Protective effect of standardized extract of Myrtus communis L. (myrtle) on experimentally bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis: biochemical and histopathological study.

Context: Myrtle (Myrtus communis L) has been used widely in traditional medicine for different respiratory disorders. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an inflammatory disease characterized by progressive loss of lung function with poor prognosis. The pathogenesis of disease has not been completely elucidated, but probably persistent epithelial damages are involved.