An essential oil composition for treating wind-heat invading lung and use thereof

Abstract

The present application provides a kind of essential oil composition for treating wind heat invading lung, it is prepared from the essential oil raw material of the following weight ratio: chamomile essential oil 2-4 parts, mint essential oil 0.2-0.8 parts.The present application also provides the preparation method and use of the essential oil composition.The present application adopts scientific compounding of multiple medicinal essential oils aiming at the defects of prior art, in-vitro bacteriostatic test proves that the composition produces significant synergistic bacteriostatic effect after compounding, can effectively make up the short board of single essential oil bacteriostasis, has strong inhibitory effect on staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus pneumoniae, klebsiella pneumoniae, haemophilus influenzae and other respiratory pathogenic bacteria;At the same time, the composition can inhibit influenza virus replication, reduce lung tissue damage caused by viral infection, block the massive release of inflammatory factors induced by influenza virus, has a therapeutic effect on influenza virus infection, the use scene is flexible, can be applied in home and medical institutions, has high safety, patients have strong willingness for continuous conditioning, is suitable for long-term application.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an essential oil composition for treating wind-heat attacking the lungs. Background Technology

[0002] Wind-heat invading the lungs is a common exogenous syndrome in clinical respiratory diseases, mostly caused by wind-heat pathogens invading the lung and wei qi. It is a core syndrome in many respiratory diseases such as acute upper respiratory tract infection, influenza, acute bronchitis, and mild community-acquired pneumonia, and is widely present in the early stages and progression of these diseases. The main characteristics of this syndrome include fever, aversion to wind, cough, expectoration of sputum (yellow or sticky sputum), nasal congestion with yellow discharge, sore throat, dry mouth, red tongue tip, thin yellow tongue coating, and floating and rapid pulse. From an epidemiological perspective, the diseases causing wind-heat invading the lungs exhibit significant seasonality and widespread susceptibility. The incidence rate increases significantly, especially during the transition from winter to spring, sudden warming of the weather, or the dryness of autumn. Bacteria (such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and viruses (such as influenza virus, rhinovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus) are often the underlying pathogens, spreading through droplets, air, and contact, and are highly likely to cause outbreaks in densely populated places such as schools and communities. The patient's condition is prone to recurrence and is difficult to cure. It not only causes physical discomfort and affects daily work and study, but the continuous invasion of pathogenic microorganisms can also induce complications such as bronchitis and lung infection, seriously damaging the function of the human respiratory system and bringing a continuous burden to public health and the socio-economic system.

[0003] Currently, modern medicine has significant shortcomings in its clinical treatment of respiratory infections corresponding to wind-heat invading the lungs syndrome. For bacterial infections, various antibiotics are commonly used clinically, but long-term overuse can lead to drug resistance in strains such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, and fails to improve the wind-heat syndrome and the imbalance of lung and defensive qi. For influenza virus infections, existing antiviral drugs have a narrow therapeutic window and limited specificity, making it difficult to effectively block viral replication and the pathogenesis process. Meanwhile, symptomatic drugs such as antipyretics, analgesics, antitussives, and expectorants can only temporarily relieve surface and respiratory symptoms, failing to shorten the course of the disease, regulate the body's immune status, or fundamentally address the series of clinical problems caused by wind-heat invading the lungs syndrome. This easily leads to recurring symptoms and prolonged illness, and the overall treatment plan lacks an integrated intervention approach that combines pathogen inhibition with syndrome regulation.

[0004] Traditional Chinese medicine theory holds that the core pathogenesis of wind-heat invading the lungs is the invasion of external wind-heat pathogens into the lungs and wei qi (defensive qi) through the mouth, nose, or skin. The lungs govern qi and respiration, are externally connected to the skin and hair, and open to the nose. When wind-heat pathogens first attack the lungs and wei qi, it leads to stagnation of wei qi and impaired lung qi circulation. The pathological evolution manifests as follows: wind-heat attacks the exterior, causing a struggle between the pathogenic factors and the body's resistance, hence fever, aversion to wind, and a floating pulse; the heat scorches body fluids, transforming them into phlegm, which obstructs the lungs, impairing their function, hence cough, yellow phlegm, and sore throat; heat damages body fluids, hence dry mouth. Treatment should be based on the principle of "dispelling wind and clearing heat, promoting lung function and stopping cough."

[0005] As an important medium for aromatherapy in traditional Chinese medicine, aromatic essential oils are highly volatile and can be rapidly absorbed through the respiratory mucosa, relieving respiratory symptoms and avoiding the drawbacks of oral administration. They play an important role in improving patients' quality of life and reducing the social burden.

[0006] Application No.: 202410409712.2, Invention Title: A Magnolia Compound Essential Oil and Its Preparation Method and Application, discloses a magnolia compound essential oil, which contains, by weight, 30%-40% magnolia essential oil, 15%-20% peppermint oil, 5%-10% forsythia oil, 8%-10% angelica oil, 5%-8% saposhnikovia oil, 5%-8% eucalyptus oil, 5%-8% chuanxiong oil, 5%-10% lavender oil, and 5%-10% patchouli, with a base carrier oil added to 100%. The magnolia essential oil is prepared by low-temperature ethanol extraction of magnolia flower buds and compounded. It can be applied to nasal products such as nasal inhalers, nasal strips, and nasal cleaning sticks, and can improve breathing difficulties caused by acute sinusitis, nasal congestion and headaches caused by colds, and also has the effects of relieving anxiety and refreshing the mind. This compound formula only addresses nasal congestion and discomfort, and cannot specifically improve symptoms of lung heat, yellow phlegm, and wind-heat cough associated with wind-heat colds. Its application is limited to a single syndrome and cannot address respiratory tract lesions related to lung heat. This compound formula is only suitable for nasal inhalers, nasal strips, and nasal cleaning sticks, and is for local use only in the nasal cavity; it cannot be used for chest or back massage.

