Menthone is rich in Mentha × Piperita L.
essential oil and it has anti-inflammatory properties; research shows that it is useful, via percutaneous absorption, in treating
inflammation-related diseases. However,
anti-allergic inflammatory effects of volatile
menthone have not yet been used to treat allergic
asthma, in vivo. We hypothesized that
menthone inhalation may have anti-inflammatory and
anti-allergic effects in patients with allergic
asthma. Therefore, in our study,
menthone inhalation was used to treat
ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized and challenged asthmatic mice. Allergic
inflammation mediator changes in the lungs and airways, sera, splenocytes, and peritoneal macrophages of the mice were measured. Relative expression amounts of six receptor genes related to allergic
inflammation of the lungs and airways were quantitated using a two-step real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results showed that
menthone inhalation increased serum OVA-specific
IgG2a/
IgG1 and
IgG2a/
IgE ratios, increased Th1-type
cytokine production in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and decreased
nitric oxide,
protein, and eotaxin levels.
Menthone inhalation inhibited mast cell and eosinophil degranulation, and
chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 3 (Ccr3) gene expression amounts, but (relatively) increased Th1
cytokine secretion by splenocytes. Our results evidence that
menthone inhalation alleviates local and systemic allergic
inflammation in asthmatic mice.