The Science of Bronchia Guard

The Science of Bronchia Guard

Bronchia Guard is a throat and lung spray that contains a scientifically formulated blend of all-natural essential oils that have been found to have anti-spasm, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.*

Bronchia Guard is a throat and lung spray that contains a scientifically formulated blend of all-natural essential oils that have been found to have anti-spasm, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.*

 *Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

A picture of a 2 oz cobalt blue spray bottle with Bronchia Guard on the label surrounded by chemical structures and pictures of eucalyptus, peppermint, cinnamon, clove, and oregano plants

 

 While Bronchia Guard itself has not been tested in clinical trials, some of its ingredients have been clinically tested and found to have benefits for respiratory health. Other ingredients have had in vitro studies that show potential benefits, and we have anecdotally seen many of these properties translate into benefits for those who use it.


References to scientific studies are numbered and included inside the brackets at the end of the sentence, like this [#]. The numbers correspond to the name and information of a scientific article listed at the end of this article.

 

 

The Ingredients of Bronchia Guard

Bronchia Guard contains a blend of essential oils with a base of glycerin and water. The full list of ingredients are: glycerin, water, and essential oils of peppermint, oregano, eucalyptus, cinnamon, and clove.

A picture of a droplet coming off of a peppermint plant leaf with the chemical structure of menthol next to it
Peppermint: The active component of peppermint essential oil is menthol, which is

used in many FDA-approved cough and sore throat medicines, including most cough drops such as Halls and Ricola.


Peppermint oil has been demonstrated scientifically to have anti-pain properties [1], anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant properties [2], and anti-spasm properties [3], which means that it prevents and stops muscle spasms which has implications for coughing. It is soothing, opens the airways, and helps improve breathing. 


In a clinical study of athletes given peppermint oil orally to breath in, researchers found that the athletes had significant improvements in peak respiratory flow rate, which means they could breathe easier! [4], [5]


Studies have shown that peppermint induces a cooling effect on the nerves which causes a reduction in feelings of pain [6].

 

A picture of a droplet coming off of a cinnamon stick going into an amber glass bottle with a diagram of cinnamaldehyde next to it

Cinnamon: Cinnamon has been demonstrated in a petri dish (in vitro) to kill respiratory viruses, such as the flu, and illness-causing bacteria. In addition, it is a proven anti-inflammatory agent.


Cinnamon and other essential oils were tested in a petri dish against the respiratory infection-causing bacteria methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The researchers found that cinnamon oil was the most effective at killing these bacteria [7]. However, more research needs to be done to know if cinnamon oil is effective in human lungs against these bacteria.


In-vitro (in-lab) studies have demonstrated cinnamon oil’s ability to kill influenza (flu) virus better than other essential oils tested [8].

Scientists at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC tested nine essential oils to find which one had the best antiviral properties. The essential oils of lavender, geranium, cinnamon, sage, eucalyptus, lemongrass, red thyme, bergamot, and cypress were tested in vitro against the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) virus. They found that cinnamon oil had the strongest antiviral effects of the nine. Cinnamon oil was able to inactivate the virus completely at a 0.0003% concentration!


An image of a drop coming off of clove bud going into an amber glass bottle with a diagram of a eugenol molecule next to it

Clove: Clove has traditionally been used in Asia for cough and sore throat. It has anti-inflammatory properties, provides a numbing effect, and is also antiviral. The active component of clove essential oil is a compound called eugenol. 


Clove has traditionally been used for toothaches to numb the pain and several studies have backed up those traditional uses [9]–[11]. Studies have found evidence that eugenol from clove oil can be used to reduce pain by acting as an anesthetic similar to lidocaine. [12], [13]


Clove also has very strong antibacterial and antiviral properties. A study done in a petri dish against bacteria that cause respiratory disease (Streptococcus pneumoniae, S. mutans, and others) found that clove and cinnamon essential oils had a significant ability to kill the bacteria in question [14]. 


Along with cinnamon, clove essential oil was found to have anti-influenza properties [15]. The researchers tested 86 different Chinese herbs and found that eugenol from clove essential oil was the most effective at inhibiting the influenza virus as well as preventing a process called autophagy, which is cell self-destruction. This prevents the virus from escaping the cell and spreading to other cells.


A picture of a droplet coming off of a eucalyptus branch leaf going into an amber glass bottle with the chemical structure of eucalyptol next to it

Eucalyptus: The active compound in eucalyptus essential oil is a compound called 1,8-cineol or eucalyptol. Studies have shown that eucalyptus essential oil can help the body clear out mucus, reduce bronchial spasms, improve lung function, and as reported on WebMD, “reduce inflammation in the airways.” Eucalyptus has clinically proven efficacy for respiratory health, including for conditions of asthma, and COPD [16]. This is why eucalyptus essential oil is the active ingredient in Vicks Vapor Rub.