[0007] Application No.: 201710979944.1, Invention Title: Blue Chamomile Massage Cream for Relieving Fever in Children. This application discloses a blue chamomile massage cream suitable for infants and children, made by weight percentage from 1.5-1.9 parts of turmeric oil, 0.1-0.4 parts of peppermint oil, 0.3-0.7 parts of German chamomile oil, 1-3 parts of shea butter, 1-3 parts of coconut oil, 60-72 parts of sunflower oil, 14-20 parts of beeswax, and 8-12 parts of jojoba oil. It is claimed to soothe fever and gastrointestinal discomfort in children through skin massage, while simultaneously nourishing and repairing the skin. However, this product contains very little essential oil; the majority of its components are oils and beeswax matrix. It relies solely on peppermint and chamomile to provide a slight cooling and soothing sensation, offering only temporary surface cooling. It cannot address the root cause of upper body heat or resolve lung heat and phlegm, and has no significant effect on improving wind-heat cough, sore throat, or yellow phlegm. This invention is in ointment form and is only suitable for pediatric skin massage. It cannot be diluted for aromatherapy or nasal inhalation.

[0008] Application No.: 201810913271.4, Invention Title: Compound Essential Oil Composition, Preparation and Preparation Method Thereof for Colds and Fever, Disclosing a compound essential oil composition for improving colds and fever, which is composed of 3-25 parts of Bupleurum essential oil, 2-15 parts of Saposhnikovia essential oil, 1-10 parts of Notopterygium essential oil, 2-15 parts of Peppermint essential oil, 1-10 parts of Schizonepeta essential oil, 2-15 parts of Lavender essential oil and 1-10 parts of Chamomile essential oil by weight. It can be processed into various external dosage forms such as oil, patch, and gel, and has antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, relieving fever and body aches caused by colds. This formula mainly uses warm-natured essential oils such as Bupleurum, Notopterygium, and Saposhnikovia, which only focus on reducing fever and relieving pain throughout the body. It can only relieve fever and headache on the surface of the body and cannot specifically address the core problems of wind-heat cold, such as lung heat cough, phlegm, and sore throat. Furthermore, it can only be made into oils and fever-reducing patches, without a graded and lightweight formula, and cannot be used to differentiate between mild and severe wind-heat colds. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This invention provides an essential oil composition for treating wind-heat attacking the lungs and its uses.

[0010] This invention provides an essential oil composition for treating wind-heat attacking the lungs, which is prepared from the following essential oil raw materials in the indicated weight ratios:

[0011] 2-4 parts chamomile essential oil, 0.2-0.8 parts peppermint essential oil.

[0012] Preferably, it is prepared from essential oil raw materials in the following weight ratio:

[0013] 3 parts chamomile essential oil and 0.5 parts peppermint essential oil.

[0014] The raw materials also contain sweet almond oil and houttuynia cordata oil, and the weight ratio of the raw materials is as follows:

[0015] Chamomile essential oil 2-4 parts, peppermint essential oil 0.2-0.8 parts, sweet almond essential oil 1-3 parts, houttuynia cordata essential oil 0.5-1.5 parts.

[0016] Preferably, it is prepared from essential oil raw materials in the following weight ratio:

[0017] 3 parts chamomile essential oil, 0.5 parts peppermint essential oil, 2 parts sweet almond essential oil, and 1 part houttuynia cordata essential oil.

[0018] The raw materials also contain platycodon root essential oil and forsythia essential oil, and the weight ratio of the raw materials is as follows:

[0019] Chamomile essential oil 2-4 parts, peppermint essential oil 0.2-0.8 parts, sweet almond essential oil 1-3 parts, houttuynia cordata essential oil 0.5-1.5 parts, platycodon essential oil 0.5-1.5 parts, forsythia essential oil 0.5-1.5 parts.

[0020] Preferably, it is prepared from essential oil raw materials in the following weight ratio:

[0021] 3 parts chamomile essential oil, 0.5 parts peppermint essential oil, 2 parts sweet almond essential oil, 1 part houttuynia cordata essential oil, 1 part platycodon essential oil, and 1 part forsythia essential oil.

[0022] To harmonize the overall scent and enhance the user experience, you can add essential oils with elegant and mellow aromas such as orange blossom, jasmine, and sandalwood, as appropriate.

[0023] This invention provides the use of the aforementioned essential oil composition in the preparation of a medicament for treating wind-heat attacking the lungs.

[0024] The aforementioned medication is for treating wind-heat colds or wind-heat coughs.

[0025] The drug formulations mentioned above are inhaled formulations and topical formulations.

[0026] The inhaled preparations include aerosols, nebulized inhalers, inhaled liquid preparations, nasal sprays, aromatherapy products, and capsules; the topical preparations include aqueous solutions, emulsions, creams, ointments, gels, patches, liniments, tinctures, and topical skin sprays.

[0027] The raw material essential oil of this invention is extracted using methods such as steam distillation, molecular distillation, supercritical CO2 extraction, soaking, and pressing, or it can be purchased as a commercially available product.

