A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF EUCALYPTOL AS AN INNOVATIVE THERAPEUTIC AGENT FOR RESPIRATORY DISEASES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijap.2025v17i3.53775Keywords:
Eucalyptol, Respiratory diseases, Systematic review, Pharmaceutical formulationAbstract
Eucalyptol (1,8-cineole), a natural monoterpenoid found in eucalyptus essential oil, has long been used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory, mucolytic, antimicrobial, and mild bronchodilatory properties. Recent pharmacological studies have further validated its therapeutic potential, making it a promising candidate for managing chronic respiratory diseases. This study systematically reviews the available evidence on eucalyptol’s effects in treating these conditions. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to ensure a clear and reproducible process for selecting articles, extracting data, and analyzing results. Literature was collected from reliable databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. The bibliometric analysis incorporated in this study further strengthens its novelty, providing a quantitative overview of research trends and highlighting key themes and emerging areas of interest. A total of 35 studies met the inclusion criteria, evaluating the pharmacological effects of eucalyptol on respiratory diseases. Eucalyptol has demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects through cytokine modulation, enhances mucus clearance, and reduces airway resistance. Several studies showed improvement in lung function and symptom relief in patients. Eucalyptol holds significant potential as an adjunctive therapy for chronic respiratory diseases due to its anti-inflammatory, mucolytic, antimicrobial, and mild bronchodilatory properties. In addition to improving lung function and patient quality of life, eucalyptol also reduces the risk of side effects associated with long-term therapy. Despite these benefits, challenges remain, including low bioavailability, volatility, and the need for optimized pharmaceutical formulations. Future research should focus on nanoemulsions, inhalable drug delivery systems, and controlled-release technologies to enhance its therapeutic efficacy. Large-scale clinical trials targeting vulnerable populations, including pediatric and geriatric patients, are essential to establish eucalyptol’s clinical utility.
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