Ethnopharmacological relevance: Mosla dianthera as an aromatic herb is used in folk medicine for the treatment of cough, colds, fever, bronchitis, nasal congestion and headache.
Aim of the study: To characterize chemical compositions and to evaluate the anti-influenza effects of essential oils of M. dianthera (MDEO) in influenza virus A (IVA) infected mice.
Materials and methods: MDEO was obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). ICR mice were treated with MDEO for 5 consecutive days at doses of 90-360 mg/kg after post-infected. Levels of Serum IL-4 and IFN-γ were assayed by ELISA. Levels of MOD, SOD, TAOC and GSH-Px in lung tissue were determined by colorimetric method.
Results: GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 29 components that account for 97.74% of phenolic sesquiterpenes and aromatic compounds. The major compounds were elemicin (16.51%), thymol (14.77%), β-caryophyllene (14.49%), iso-elemicin (9.22%), asarone (6.09%) and α-caryophyllene (5.26%). It had significant effects on decreasing lung viral titers, inhibiting pneumonia, reducing levels of serum IFN-γ and IL-4, and enhancing antioxidant activity in the lung tissue of IVA infected mice.
Conclusions: MPE could exhibit therapeutical effects in IVA infected mice as a suppressor of IVA replication and inflammatory mediators and a promoter of antioxidant potentials. Therefore, MDEO could provide a safe and effective therapeutic candidate for treatment of influenza and its subsequent viral pneumonia.
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