title: Zingiber officinale ameliorates allergic asthma via suppression of Th2-mediated immune response.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ginger has been used commonly in the traditional system of medicine for the treatment of respiratory disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study investigates the immunosuppressive activity of ginger by using the mouse model of ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment with ethanol extract (500 mg/kg) and aqueous extract (720 mg/kg) of rhizomes, and methylprednisolone (5 mg/kg) was initiated 1 week after second sensitization of mice with ovalbumin and continued for 7 d. RT-PCR followed by gel electrophoresis and ELISA were used for the evaluation of mRNA expression levels and protein levels of Th2 type markers, respectively. Lung tissue histopathology was conducted by using H&E and PAS staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed significant reduction in goblet cell hyperplasia (0.83 ± 0.17 and 1.0 ± 0.26), infiltration of inflammatory cells in airways (0.67 ± 0.33 and 1.0 ± 0.37), and edema with vascular congestion (1.0 ± 0.26 and 1.2 ± 0.17) by both ethanol and aqueous extracts, respectively. A highly significant reduction of total and differential count of eosinophils and neutrophils in BALF, and eosinophil count in blood were also observed. Both extracts significantly inhibited Th2-mediated immune response, which is evident by a decrease in mRNA expression levels of IL-4 and IL-5. Protein levels of IL-4 and IL-5 in BALF, along with total serum IgE levels, were also significantly suppressed by both extracts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study validated the traditional use of ginger in respiratory disorders and suggests that ginger reduces allergic airway inflammation, possibly by the suppression of Th2-mediated immune response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Health Sciences , Lahore , Pakistan .
authors.forename: Asad Mahmood
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahzad
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Raza Asim
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imran
authors.forename: Arham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shabbir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D020939:Zingiber officinale; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D010047:Ovalbumin
keywords: Anti-inflammatory; ginger; immunoglobulin E; immunomodulatory; interleukin-4; interleukin-5