[0028] The core pathogenesis of wind-heat invading the lungs is that wind-heat pathogens invade the lung meridian, leading to abnormal lung qi circulation and impaired lung function, hence cough is the primary symptom. Because the pathogenic factor is mild and superficial, and the defensive qi is not obstructed, there is only mild fever, slight thirst, and a floating and rapid pulse, all indicative of wind-heat attacking the exterior. The core treatment principle is "dispelling wind and clearing heat, promoting lung function and relieving cough." In this invention's essential oil composition, chamomile, with its sweet and neutral properties, clear and fragrant aroma, and light texture, specifically enters the upper jiao (lung meridian), excelling at dispelling wind-heat in the lung meridian, and also calming the mind and relieving urgency. It can alleviate frequent coughs and throat discomfort caused by heat stagnation in the lung meridian. Targeting the pathogenesis of wind-heat invading the lungs, it is a core drug for dispelling wind-heat in the lung meridian. Peppermint, pungent and cool, is good at dispelling wind-heat, promoting lung function, and clearing the throat. Its penetrating power is strong, directly penetrating the lung meridian to clear heat and stagnation, enhancing the wind-dispelling effect of chamomile, and clearing heat and stagnation in the throat, improving itchy throat caused by wind-heat. The combination of these two herbs, one sweet and moistening to clear heat and the other pungent and cooling to penetrate, works synergistically to clear lung dryness and disperse wind-heat, thus serving as the principal herbs. Sweet almond is sweet and neutral in nature, excelling at moistening the lungs, relieving cough, and calming asthma. Its moistening and clearing properties nourish lung dryness and moisten the airways, resolving the thin, sticky phlegm caused by heat damaging lung fluids, directly relieving the main symptom of cough. It also moderates the pungent and dispersing nature of peppermint, preventing it from depleting lung yin; it also moistens the intestines and promotes bowel movements, indirectly harmonizing lung function through the relationship between the lungs and large intestine. Houttuynia cordata specifically enters the lung meridian, is slightly cold and pungent, and excels at clearing lung heat, detoxifying, reducing swelling, and eliminating phlegm and pus. For wind-heat syndrome that may be accompanied by phlegm-heat, this formula can clear phlegm-heat, detoxify and reduce swelling, prevent lung heat from accumulating and forming pus, and promote urination to draw heat downwards, reducing the retention of heat toxins internally. The two herbs combined, one moistening and one clearing, one tonifying and one purging, moisten the lungs without promoting phlegm, clear heat without damaging body fluids, assisting the principal herb in enhancing its cough-relieving effect, thus serving as assistant herbs. Platycodon grandiflorus, pungent and bitter, can promote lung function, soothe the throat, eliminate phlegm and drain pus, and also guide the herbs upwards. Its ability to open and lift lung qi enhances the principal herb's lung-opening and cough-relieving effects, earning it the reputation of being the "boat and oars of all herbs," guiding the principal and assistant herbs directly to the lung meridian, improving the overall targeting of the formula; simultaneously, it soothes the throat and eliminates phlegm, improving cough accompanied by small amounts of sticky phlegm and throat discomfort. As an adjuvant herb, Platycodon grandiflorus not only promotes lung function and helps stop coughing, but also plays a guiding role in harmonizing the qi of all herbs. Forsythia, being light and ascending, clears heat and detoxifies, disperses wind-heat, reduces swelling and dissipates nodules. It effectively clears heat toxins from the upper lung meridian and can also dissipate residual pathogens, preventing them from lingering and causing recurrence of the condition. For symptoms of heat such as "slight thirst," it clears heat without causing dryness, assisting the principal herb in enhancing its clearing and detoxifying power. Combined with Platycodon grandiflorus, one promotes the flow of qi and the other disperses residual pathogens simultaneously. When synergistically combined with Houttuynia cordata, it clears heat toxins from the lung meridian, serving as a key adjuvant in the clearing and dispersing action. The entire formula is light, clear, and mild in nature, combining pungent-cool and sweet-moistening properties, and employing both dispersing and purging methods. It avoids the drawbacks of harsh, bitter-cold purgatives that could damage the spleen, as well as the risks of dryness, pungent dispersing, and depletion of fluids, perfectly aligning with the essential principles of treating wind-heat invading the lungs from the upper burner.Existing compound essential oil technologies generally suffer from limited indications, poor targeting, single dosage form, and weak pharmacological effects. They may only improve nasal congestion and discomfort, but cannot clear lung heat or relieve wind-heat cough and sore throat. Or they may have low effective content of essential oils, providing only temporary surface relief without substantial anti-inflammatory, antiviral, or lung-protective effects. Or they may have insufficient drug compatibility, only reducing fever and relieving pain, but cannot cure the core respiratory symptoms of wind-heat cold. Furthermore, none of them have the ability to administer the medication via multiple routes or provide differentiated intervention based on the severity of symptoms.

