Abstract Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the lungs, and it causes oxidative stress. Lavandula dentata is an aromatic herb with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. This study examined the activity of L. dentata extract on a guinea pig model of asthma. Adult males were divided into five groups: First group was control, second was asthma model induced by OVA, third was treated with L. dentata extract orally (300 mg/kg) for 21 days; the fourth was an asthma model with L. dentata extract (300 mg/kg) and fifth was treated with Tween 80 for 21 days. OVA treatment increased IgE, triglycerides, total cholesterol, glucose levels in serum, WBC count in blood and MDA in lungs. Also, OVA reduced SOD activity, GSH content in lungs, and GGT activity in serum (p<0.05). L. dentata extract treatment in asthma model reduced elevated IgE, triglycerides, total cholesterol, glucose levels in serum, and MDA in lungs (p<0.05), while it increased GSH content in lungs (p<0.05). These results suggest the possibility that L . dentata extract can exert suppressive effects on asthma, and may provide evidence that it is a useful agent for the treatment of allergic airway disease, it also limits oxidative stress induced by OVA. L. dentata extract appears to have hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic activities.

Introduction: Decreased cerebral blood supply to the brain can generate a condition of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, which is one of the pathophysiological mechanisms of neuronal degeneration and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. This study aimed to evaluate the potential neuroprotective effects of Trigonella foenum graecum seeds on chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in a rat model. Materials and Methods: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion was induced by permanent bilateral ligation of the common carotid arteries (a two-vessel occlusion, 2VO) in male Sprague–Dawley rats. The experimental groups were divided into three groups (11 rats/group): i) sham (control) group; ii) 2VO group without any treatment; and iii) 2VO group that was administered orally with the Trigonella foenum graecum extract (100 mg/kg/day) by oral gavage from 3 days before the date of 2VO surgery and continued daily until the end of the 8th postoperative week. Spatial memory performance was assessed by the Morris water maze test. Malondialdehyde and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration, superoxide dismutase and glutathione activities were measured in serum after 8 weeks from 2VO injury. Results: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats resulted in spatial memory impairments. This behavioral dysfunction was accompanied by decreasing superoxide dismutase and glutathione activities, and increasing malondialdehyde and CRP levels in serum. Oral administration of Trigonella foenum graecum extract significantly improved the memory impairment, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, and decreased the malondialdehyde and CRP levels to near normal levels. Conclusion: The potential activity offered by Trigonella foenum graecum extract showed the neuroprotective effect that may be beneficial in cerebrovascular type dementia.