You have tiny little hairs in your nose, throat, and esophagus called cilia that help to brush mucus up from your lungs and expel it out of your body. Eucalyptus oil has been scientifically demonstrated to increase the frequency of the cilia movements which would improve the expulsion of mucus from your lungs [17], [18].


Not only does eucalyptol have the ability to help the body expel excess mucus, but studies have found that it can prevent excess mucus production via its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant abilities [16]. 


In human trials, eucalyptol was found to reduce inflammation, reduce bronchial spasms, clear out mucus, and improve lung function of patients suffering from COPD and asthma [19], [20]. The use of eucalyptus essential oil can potentially improve the outcomes of COPD and asthma patients suffering from any type of viral or bacterial lung infection and reduce sick time.


Eucalyptus essential oil also has strong antiviral properties. An in-vitro study of the antiviral properties of eucalyptus aerosol found that a concentration of 0.0125% in the air for 15 seconds inhibited influenza by 95% [21]. Another study found that eucalyptus oil was able to completely inhibit influenza at a concentration of 0.005% when incubated with cells in a petri dish [22]. A study done in mice found that the main component of eucalyptus oil (eucalyptol) effectively improved the outcome of influenza infection by reducing inflammation and preventing pneumonia [23].


A picture of a droplet coming off of an oregano leaf going into an amber glass bottle with the chemical structure of carvacrol next to it

Oregano: The active components of oregano essential oil are carvacrol and thymol. Both thyme and oregano essential oils contain carvacrol and thymol, but thyme essential oil contains more thymol and less carvacrol than does oregano. Both of these oils are spicy-tasting by stimulating heat-sensing nerve proteins [24]. 


Oregano contains a high concentration of antiviral compounds. When tested, these compounds had the power to kill viruses without harming human cells [25]–[28]. Thymol and carvacrol were tested against the herpes simplex virus (HSV) and found to inhibit viral reproduction by over 80% when incubated in vitro with the virus and human cells in concentrations non-toxic to humans [26]. The concentration required to inhibit 50% of the virus particles was 0.002% for thymol and 0.037% for carvacrol.


Oregano also has strong anti-bacterial and anti-fungal abilities [29], [30]. The active component, carvacrol, will cause the cell membrane of the bacteria to become porous (get holes in it) and cause the bacteria to explode! [31] Amazingly enough, it does this without harming human cells! You can watch a short demonstration of this in this short 1 min video.

A diagram of a triglyceride with the glycerin portion highlighted in green and the fatty acid tails highlighted in red

Glycerin: Glycerin is a byproduct of traditional soap-making that comes from vegetable oils and animal fats.  Vegetable oils and animal fats, collectively called “fats,” are different from essential oils in their chemical structures. Fats are made up of triglycerides (tri- for three and -glyceride for glycerin) which contain three fatty acids attached to a glycerin backbone. When soap is made, glycerin is broken off of the triglyceride molecule, and the fatty acids become part of soap. See the diagram to the left.

Glycerin can help to hydrate and moisturize the tissues. It is frequently used in lotions for its hydrating ability [32]–[34]. Glycerin is a water-loving molecule that is quickly absorbed by the cells and brings water along with it. This property gives glycerin the potential to help hydrate your throat and prevent or stop a cough due to dry scratchy throat.

 Essential oils are made of small chemical structures that can easily be absorbed or evaporate, but fats do not evaporate and may not be easily absorbed. This has led to confusion because if inhaled vegetable oils will cause pneumonia, but essential oils do not have the same negative effect. Glycerin also in small quantities will not have the same effects as vegetable oils either because is is absorbed easily.

 

To learn more about Bronchia Guard - Throat + Lung Spray click here

 