[0029] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0030] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by scientifically compounding multiple medicinal essential oils. In vitro antibacterial tests have confirmed that the combined composition produces a significant synergistic antibacterial effect, effectively compensating for the shortcomings of single essential oils in antibacterial activity. It exhibits strong inhibitory effects against various respiratory pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae. Simultaneously, this composition can inhibit influenza virus replication, reduce lung tissue damage caused by viral infection, and block the massive release of inflammatory factors induced by influenza virus, demonstrating therapeutic effects in influenza virus-infected mouse models. For patients with wind-heat colds and wind-heat coughs, this invention utilizes the rapid absorption of small molecules of volatile essential oils through the respiratory mucosa and skin barrier to exert pharmacological effects of dispelling wind and clearing heat, and relieving coughs. Furthermore, it leverages nebulized inhalation and topical massage to enhance drug penetration efficiency and target respiratory lesions, resulting in rapid onset of action and more sustained and stable symptom relief in the later stages of the illness. This essential oil composition is not limited by a single dosage form or intervention method, and can be prepared into two main categories: inhaled preparations and topical preparations. Inhaled preparations include aerosols, nebulized inhalers, inhaled liquid preparations, nasal sprays, aromatherapy products, and capsules. Topical preparations include liquids, emulsions, creams, ointments, gels, patches, liniments, tinctures, and topical skin sprays. The indications simultaneously cover wind-heat colds and wind-heat coughs, overcoming the limitations of existing topical essential oil preparations with their single dosage form and narrow range of applicable symptoms. The application of this essential oil composition does not require large-scale professional medical equipment; nebulization, skin massage, aromatherapy inhalation, and nasal spraying can all be performed independently. It can quickly improve typical symptoms of wind-heat invading the lungs, such as fever, sore throat, cough, and nasal congestion and runny nose. It avoids the gastrointestinal irritation, first-pass effect, and metabolic burden on the liver and kidneys caused by oral antipyretics and antitussives, while also solving the defects of traditional topical patches, such as being stuffy, sticky, and prone to inducing skin allergies. Users can adjust the dosage, nebulization time, and massage application area according to the severity of their symptoms, airway and skin tolerance, to achieve individualized symptom intervention and greatly improve clinical suitability and treatment compliance. The essential oil composition of this invention has flexible application scenarios and can be used at home or in medical institutions. It is not limited by location conditions, has high safety, and patients have a strong willingness to continue treatment, making it suitable for long-term use. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Example 1: Preparation of the essential oil composition of the present invention

[0032] Component 1: 4g chamomile essential oil, 0.2g peppermint essential oil

[0033] Component 2: 3g chamomile essential oil, 0.5g peppermint essential oil

[0034] Component 3: 2g chamomile essential oil, 0.8g peppermint essential oil

[0035] Component 4: Chamomile essential oil 4g, Peppermint essential oil 0.2g, Sweet almond essential oil 1g, Houttuynia cordata essential oil 1.5g

[0036] Component 5: Chamomile essential oil 3g, Peppermint essential oil 0.5g, Sweet almond essential oil 2g, Houttuynia cordata essential oil 1g

[0037] Component 6: Chamomile essential oil 2g, Peppermint essential oil 0.8g, Sweet almond essential oil 3g, Houttuynia cordata essential oil 0.5g

[0038] Component 7: Chamomile essential oil 4g, Peppermint essential oil 0.2g, Sweet almond essential oil 1g, Houttuynia cordata essential oil 1.5g, Platycodon grandiflorus essential oil 0.5g, Forsythia suspensa essential oil 1.5g

[0039] Component 8: Chamomile essential oil 3g, Peppermint essential oil 0.5g, Sweet almond essential oil 2g, Houttuynia cordata essential oil 1g, Platycodon grandiflorus essential oil 1g, Forsythia suspensa essential oil 1g

[0040] Component 9: Chamomile essential oil 2g, Peppermint essential oil 0.8g, Sweet almond essential oil 3g, Houttuynia cordata essential oil 0.5g, Platycodon grandiflorus essential oil 1.5g, Forsythia suspensa essential oil 0.5g

[0041] When using the above-mentioned compound essential oils, they can be added to an aromatherapy diffuser for atomized inhalation, or they can be mixed with one or more of the following as base oils: peach kernel oil, jojoba oil, evening primrose oil, wheat germ oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, camellia seed oil, grape seed oil, olive oil, rosehip oil, and avocado oil to make massage oils for massage use.

[0042] When blending compound essential oils, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the dosage of each component, as well as the therapeutic effects after blending, and factors such as the aroma, properties, safety, and irritation of the essential oils. Through preliminary efficacy experiments, different blending ratios of essential oils were screened. The results showed that all compound essential oils could inhibit bacteria associated with upper respiratory tract infections, with component 8 exhibiting the strongest antibacterial activity. Compound essential oils also showed a protective effect against lung damage in mice infected with H1N1 influenza virus, inhibiting viral replication and regulating serum levels of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6; component 8 showed the best effect.

[0043] The following pharmacodynamic tests demonstrate the beneficial effects of this invention.

[0044] Test Example 1: In vitro antibacterial activity of the essential oil composition of the present invention

[0045] 1. Test substance

[0046] Compound essential oil group 1: 3g chamomile essential oil, 0.5g peppermint essential oil

[0047] Compound essential oil group 2: Chamomile essential oil 3g, peppermint essential oil 0.5g, sweet almond essential oil 2g, houttuynia cordata essential oil 1g

[0048] Compound essential oil group 3: Chamomile essential oil 3g, Peppermint essential oil 0.5g, Sweet almond essential oil 2g, Houttuynia cordata essential oil 1g, Platycodon grandiflorus essential oil 1g, Forsythia suspensa essential oil 1g

[0049] 2. Culture medium preparation

[0050] MH: Following the instructions, mix MH agar powder and ddH2O in the specified ratio, and adjust the pH to 7.2-7.3. After autoclaving, allow the solution to cool to 45°C, then pour 20 mL into 90 mm diameter petri dishes. After standing for 24 hours, the petri dishes are ready for experiments.

[0051] MHF: Following the instructions, mix MH agar powder and ddH2O in the specified ratio and adjust the pH to 7.2-7.3. After autoclaving, allow the solution to cool, then add 5% sterile defibrinated horse blood and 20 mg / L β-NAD, and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into 90 mm diameter petri dishes, 20 mL per dish. After standing for 24 hours, the petri dishes are ready for experiments.

[0052] 3. Preparation of essential oil emulsions

[0053] Measure 1 mL of Tween 80 and add it to 99 mL of physiological saline to obtain a 1% Tween 80 solution; take 1 g of essential oil and add 1% Tween 80 solution to make up to 100 mL to obtain an essential oil emulsion with a concentration of 10 mg / mL.

