Mentha arvensis essential oil suppressed airway changes induced by histamine and ovalbumin in experimental animals.

The present investigation aimed to evaluate the activity of the essential oil of Mentha arvensis L. on exogenously induced bronchoconstriction in experimental animals. The anti-asthmatic effect of M. arvensis essential oil (MAEO) was studied using histamine aerosol-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs and ovalbumin (OVA) sensitised albino mice. Treatment with M. arvensis oil significantly (p < 0.001) increased the time of preconvulsive dyspnoea in histamine-induced guinea pigs. Oral treatment of MAEO significantly (p < 0.001) decreased absolute eosinophil count, serum level of IgE and the number of eosinophils, neutrophils in BALF. Histopathological examination of lungs showed that essential oil rescinded bronchial asthma. The present investigation provides evidence that MAEO relaxes bronchial smooth muscles and suppressed immunological response to OVA.