► References
  1. [1] C. Mogosan et al., “A Comparative Analysis of the Chemical Composition, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antinociceptive Effects of the Essential Oils from Three Species of Mentha Cultivated in Romania,” Molecules, vol. 22, no. 2, Art. no. 2, Feb. 2017, doi: 10.3390/molecules22020263.
  2. [2] S. K. Bardaweel, B. Bakchiche, H. A. ALSalamat, M. Rezzoug, A. Gherib, and G. Flamini, “Chemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial and Antiproliferative activities of essential oil of Mentha spicata L. (Lamiaceae) from Algerian Saharan atlas,” BMC Complement. Altern. Med., vol. 18, no. 1, p. 201, Jul. 2018, doi: 10.1186/s12906-018-2274-x.
  3. [3] N. Hiki et al., “Multicenter phase II randomized study evaluating dose-response of antiperistaltic effect of L-menthol sprayed onto the gastric mucosa for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy,” Dig. Endosc. Off. J. Jpn. Gastroenterol. Endosc. Soc., vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 79–86, Mar. 2012, doi: 10.1111/j.1443-1661.2011.01163.x.
  4. [4] A. Meamarbashi and A. Rajabi, “The effects of peppermint on exercise performance,” J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr., vol. 10, no. 1, p. 15, Mar. 2013, doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-15.
  5. [5] A. Meamarbashi, “Instant effects of peppermint essential oil on the physiological parameters and exercise performance,” Avicenna J. Phytomedicine, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 72–78, 2014, Accessed: Dec. 09, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4103722/
  6. [6] B. Liu, L. Fan, S. Balakrishna, A. Sui, J. B. Morris, and S.-E. Jordt, “TRPM8 is the principal mediator of menthol-induced analgesia of acute and inflammatory pain,” Pain, vol. 154, no. 10, pp. 2169–2177, Oct. 2013, doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2013.06.043.
  7. [7] K. Ács, T. Bencsik, A. Böszörményi, B. Kocsis, and G. Horváth, “Essential Oils and Their Vapors as Potential Antibacterial Agents against Respiratory Tract Pathogens,” Nat. Prod. Commun., vol. 11, no. 11, pp. 1709–1712, Nov. 2016.
  8. [8] S. Vimalanathan and J. Hudson, “Anti-influenza virus activity of essential oils and vapors”.
  9. [9] F. Esmaeili, M. Zahmatkeshan, Y. Yousefpoor, H. Alipanah, E. Safari, and M. Osanloo, “Anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of Cinnamon and Clove essential oils nanogels: an in vivo study,” BMC Complement. Med. Ther., vol. 22, no. 1, p. 143, May 2022, doi: 10.1186/s12906-022-03619-9.
  10. [10] Y. A. Taher et al., “Experimental evaluation of anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic activities of clove oil in mice,” Libyan J. Med., vol. 10, no. 1, p. 28685, 2015, doi: 10.3402/ljm.v10.28685.
  11. [11] M. Kamkar Asl, A. Nazariborun, and M. Hosseini, “Analgesic effect of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of clove,” Avicenna J. Phytomedicine, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 186–192, 2013.
  12. [12] E. Khalilzadeh, R. Hazrati, and G. V. Saiah, “Effects of topical and systemic administration of Eugenia caryophyllata buds essential oil on corneal anesthesia and analgesia,” Res. Pharm. Sci., vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 293–302, Jul. 2016, doi: 10.4103/1735-5362.189297.
  13. [13] J. N. Haro-González, G. A. Castillo-Herrera, M. Martínez-Velázquez, and H. Espinosa-Andrews, “Clove Essential Oil (Syzygium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae): Extraction, Chemical Composition, Food Applications, and Essential Bioactivity for Human Health,” Molecules, vol. 26, no. 21, p. 6387, Oct. 2021, doi: 10.3390/molecules26216387.
  14. [14] K. Ács, V. L. Balázs, B. Kocsis, T. Bencsik, A. Böszörményi, and G. Horváth, “Antibacterial activity evaluation of selected essential oils in liquid and vapor phase on respiratory tract pathogens,” BMC Complement. Altern. Med., vol. 18, p. 227, Jul. 2018, doi: 10.1186/s12906-018-2291-9.
  15. [15] J.-P. Dai et al., “Drug screening for autophagy inhibitors based on the dissociation of Beclin1-Bcl2 complex using BiFC technique and mechanism of eugenol on anti-influenza A virus activity,” PloS One, vol. 8, no. 4, p. e61026, 2013, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061026.
  16. [16] U. R. Juergens, “Anti-inflammatory properties of the monoterpene 1.8-cineole: current evidence for co-medication in inflammatory airway diseases,” Drug Res., vol. 64, no. 12, pp. 638–646, Dec. 2014, doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1372609.