[0054] 4. Determination of inhibition zone size

[0055] Take an appropriate amount of Staphylococcus aureus and streak it onto MH agar plates using a sterile inoculation loop. Then, incubate the inoculated agar plates at 37°C for 24 hours to activate the strains for later use. Take appropriate amounts of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae and inoculate them onto MHF agar plates using a sterile inoculation loop. Incubate the Klebsiella pneumoniae-inoculated plates at 37°C for 24 hours, and incubate the Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae-inoculated plates at 37°C with 5% CO2 for 24 hours to activate the strains for later use. Dilute each of the four bacteria separately with sterile physiological saline to prepare bacterial suspensions, shake well, and adjust the bacterial count to approximately 10⁻⁶. 6CFU / mL. The size of the inhibition zone was determined using the filter paper disc method. Using a sterile pipette, 150 μl of bacterial suspension from different test species was added to MH or MHF medium, spread evenly, and then three 6 mm sterile circular filter paper discs were placed at equal intervals on each plate. 10 μl of 10 mg / mL levofloxacin (positive control), 10 mg / mL essential oil emulsion, and 1% Tween 80 solution (blank group) were added to each disc, respectively. Each species was measured in triplicate. After incubation at 37℃ upside down for 24 h, the diameter of the inhibition zone was measured using a cross-hatching method to compare the antibacterial effects.

[0056] 5. Data Processing

[0057] Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 software, and t-tests or rank-sum tests were used; P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

[0058] 6. Results and Conclusions

[0059] This experiment investigated the antibacterial activities of chamomile essential oil, peppermint essential oil, houttuynia cordata essential oil, forsythia essential oil, and three compound essential oils against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae. The results showed that 1% Tween 80 solution had no antibacterial activity, while levofloxacin, as a positive control, showed significant antibacterial effect, verifying the reliability of the experimental system.

[0060] Compared with the control group, the diameter of the inhibition zone of chamomile oil, peppermint oil, houttuynia cordata oil, forsythia oil and the three compound essential oils was larger than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05 or P<0.01), indicating that each group of essential oils has a certain inhibitory effect on respiratory pathogens; the larger the value of the inhibition zone diameter, the stronger the antibacterial activity. Compared with the levofloxacin positive control group, the diameter of the inhibition zone of Houttuynia cordata essential oil against Staphylococcus aureus was not statistically different from that of the levofloxacin group (P>0.05). The antibacterial activity of the other single essential oils against the four tested strains was significantly weaker than that of levofloxacin (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The comparison of the diameter of the inhibition zone showed that the antibacterial activity of compound essential oil group 1 and compound essential oil group 2 gradually increased with the optimization of the formulation. The overall antibacterial activity of compound essential oil group 3 > compound essential oil group 2 > compound essential oil group 1. Among them, the antibacterial effect of compound essential oil group 3 against Staphylococcus aureus was significantly better than that of levofloxacin (P<0.01), and the antibacterial effect against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Klebsiella pneumoniae was better than that of levofloxacin, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The antibacterial effect against Haemophilus influenzae was weaker than that of levofloxacin, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). The above results confirm that the scientific blending of multiple essential oils can produce a significant synergistic antibacterial effect and effectively enhance the overall antibacterial ability.

[0061] The results of strain sensitivity analysis showed that, compared with Gram-negative bacteria, the tested single essential oils and compound essential oils had better inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae, two types of Gram-positive respiratory pathogens. Among the four tested strains, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae showed weaker sensitivity to single essential oils, but the scientifically formulated compound essential oils significantly enhanced the antibacterial activity against these two types of Gram-negative bacteria, with inhibition zone diameters significantly larger than the control group (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the rational formulation of essential oils can effectively compensate for the shortcomings of single essential oils, broaden the antibacterial spectrum, and enhance antibacterial ability.

[0062] Table 1. Diameter of inhibition zone ( ±s, mm)

[0063]

[0064] Note: Compared with the blank group, * P < 0.05 ** P < 0.01; compared with the levofloxacin group, # P < 0.05 ## P < 0.01.

[0065] Experimental Example 2: The therapeutic effect of the essential oil composition of the present invention on influenza mice.

[0066] 1. Experimental Grouping

[0067] Ninety healthy Kunming mice, half male and half female, were randomly divided into nine groups: normal control group, model control group, and oseltamivir phosphate (25 mg / kg). −1 The study included four groups: positive drug group, peppermint oil group, houttuynia cordata oil group, forsythia oil group, compound essential oil group 1, compound essential oil group 2, and compound essential oil group 3, with 10 animals in each group.

[0068] 2. Modeling and drug administration

[0069] Mice were anesthetized with ether. Except for the normal control group, mice in other groups were administered 2 LD. 50 Influenza A virus strain H1N1 / PR8 was administered via nasal drops to mice, 50 µL per mouse. The normal control group received an equal volume of physiological saline via nasal drops. Two hours after H1N1 infection, mice were treated. Mice in the normal control, model control, and essential oil groups were subjected to 15 min of nebulized aromatherapy twice daily, with a 6-hour interval between treatments. The aromatherapy solution for the normal and model control groups consisted of 25 mL of physiological saline, while the essential oil group received 25 mL of physiological saline with the test essential oil added. The dosage was 0.65 g / (kg·d) based on the weight of the essential oil. The animal aromatherapy chamber had a volume of approximately 50 L (52 cm × 38 cm × 25 cm). The positive control group received oseltamivir phosphate at 25 mg / kg. −1 Administer by gavage. Administer continuously for 7 days.

