or PE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hadice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Selimoğlu Şen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Velat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Şen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehtap
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gül
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Türkçü
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdulmenap
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Güzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cengizhan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sezgi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Özlem
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Abakay
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000081007:Cymenes; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D029561:Lythraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000081007:Cymenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D010936:Plant Extracts; C073316:carvacrol; D008727:Methotrexate