Breathing is not a luxury, it is essential.

Each Breath is important. Breathe Easier.

Breathing, everybody does it, although some people can breathe easier than others.
As an anesthesiologist I am extremely aware of breathing and the conditions and diseases like COPD and Asthma, that limit a persons ability to breathe comfortably and effectively.

The eucalyptus oil is a GRAS oil and is rich in eucalyptol also known as 1,8 cineole. This eucalyptol has been shown to improve the management of respiratory mucus, dilate tracheal smooth muscle, help asthmatics use less potent medication like steroids and decrease anxiety.

Breathe easier and share the experience.

J Asthma. 2012 Oct;49(8):849-53.
Patients with asthma benefit from concomitant therapy with cineole: a placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.
Worth H1, Dethlefsen U.
1Hospital Fürth, University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Fürth, Germany.

Cineole is the main constituent of eucalyptus oil, and it is mainly used as a mucolytic agent in inflammatory airway diseases. With its known mucolytic, bronchodilating, and anti-inflammatory effects, cineole reduces the exacerbation rate in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Based on these pharmacodynamic effects, we arrived at the hypothesis that asthma patients would benefit from concomitant therapy with cineole.As part of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study, 247 patients with confirmed asthma were randomly selected according to the guidelines for this study. All patients were administered 200 mg of cineole, or a placebo, three times per day as a concomitant therapy over a period of 6 months. The combined primary outcome measures, which were implemented as a multiple criteria testing process, were improvement of lung function, asthma symptoms, and quality of life.Following the completion of the 6-month treatment period, it was noted that the patient group treated with cineole showed significantly more improvements to the multiple testing criteria than the patients in the placebo group (p = .0027). The statistical significance of the individual outcome measures could also be proven in accordance with the Wei-Lachin procedure (i.e., for Forced expiratory Volume 1 Second, p = .0398; for asthma symptoms, p = .0325; and for Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), p = .0475).Concomitant therapy using cineole can lead to notable improvement in lung function and health condition as well as to reduce dyspnea in asthma patients.

Respir Med. 2003 Mar;97(3):250-6.
Anti-inflammatory activity of 1.8-cineol (eucalyptol) in bronchial asthma: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
Juergens UR1, Dethlefsen U, Steinkamp G, Gillissen A, Repges R, Vetter H.

Airway hypersecretion is mediated by increased release of inflammatory mediators and can be improved by inhibition of mediator production. We have recently reported that 1.8-cineol (eucalyptol) which is known as the major monoterpene of eucalyptus oil suppressed arachidonic acid metabolism and cytokine production in human monocytes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory efficacy of 1.8-cineol by determining its prednisolone equivalent potency in patients with severe asthma. Thirty-two patients with steroid-dependent bronchial asthma were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. After determining the effective oral steroid dosage during a 2 month run-in phase, subjects were randomly allocated to receive either 200 mg 1.8-cineol t. i.d. or placebo in small gut soluble capsules for 12 weeks. Oral glucocorticosteroids were reduced by 2.5 mg increments every 3 weeks. The primary end point of this investigation was to establish the oral glucocorticosteroid-sparing capacity of 1.8-cineol in severe asthma. Reductions in daily prednisolone dosage of 36% with active treatment (range 2.5-10 mg, mean: 3.75 mg) vs. a decrease of only 7% (2.5-5 mg, mean: 0.91 mg) in the placebo group (P = 0.006) were tolerated. Twelve of 16 cineol vs. four out of 16 placebo patients achieved a reduction of oral steroids (P = 0.012). Long-term systemic therapy with 1.8-cineol has asignificant steroid-saving effect in steroid-depending asthma. This is the first evidence suggesting an anti-inflammatory activity of the monoterpene 1.8-cineol in asthma and a new rational for its use as mucolytic agent in upper and lower airway diseases.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:820126.
The effect of 1,8-cineole inhalation on preoperative anxiety: a randomized clinical trial.
Kim KY1, Seo HJ1, Min SS2, Park M3, Seol GH1.
Department of Premedicine, School of Medicine, Eulji University, Daejeon 301-746, Republic of Korea

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of inhalation of eucalyptus oil and its constituents on anxiety in patients before selective nerve root block (SNRB). This study was a randomized controlled trial carried out in 62 patients before SNRB. The patients were randomized to inhale limonene, 1,8-cineole, or eucalyptus oil, each at concentrations of 1% vol/vol in almond oil or almond oil (control). Anxiety-visual analog scale (A-VAS), state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), profile of mood states (POMS), pain-visual analog scale (P-VAS), blood pressure, and pulse rate were measured before and after inhalation prior to SNRB. Measures of anxiety, including A-VAS (P < 0.001), STAI (P = 0.005), and POMS (P < 0.001), were significantly lower in 1,8-cineole than in the control group and significantly greater in 1,8-cineole than in the eucalyptus group in A-VAS. P-VAS was significantly lower after than before inhalation of limonene, 1,8-cineole, and eucalyptus, despite having no significant difference in the four groups compared with control group. 1,8-Cineole, a major constituent of eucalyptus, was effective in decreasing anxiety before SNRB. The present findings suggest that inhalation of 1,8-cineole may be used to relieve anxiety before, during, and after various operations, in addition to SNRB.

Drug Res (Stuttg). 2014 May 15.
Anti-inflammatory Properties of the Monoterpene 1.8-cineole: Current Evidence for Co-medication in Inflammatory Airway Diseases. Juergens UR.
Department of Pneumology, Allergology, Sleep Medicine Medical Clinic II, Bonn University Hospital Bonn, Germany.

1,8-cineole is a natural monoterpene, also known as eucalyptol. It is a major compound of many plant essential oils, mainly extracted from Eucalyptus globulus oil. As an isolated compound, 1,8-cineole is known for its mucolytic and spasmolytic action on the respiratory tract, with proven clinical efficacy. 1,8-cineole has also shown therapeutic benefits in inflammatory airway diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This clinical evidence refers to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant mode of action, which has been proven in numerous pre-clinical studies. In vitro studies found strong evidence that 1,8-cineole controls inflammatory processes and mediator production of infection- or inflammation-induced mucus hypersecretion by its action as anti-inflammatory modifier rather than a simple mucolytic agent. The aim of this review is to present these preclinical studies performed with the pure monoterpene, and to summarize the current knowledge on the mode of action of 1,8-cineole. The actual understanding of the pure 1,8-cineole compared to mixtures of natural volatile oils containing 1,8-cineole as a major compound and to mixtures of natural terpenes, known as essential oils, will be discussed. Based on the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, recent clinical trials with 1,8-cineole have shown first evidence for the beneficial use of 1,8-cineole as long-term therapy in the prevention of COPD-exacerbations and to improve asthma control.

Breathe easier and share the experience.

James Geiger MD