[0070] 3. Specimen collection and testing

[0071] 3.1 Lung Index

[0072] 24 hours after the last administration, the body weight of mice in each group was measured, the mice were sacrificed and the lung tissue was dissected, the lung tissue was washed with physiological saline and dried, the lung tissue mass was weighed, and the lung index was calculated.

[0073] Lung Index = Lung tissue mass (g) / Body mass (g) × 100%

[0074] 3.2 Determination of H1N1 viral load in lung tissue

[0075] The viral load of influenza virus in lung tissue was detected using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Lung tissue samples were homogenized, centrifuged, and viral RNA was extracted from the supernatant using the TIANampVirus DNA / RNA Kit. The viral RNA was then analyzed using BeyoFast... TM The SYBR Green One Step RT-PCR Kit was used to reverse transcribe and amplify the obtained samples. The reaction conditions were: reverse transcription at 50℃ for 20 min, pre-denaturation at 95℃ for 2 min, denaturation at 95℃ for 15 s, annealing / extension at 60℃ for 15-30 s, with the denaturation and annealing / extension processes repeated 40 times. GAPDH was used as an internal control, and 2... -ΔΔCt The analysis and calculation were performed using the following methods. For H1N1 primers: upstream: 5'-GTATGGACCTGCCGTAGC-3', downstream: 5'-GCTTCCACCAGGGTTCTC-3'; for GAPDH primers: upstream: 5'-GGATGCTGCCCTTACCC-3', downstream: 5'-GTTCACACCGACCTTCACC-3'.

[0076] 3.3 Serum cytokine levels

[0077] Peripheral blood was collected and stored in EP tubes at 4°C overnight. After centrifugation at 3000 r / min for 20 min at 4°C, the supernatant was collected, and the levels of cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were detected by ELISA.

[0078] 4. Data Processing

[0079] Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 software, and t-tests or rank-sum tests were used; P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

[0080] 5. Experimental Results and Conclusions

[0081] 5.1 Lung Index

[0082] The experimental results are shown in Table 2. Compared with the normal control group, the lung index of mice in the model group was significantly increased (P<0.01), indicating successful modeling. Compared with the model group, although the lung index of mice in the peppermint oil group was decreased, the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The lung index of mice in the oseltamivir phosphate group, houttuynia cordata oil, forsythia suspensa oil, and the three compound essential oil groups was significantly decreased (P<0.01), indicating that oseltamivir phosphate, peppermint oil, houttuynia cordata oil, forsythia suspensa oil, and the three compound essential oils all had an ameliorative effect on lung injury in mice. The efficacy of compound essential oils was better than that of single essential oils. Among them, the lung index of the three compound essential oil groups was the lowest, which was significantly better than that of the positive drug oseltamivir phosphate group (P<0.01), indicating that the combination of essential oils can produce a synergistic effect, exert pharmacological activity in a synergistic way, and further enhance the ameliorative effect on lung injury in mice.

[0083] Table 2 Comparison of lung indices among different groups of mice ( ±s, %)

[0084]

[0085] Note: Compared with the normal control group * P < 0.05 ** P < 0.01; compared with the model control group, # P < 0.05 ## P < 0.01; compared with the oseltamivir phosphate group, ▲ P < 0.05 ▲▲ P < 0.01.

[0086] 5.2 H1N1 viral load in lung tissue

[0087] The experimental results are shown in Table 3. The relative viral load of H1N1 in the lung tissue of the model control group was significantly higher than that of the normal control group (P<0.01). Compared with the model control group, the relative viral load of H1N1 in the oseltamivir phosphate group and each essential oil observation group was significantly lower (P<0.01), indicating that all treatments effectively inhibited viral replication. Among them, the oseltamivir phosphate group showed the strongest antiviral effect. In the essential oil groups, the viral load in compound essential oil group 3 was the lowest, with no statistically significant difference compared to the oseltamivir group (P>0.05). These results indicate that both single and compound essential oils have certain anti-H1N1 virus activity, and the anti-influenza virus effect is significantly enhanced after the essential oils are combined.

[0088] Table 3. Comparison of relative viral load of H1N1 in lung tissue of mice in each group ( ±s)

[0089]

[0090] Note: Compared with the normal control group. *P < 0.05 ** P < 0.01; compared with the model control group, # P < 0.05 ## P < 0.01; compared with the oseltamivir phosphate group, ▲ P < 0.05 ▲▲ P < 0.01.

[0091] 5.3 Serum cytokine levels

[0092] The experimental results are shown in Table 4. Compared with the normal control group, the serum expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in mice infected with influenza virus were significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the serum expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in mice in the oseltamivir phosphate group and the essential oil group were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), indicating that each intervention method can effectively inhibit the excessive release of inflammatory factors induced by influenza virus infection. Compared with the oseltamivir phosphate group, the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in compound essential oil group 2 and compound essential oil group 3 were lower than those in the oseltamivir phosphate group, with the latter showing a significant decrease (P<0.01), indicating that the combination of essential oils can exert an anti-inflammatory effect by reducing serum inflammatory factor levels and has a good therapeutic effect on mice infected with influenza virus.

[0093] Table 4 Comparison of serum cytokine levels in mice of different groups ( ±s, pg / ml)

[0094]

[0095] Note: Compared with the normal control group * P < 0.05 ** P < 0.01; compared with the model control group, # P < 0.05 ## P < 0.01; compared with the oseltamivir phosphate group, ▲ P < 0.05 ▲▲ P < 0.01.

[0096] Test Example 3: Clinical trial of the treatment or improvement of patients with wind-heat type common cold using the essential oil composition of the present invention.

