Anti-asthma

An asthma  attack is a spasm in the airway muscles that causes wheezing and additional breathing issues.  It is often triggered by allergies, dust, stress, smoking, and pollution.  While regular exercise can help with asthma by increasing lung capacity, it can also cause asthma attacks.

Certain herbs may have potential in reducing the symptoms of asthma.  More research is necessary on the anti-asthmatic actions of herbs.  Human studies are lacking.

Recipes to Help with Asthma

Blog Articles

RESEARCH

The listings of research below represent a compilation of scientific articles found on the topic, with a very brief overview description of each article/study.  This compilation of research articles does not necessarily imply that there are adequate results to demonstrate safe and/or effective human use of any herb listed.

• Alternative therapies for asthma are reviewed.  From:  Ziment, I., & Tashkin, D. P. (2000). Alternative medicine for allergy and asthma. Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, 106(4), 603-614.
• Indian herbs and their potential in treating asthma are reviewed.  From:  Prasad, R., Lawania, R. D., & Gupta, R. (2009). Role of herbs in the management of asthma. Pharmacognosy Reviews, 3(6), 247.
• Ginger, garlic, aloes, shandileer, wild onion, pepper and black sage were the most common herbs used among patients to treat their asthma in Trinidad.  From:  Clement, Y. N., Williams, A. F., Aranda, D., Chase, R., Watson, N., Mohammed, R., … & Williamson, D. (2005). Medicinal herb use among asthmatic patients attending a specialty care facility in Trinidad. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 5(1), 3.
• Ginger constituents may help relax smooth muscles of the throat related to asthma complaints.  From:  Townsend, E. A., Siviski, M. E., Zhang, Y., Xu, C., Hoonjan, B., & Emala, C. W. (2013). Effects of ginger and its constituents on airway smooth muscle relaxation and calcium regulation. American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 48(2), 157-163.
• In a study of 44 subjects with asthma symptoms that were resistant to routine treatments, coughing and wheezing was were improved with a rosemary extract.  Some participants had side effects, including allergic contact dermatitis.  From:  Mirsadraee, M., Tavakoli, A., Ghorani, V., & Ghaffari, S. (2018). Effects of Rosmarinus officinalis and Platanus orientalis extracts on asthmatic subjects resistant to routine treatments. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine, 8(5), 399.
• In a small human study, carvacrol tablets taken over two months reduced asthma symptoms over the placebo.  From:  Alavinezhad, A., Khazdair, M. R., & Boskabady, M. H. (2018). Possible therapeutic effect of carvacrol on asthmatic patients: A randomized, double blind, placebo‐controlled, Phase II clinical trial. Phytotherapy Research, 32(1), 151-159.
• Cardamom exhibited a broncho-dilatory effect, for use in treating asthma.  From: ullah Khan, A., Khan, Q. J., & Gilani, A. H. (2011). Pharmacological basis for the medicinal use of cardamom in asthma. Bangladesh Journal of Pharmacology, 6(1), 34-37.
• In a blind study, forskolin (a diterpene in coleus) was more effective than sodium cromoglycate in preventing asthma attacks.  From:  Gonzalez-Sanchez, R., Trujillo, X., Trujillo-Hernandez, B., Vásquez, C., Huerta, M., & Elizalde, A. (2006). Forskolin versus sodium cromoglycate for prevention of asthma attacks: a single-blinded clinical trial. Journal of international medical research, 34(2), 200-207. 
• In a large review of over 4000 children showed eating citrus and kiwi reduced asthma and wheezing symptons.  From:  Forastiere, F., Pistelli, R., Sestini, P., Fortes, C., Renzoni, E., Rusconi, F., … & SIDRIA Collaborative Group. (2000). Consumption of fresh fruit rich in vitamin C and wheezing symptoms in children. Thorax, 55(4), 283-288.
• 1,8-cineole was shown to improve symptoms of bronchial asthma.  From:  Juergens, U. R., Stöber, M., Schmidt-Schilling, L., Kleuver, T., & Vetter, H. (1998). Antiinflammatory effects of euclyptol (1.8-cineole) in bronchial asthma: inhibition of arachidonic acid metabolism in human blood monocytes ex vivo. European journal of medical research, 3(9), 407-412.
• 1,8-cineol controlled airway mucus hypersecretion by cytokine inhibition, and may be a useful treatment to reduce symptoms of asthma, sinusitis and COPD.  From:  Juergens, U. R., Engelen, T., Racké, K., Stöber, M., Gillissen, A., & Vetter, H. (2004). Inhibitory activity of 1, 8-cineol (eucalyptol) on cytokine production in cultured human lymphocytes and monocytes. Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 17(5), 281-287.
• Laurotetaine extracted from the roots of Litsea cubeba had an anti-asthmatic, anti-allergy effect in vivo. From: Xing, X., & Wang, H. (2019). Anti-asthmatic effect of laurotetanine extracted from Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. root on ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma rats, and elucidation of its mechanism of action. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 18(6), 1277-1283.

