Harnessing Botanical Extracts for Asthma Therapy: A Scoping Review of Molecular Mechanisms and the Strategic Utility of Experimental Models (2005–2025)

Asthma represents a chronic inflammatory condition of the respiratory tract, where long-term bronchial inflammation serves as a primary driver of progressive airway remodeling. This complex pathology emerges from the intricate synergy between host genetic susceptibility and diverse environmental triggers, ultimately impairing pulmonary function. At the cellular level, asthmatic responses are orchestrated by a dynamic crosstalk among various immune and structural populations, including airway epithelial cells, T-lymphocytes, eosinophils, and mast cells, which collectively perpetuate the inflammatory milieu. Although inhaled corticosteroids are the conventional cornerstone of therapy, their clinical application is frequently hindered by potential systemic toxicity and the emergence of steroid-resistant phenotypes. Consequently, botanical extracts derived from both aerial and underground plant organs have gained attention as versatile multi-target candidates capable of modulating the multifaceted pathophysiological networks of asthma. This scoping review critically synthesizes the pharmacological efficacy of these plant-based interventions in regulating pivotal signaling cascades, such as MAPK, NF-κB, STAT3/6, and GATA3. Based on a systematic literature search covering the period from 2005 to 2025, this study provides a focused quantitative analysis of preclinical literature from the last decade (2016–2025) to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo models employed to validate these therapeutic effects. The assessment reveals that the vast majority of current research continues to rely on crude botanical preparations, with only a limited subset of studies utilizing enriched fractions or fully characterized isolated compounds. This predominance of unrefined extracts underscores a significant gap in chemical standardization and highlights the necessity for more rigorous mechanistic validation. Ultimately, this paper outlines strategic pathways for translating preclinical findings into clinical practice, offering a robust framework for the development of standardized plant-derived interventions in asthma management.