Parthenolide Inhibits Ovalbumin-Induced cyclooxygenase-2 and Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression

Abstract

In recent years, egg allergy has been raised as the most prevalent food hypersensitivity in the pediatric population. One of the major egg allergens is ovalbumin (OVA) which is the major protein in egg white, comprising 54% of its total protein content. Parthenolide isolated from Tanacetum partheniumb has been used to treat many chronic diseases for many years. In the present report, we present biochemical evidence that parthenolide inhibits the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation induced by OVA. Parthenolide also inhibits OVA-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. These data suggest new approaches for the efficient alleviation of the allergic symptoms.