Effectiveness of Inhalation of a New Essential Oil Formulation on Asthma Through Network Pharmacology and In Vivo Analysis

Asthma is one of the chronic inflammatory disorders with shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, and coughing. Considering that essential oils from aromatic plants have been widely used for relieving inflammatory diseases, the protective effects and molecular mechanisms of the inhalation of the essential oil formulation derived from <i>Mentha piperita</i> L., <i>Asarum sieboldii</i> Miq., and <i>Abies holophylla</i> Maxim. named FEO-03 were investigated on asthma based on the network analysis and confirming in vivo study. The target genes from consisting compounds of each essential oil were compared with the gene set of "Asthma". Through network pharmacology analysis, the potential effects and target mechanisms of FEO-03 on asthma are closely associated with the T helper 2 (Th2)-related cytokine interactions. And FEO-03 was aerosolized by nebulizer for 5 min 3 times per week over 7 weeks in the ovalbumin and particulate matter-sensitized BALB/c mice. Nebulized FEO-03 markedly reduced hyperplasia of respiratory epithelium and goblet cell activation in the trachea and lung. The number of inflammatory cells in BALF and serum immunoglobulin levels were significantly down-regulated in the FEO-treated mice. In addition, FEO-03 regulated expressions of Th2-related cytokines with the periostin expressions. Furthermore, the fibrotic region of lung tissues was significantly decreased along with the cadherin switch markers by the FEO-03 treatment. Taken together, FEO-03, a formulation of essential oils, could ameliorate the fibrosis by inhibiting Th2-specific cytokines and periostin derived epithelial-mesenchymal transition in asthma.