Bronchodilator Research

A bronchodilator helps to dilate the bronchi to increase air flow, often useful with asthma and congestion.  The 1,8-cineole constituent as found in eucalyptus is an example, although it should be avoided with young children and may cause increased asthma symptoms in some.

• 1,8-cineole was shown to improve symptoms of bronchial asthma.  From:  Juergens, U. R., Stöber, M., Schmidt-Schilling, L., Kleuver, T., & Vetter, H. (1998). Antiinflammatory effects of euclyptol (1.8-cineole) in bronchial asthma: inhibition of arachidonic acid metabolism in human blood monocytes ex vivo. European journal of medical research, 3(9), 407-412.
• Cardamom exhibits bronchodilatory effects, for use in treating asthma.  From: ullah Khan, A., Khan, Q. J., & Gilani, A. H. (2011). Pharmacological basis for the medicinal use of cardamom in asthma. Bangladesh Journal of Pharmacology, 6(1), 34-37.
• In participants with the common cold who inhaled a mixture of aromatic vapors of eucalyptus, menthol, camphor, breathing was improved.  From: Cohen, B. M., & Dressier, W. E. (1982). Acute aromatics inhalation modifies the airways. Effects of the common cold. Respiration, 43(4), 285-293.
• 1,8-cineol controlled airway mucus hypersecretion by cytokine inhibition, and may be a useful treatment to reduce symptoms of asthma, sinusitis and COPD.  From: Juergens, U. R., Engelen, T., Racké, K., Stöber, M., Gillissen, A., & Vetter, H. (2004). Inhibitory activity of 1, 8-cineol (eucalyptol) on cytokine production in cultured human lymphocytes and monocytes. Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 17(5), 281-287.
• Inhaled 1,8-cineole reduced inflammation in airways of guinea pigs. From:  Bastos, V. P., Gomes, A. S., Lima, F. J., Brito, T. S., Soares, P. M., Pinho, J. P., … & Magalhães, P. J. (2011). Inhaled 1, 8‐Cineole Reduces Inflammatory Parameters in Airways of Ovalbumin‐Challenged Guinea Pigs. Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology, 108(1), 34-39.
• Achillea millefolium exhibited a hypotensive, cardiovascular inhibitory and bronchodilatory effects that may be effective in treating hypertension and asthma.  From: Khan, A. U., & Gilani, A. H. (2011). Blood pressure lowering, cardiovascular inhibitory and bronchodilatory actions of Achillea millefolium. Phytotherapy Research, 25(4), 577-583.
• Cardamom exhibits bronchodilatory effect, for use in treating asthma.  From: ullah Khan, A., Khan, Q. J., & Gilani, A. H. (2011). Pharmacological basis for the medicinal use of cardamom in asthma. Bangladesh Journal of Pharmacology, 6(1), 34-37.
• Two drops of marjoram oil per day was effective in improving the lung functions of adult patients with asthma.  From: Mohamed, M. S., Saad, H. H., & El Khalek, M. G. A. (2008). Daily consumption of marjoram oil improve the health status of patients with asthma. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 7(2), 312-316.
• In a blind study, forskolin was more effective than sodium cromoglycate in preventing asthma attacks.  From:  Gonzalez-Sanchez, R., Trujillo, X., Trujillo-Hernandez, B., Vásquez, C., Huerta, M., & Elizalde, A. (2006). Forskolin versus sodium cromoglycate for prevention of asthma attacks: a single-blinded clinical trial. Journal of international medical research, 34(2), 200-207.

By: Kathy Sadowski

Updated 9/16/19