[0097] 1. General Information

[0098] Ninety patients with wind-heat type common cold who visited a hospital in Yibin City from May 2024 to May 2025 were randomly divided into three groups. The control group consisted of 16 males and 14 females, aged 20–73 years (mean 55.57 ± 8.37 years), with a disease duration of 1–3 days (mean 1.73 ± 0.78 days). The observation group 1 consisted of 15 males and 15 females, aged 19–72 years (mean 54.87 ± 8.50 years), with a disease duration of 1–3 days (mean 1.77 ± 0.82 days). The observation group 2 consisted of 14 males and 16 females, aged 20–70 years (mean 55.60 ± 8.90 years), with a disease duration of 1–3 days (mean 1.70 ± 0.75 days). There were no statistically significant differences in general characteristics among the three groups (P > 0.05), indicating comparability.

[0099] 2. Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnostic Criteria

[0100] Based on the "Guiding Principles for Clinical Research of New Traditional Chinese Medicines (Trial Implementation)," it was diagnosed as wind-heat common cold.

[0101] Main symptoms: fever; sore throat;

[0102] Secondary symptoms: headache; cough; poor sweating; thirst; nasal congestion; yellow and thick nasal discharge; aversion to wind;

[0103] Tongue and pulse characteristics: The tongue coating is thin and white, slightly yellow, with red edges and tip; the pulse is floating and rapid.

[0104] If any one of the main symptoms is present, and two of the secondary symptoms are also required, a diagnosis of wind-heat common cold can be made by referring to the tongue and pulse.

[0105] 3. Case inclusion criteria

[0106] (1) Meets the TCM syndrome differentiation criteria for wind-heat common cold;

[0107] (2) Age 18-80 years old;

[0108] (3) Newly diagnosed patients with a disease course of ≤3 days;

[0109] (4) Agree to participate in this study and sign the informed consent form.

[0110] 4. Case exclusion criteria

[0111] (1) Does not meet the inclusion criteria;

[0112] (2) Patients with influenza or lung infection;

[0113] (3) The patient had already taken cold-related medications before seeking medical attention;

[0114] (4) Blood routine examination: white blood cell count > 12.0 × 10⁻⁶ 9 / L, neutrophil percentage >80%;

[0115] (5) Comorbid primary diseases of the heart, brain and hematopoietic system, severe liver and kidney dysfunction, malignant

[0116] Sexual tumors, etc.;

[0117] (6) Pregnant or breastfeeding women;

[0118] (7) Allergic constitution or allergy to the drugs used in this study;

[0119] (8) People with mental disorders.

[0120] 5. Treatment Plan

[0121] Control group: Yinqiao Jiedu Granules (Guangdong Hengcheng Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., National Drug Approval Number: Z44021539, specification 15 g / bag, 10 bags / box), 15 g each time, 3 times a day.

[0122] Observation group 1: In addition to the control group, compound essential oil group 3 was used. 2-3 drops of compound essential oil group 3 were added to 100mL of water and atomized for aromatherapy for 20 minutes, twice a day.

[0123] Observation Group 2: In addition to the treatment given to the control group, Group 3 received compound essential oil. Usage: Patients were given an appropriate amount of massage oil, applied to the bladder meridian on the chest and back, and gently massaged until absorbed. Alternatively, an appropriate amount of compound essential oil was dripped onto clean fingers and applied to acupoints such as Dazhui, Fengmen, and Fengchi with appropriate pressure, 30 times per acupoint. Gua sha (scraping therapy) could be added. Treatment was administered twice daily.

[0124] All three groups received continuous treatment for 7 days.

[0125] 6. Observation Indicators

[0126] (1) The time when the symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and runny nose disappeared in the three groups of patients was statistically analyzed.

[0127] (2) The TCM syndrome scores before and after the three groups of treatment were divided into four categories according to the "Guiding Principles for Clinical Research of New Chinese Medicines (Trial)". The main symptoms were scored as 0, 2, 4 and 6 points, and the secondary symptoms were scored as 0, 1, 2 and 3 points.

[0128] 7. Efficacy Criteria

[0129] The evaluation criteria for clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine were formulated with reference to the "Guiding Principles for Clinical Research of New Traditional Chinese Medicines (Trial)".

[0130] Cure: Body temperature returns to normal within 3 days of treatment, and related clinical symptoms, signs, and syndrome scores decrease by ≥95%;

[0131] Significant effect: Body temperature returns to normal within 3 days of treatment, and related clinical symptoms, signs, and syndrome scores decrease by ≥70% and <95%;

[0132] Effective: Within 3 days of treatment, the body temperature is lower than before, and the relevant clinical symptoms, signs, and syndrome scores are reduced by ≥30% and <70%;

[0133] Ineffective: The body temperature does not decrease or even increases within 3 days of treatment, and the relevant clinical symptoms, signs, and syndrome scores decrease by <30%.

[0134] The efficacy of TCM syndrome differentiation was assessed using the nimodipine method. The calculation method was: (Symptom score before treatment - Symptom score after treatment) / (Symptom score before treatment) × 100%.

[0135] Overall effectiveness rate = (cured + significantly effective + effective) / n × 100%

[0136] 8. Safety Evaluation

[0137] The occurrence of adverse reactions during the treatment period was statistically analyzed in the three groups.

[0138] 9. Data Processing

[0139] Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 software. Count data were analyzed using the X-ray discrepancy method. 2 For quantitative data, t-tests or rank-sum tests were used; P < 0.05 indicated that the difference was statistically significant.

