title: Efficacy of parthenolide on lung histopathology in a murine model of asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parthenolide is the active constituent of the plant 'Tanacetum parthenium' (Feverfew) which has been used for centuries as a folk remedy for inflammatory conditions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study we aimed to investigate the effects of parthenolide in a murine model of chronic asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five BALB/c mice were divided into five groups; I (control), II (placebo), III (dexamethasone), IV (parthenolide) and V (dexamethasone and parthenolide combination). Lung histology was evaluated after treatment with the study drugs. Levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 were determined by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histologic parameters except the number of mast and goblet cells improved in the parthenolide group when compared with placebo. All parameters except basal membrane thickness and number of mast cells were improved significantly better in the group receiving dexamethasone when compared with the parthenolide group. Improvement of most of the histologic parameters was similar in Groups III and V. Interleukin-4 levels were significantly reduced in the parthenolide group when compared to the placebo group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated that parthenolide administration alleviated some of the pathological changes in asthma. But parthenolide alone is not efficient as dexamethasone therapy and the parthenolide and dexamethasone combination also did not add any beneficial effect to the dexamethasone treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Allergy, Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. Electronic address: zarikanayyildiz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Arıkan-Ayyıldız
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Animal Laboratory, Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karaman
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Özbal
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bağrıyanık
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Animal Laboratory, Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Allergy, Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ö
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Karaman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Allergy, Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uzuner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020903:Tanacetum parthenium
chemical_list: D015848:Interleukin-5; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D015847:Interleukin-4; C002669:parthenolide; D003907:Dexamethasone
keywords: Asthma; Lung histology; Murine model; Parthenolide; Tanacetum Parthenium