“Mucolytic and expectorant”

“Accumulated secretions in the mucous linings can hold germs and it is necessary to break down the mucus in order to kill them.  Many oils are mucolytic thanks to their content of powerful ketones (carvone, menthone, thujone, pinocamphone, etc.) and in some cases lactones.  The expectorant effect is due to the breaking down of secretions and to cilial activity, and several oils have in the past been tested to determine the expectorant properties (Boyd & Pearson 1946, Gordonoff 1938, Schilcher 1985 p. 223).  Besides Eucalyptus globulus and other essential oils containing the oxide 1,8-cineole, Pimpinella anisum, Foeniculum vulgare var. dulce, Pinus sylvestris and P. mugo var. pumilio, Thymus vulgaris ct. phenol and T. serpyllum are also expectorants.  These oils, whether used by external application or by inhalation, reach the bronchi and are eliminated from the lungs in the exhaled air.  Russian research endorsed this property of some essential oils when inhaled (Eremenko et al 1987); all 96 patients suffering from chronic bronchitis showed a significant increase in the permeability of the respiratory tracts and clearing of the airway as well as a decrease in immunogloulin E, indicating reduced infection levels.  The study shows that the vapour of some essential oils (camphor, eucalyptus, peppermint and menthol) can improve the function of the lungs and bronchials, and so relieve mucous congestion, chest infections, colds and influenza.”

"Boyd E M, Pierson G L 1946 The expectorant action of volatile oils.  American Journal of Medical Science 211:602-610."

"Gordonoff T 1938 Ergebnisse der Physiologie, biologischen Chemie und experimentallen.  Pharmakologie 40:53."

"Schilcher H 1985 Effects and side effects of essential oils.  In: Baerheim Svendsen A, Scheffer J J C (eds) Essential oils and aromatic plants.  Martinus Nijhof/Junk, Dordrecht."

"Eremenko A E, Nikolaevskii V V, Kostin N F, Meshkov V V 1987 Letuchie fraktsii fitontsidov na osnove efirnykh masel v sostav lechebno-reabilitatsionnykh kompleksov pri khronicheskikh bronkhitakh.  Volatile franctions of essential oil based phytoncides as a component of therapeutic-rehabilitative complexes in chronic bronchitis (in Russian).  Tikhomirov AA Ter. Arkh. 59(3): 126-130."

Reference: Shirley Price and Len Price in the book entitled "Aromatherapy for Health Professionals", Harcourt Publishers Limited, London, England, 2000,the above excerpt is from pages 79 - 81 and the references are found on pages 84 - 87.