[0140] 10. Results and Conclusions

[0141] (1) Comparison of symptom disappearance time

[0142] The comparison results of symptom disappearance time among the three groups are shown in Table 5. Compared with the control group, the duration of core symptoms of wind-heat cold, such as fever, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and runny nose, was significantly shortened in observation groups 1 and 2 when compound essential oil was used in addition to routine treatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). This indicates that the combination of routine treatment with compound essential oil atomization and essential oil massage has a significant promoting effect on the relief of these symptoms, and the overall intervention has outstanding advantages.

[0143] Table 5 Comparison of symptom disappearance time among the three groups of patients ±s, h)

[0144]

[0145] Note: Compared with the control group, * P < 0.05 ** P < 0.01

[0146] (2) Comparison of TCM syndrome scores before and after treatment in the three groups of patients

[0147] Table 6 shows the TCM symptom scores of patients before and after treatment. Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in TCM symptom scores among the three groups (P>0.05), indicating consistent baselines and comparability. Compared with pre-treatment scores, the TCM symptom scores of all three groups significantly decreased on days 3, 5, and 7 after treatment (P<0.01), demonstrating that all three treatment regimens effectively improved the TCM symptoms of patients with wind-heat common cold. Compared with the control group at the same time point, the scores of the observation groups on day 3 were significantly lower than those of the control group (P<0.05), and the scores of the observation groups on days 5 and 7 were extremely significantly lower than those of the control group (P<0.01). Furthermore, the decrease in scores in the observation groups was greater than that in the control group, indicating faster symptom relief and a more pronounced advantage in symptom control during the later stages of treatment.

[0148] The results showed that, in addition to conventional treatment, the combination of compound essential oil atomization and essential oil massage could reduce the TCM symptom score more quickly and significantly, and improve patients' clinical symptoms such as fever, sore throat and cough. Moreover, the symptom relief effect was better in the later stage of the disease.

[0149] Table 6 Comparison of TCM syndrome scores before and after treatment in the three groups of patients ( ±s, minutes)

[0150]

[0151] Note: Compared with the control group at the same time point. * P < 0.05 ** P < 0.01; compared with before treatment, # P < 0.05 ## P < 0.01.

[0152] (3) Comparison of clinical efficacy among the three groups of patients

[0153] The clinical efficacy of the patients is shown in Table 7. In terms of efficacy grade distribution, the number of cured cases in observation groups 1 and 2 was higher than that in the control group, while the number of ineffective cases was lower. The rank-sum test results showed statistically significant differences in the efficacy grade distribution among the three groups. Pairwise comparisons showed that the efficacy grades of observation groups 1 and 2 were significantly better than those in the control group (P<0.05). In terms of total effective rate, observation groups 1 (96.7%) and 2 (93.3%) were higher than those in the control group (83.3%), but X-ray... 2 The results showed no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). In conclusion, the overall efficacy of both observation groups was superior to that of the control group, especially in increasing the cure rate and reducing ineffective cases.

[0154] Table 7 Comparison of clinical efficacy among the three groups of patients

[0155]

[0156] (4) Safety evaluation

[0157] No adverse reactions were reported in any of the patients during the treatment.

Claims

1. An essential oil composition for treating wind-heat attacking the lungs, characterized in that: It is prepared from essential oil raw materials in the following weight ratio: 2-4 parts chamomile essential oil, 0.2-0.8 parts peppermint essential oil.

2. The essential oil composition for treating wind-heat attacking the lungs according to claim 1, characterized in that: It is prepared from essential oil raw materials in the following weight ratio: 3 parts chamomile essential oil and 0.5 parts peppermint essential oil.

3. The essential oil composition for treating wind-heat attacking the lungs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The raw materials also contain sweet almond oil and houttuynia cordata oil, and the weight ratio of the raw materials is as follows: Chamomile essential oil 2-4 parts, peppermint essential oil 0.2-0.8 parts, sweet almond essential oil 1-3 parts, houttuynia cordata essential oil 0.5-1.5 parts.

4. The essential oil composition for treating wind-heat attacking the lungs according to claim 3, characterized in that: It is prepared from essential oil raw materials in the following weight ratio: 3 parts chamomile essential oil, 0.5 parts peppermint essential oil, 2 parts sweet almond essential oil, and 1 part houttuynia cordata essential oil.

5. The essential oil composition for treating wind-heat attacking the lungs according to claim 3, characterized in that: The raw materials also contain platycodon root essential oil and forsythia essential oil, and the weight ratio of the raw materials is as follows: Chamomile essential oil 2-4 parts, peppermint essential oil 0.2-0.8 parts, sweet almond essential oil 1-3 parts, houttuynia cordata essential oil 0.5-1.5 parts, platycodon essential oil 0.5-1.5 parts, forsythia essential oil 0.5-1.5 parts.

6. The essential oil composition for treating wind-heat attacking the lungs according to claim 5, characterized in that: It is prepared from essential oil raw materials in the following weight ratio: 3 parts chamomile essential oil, 0.5 parts peppermint essential oil, 2 parts sweet almond essential oil, 1 part houttuynia cordata essential oil, 1 part platycodon essential oil, and 1 part forsythia essential oil.

7. Use of the essential oil composition according to any one of claims 1-6 in the preparation of a medicament for treating wind-heat attacking the lungs.

8. The use according to claim 7, characterized in that: The medication mentioned is for treating wind-heat colds or wind-heat coughs.

9. The use according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The drug formulation is an inhaled formulation or a topical formulation.

10. The use according to claim 9, characterized in that: The inhaled preparations include aerosols, nebulized inhalers, inhaled liquid preparations, nasal sprays, aromatherapy products, and capsules; the topical preparations include aqueous solutions, emulsions, creams, ointments, gels, patches, liniments, tinctures, and topical skin sprays.

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