AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of action of synthetic salidroside in an ovalbumin(OVA)-induced asthma model in mice. METHOD: BALB/c mice were sensitized with an intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin(OVA) to induce a mouse model of asthma in paracmasis. The mice were treated with dexamethasone as the positive control. At the end of the study, respiratory reactivity was detected, the numbers of various kinds of white blood cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) were counted, and the levels of IL-4 and INF-γ in BALF were determined. Quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA contents of IL-4 and INF-γ in lung tissue. Histologic examination was performed to observe inflammatory cellular infiltration. RESULTS: Salidroside treatment virtually eliminated airway hyper-reactivity, markedly reduced the eosinophil percent, obviously reduced the levels of IL-4 and raised INF-γ in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) compared with the sham-treated group. Quantitative PCR on the mRNA content of IL-4 and INF-γ provided confirmation. Lung histologic observations showed that salidroside reduced inflammation and edema. These effects were equivalent to the effects of dexamethasone. CONCLUSION: Synthetic salidroside exhibits an anti-asthma effect which is related to the regulation of Th1/Th2 balance. This provides a new possibility for treatment of allergic asthma. AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of action of synthetic salidroside in an ovalbumin (OVA) -induced asthma model in mice. METHODS: BALB / c mice were sensitized with an intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) to At the end of the study, respiratory reactivity was detected, the numbers of various kinds of white blood cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were Quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA contents of IL-4 and INF-γ in lung tissue. Histologic examination was performed to observe inflammatory cellular infiltration. RESULTS : Salidroside treatment virtually eliminated airway hyper-reactivity, markedly reduced the eosinophil percent, significantly reduced the levels of IL-4 and raised INF-γ in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) compared with the sham-tre ated group. Quantitative PCR on the mRNA content of IL-4 and INF-gamma provided confirmation. Lung histologic observations showed that salidroside reduced inflammation and edema. These effects were equivalent to the effects of dexamethasone. CONCLUSION: Synthetic salidroside exhibits an anti-asthma effect which is related to the regulation of Th1 / Th2 balance. This provides a new possibility for treatment of allergic asthma.