  17. [17] A. Neher, M. Gstöttner, M. Thaurer, P. Augustijns, M. Reinelt, and W. Schobersberger, “Influence of essential and fatty oils on ciliary beat frequency of human nasal epithelial cells,” Am. J. Rhinol., vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 130–134, 2008, doi: 10.2500/ajr.2008.22.3137.
  18. [18] Y. Lai et al., “In vitro studies of a distillate of rectified essential oils on sinonasal components of mucociliary clearance,” Am. J. Rhinol. Allergy, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 244–248, 2014, doi: 10.2500/ajra.2014.28.4036.
  19. [19] L. J. Juergens, H. Worth, and U. R. Juergens, “New Perspectives for Mucolytic, Anti-inflammatory and Adjunctive Therapy with 1,8-Cineole in COPD and Asthma: Review on the New Therapeutic Approach,” Adv. Ther., vol. 37, no. 5, pp. 1737–1753, 2020, doi: 10.1007/s12325-020-01279-0.
  20. [20] H. Worth and U. Dethlefsen, “Patients with asthma benefit from concomitant therapy with cineole: a placebo-controlled, double-blind trial,” J. Asthma Off. J. Assoc. Care Asthma, vol. 49, no. 8, pp. 849–853, Oct. 2012, doi: 10.3109/02770903.2012.717657.
  21. [21] E. V. Usachev, O. V. Pyankov, O. V. Usacheva, and I. E. Agranovski, “Antiviral activity of tea tree and eucalyptus oil aerosol and vapour,” J. Aerosol Sci., vol. 59, pp. 22–30, May 2013, doi: 10.1016/j.jaerosci.2013.01.004.
  22. [22] S. Vimalanathan, “Anti-influenza virus activity of essential oils and vapors,” Am. J. Essent. Oils Nat. Prod., vol. 2, pp. 47–53, Jan. 2014.
  23. [23] Y. Li, Y. Lai, Y. Wang, N. Liu, F. Zhang, and P. Xu, “1, 8-Cineol Protect Against Influenza-Virus-Induced Pneumonia in Mice,” Inflammation, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 1582–1593, Aug. 2016, doi: 10.1007/s10753-016-0394-3.
  24. [24] A. H. Klein, C. L. Joe, A. Davoodi, K. Takechi, M. I. Carstens, and E. Carstens, “Eugenol and carvacrol excite first- and second-order trigeminal neurons and enhance their heat-evoked responses,” Neuroscience, vol. 271, pp. 45–55, Jun. 2014, doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.04.019.
  25. [25] S. Mediouni et al., “Oregano Oil and Its Principal Component, Carvacrol, Inhibit HIV-1 Fusion into Target Cells,” J. Virol., vol. 94, no. 15, pp. e00147-20, Jul. 2020, doi: 10.1128/JVI.00147-20.
  26. [26] J. Sharifi-Rad et al., “Susceptibility of herpes simplex virus type 1 to monoterpenes thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene and essential oils of Sinapis arvensis L., Lallemantia royleana Benth. and Pulicaria vulgaris Gaertn,” Cell. Mol. Biol. Noisy--Gd. Fr., vol. 63, no. 8, pp. 42–47, Aug. 2017, doi: 10.14715/cmb/2017.63.8.10.
  27. [27] A. Kumar et al., “Identification of phytochemical inhibitors against main protease of COVID-19 using molecular modeling approaches,” J. Biomol. Struct. Dyn., vol. 39, no. 10, pp. 3760–3770, Jul. 2021, doi: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1772112.
  28. [28] J. K. R. da Silva, P. L. B. Figueiredo, K. G. Byler, and W. N. Setzer, “Essential Oils as Antiviral Agents, Potential of Essential Oils to Treat SARS-CoV-2 Infection: An In-Silico Investigation,” Int. J. Mol. Sci., vol. 21, no. 10, p. 3426, May 2020, doi: 10.3390/ijms21103426.
  29. [29] Q. Liu, X. Meng, Y. Li, C.-N. Zhao, G.-Y. Tang, and H.-B. Li, “Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Spices,” Int. J. Mol. Sci., vol. 18, no. 6, p. 1283, Jun. 2017, doi: 10.3390/ijms18061283.
  30. [30] H. Sakkas and C. Papadopoulou, “Antimicrobial Activity of Basil, Oregano, and Thyme Essential Oils,” J. Microbiol. Biotechnol., vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 429–438, Mar. 2017, doi: 10.4014/jmb.1608.08024.
  31. [31] I. Rodriguez-Garcia et al., “Oregano Essential Oil as an Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Additive in Food Products,” Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr., vol. 56, no. 10, pp. 1717–1727, Jul. 2016, doi: 10.1080/10408398.2013.800832.
  32. [32] E. J. van Zuuren, Z. Fedorowicz, R. Christensen, A. Lavrijsen, and B. W. Arents, “Emollients and moisturisers for eczema,” Cochrane Database Syst. Rev., vol. 2, no. 2, p. CD012119, Feb. 2017, doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012119.pub2.
  33. [33] H. Nakagawa and T. Oyama, “Molecular Basis of Water Activity in Glycerol–Water Mixtures,” Front. Chem., vol. 7, p. 731, Nov. 2019, doi: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00731.
  34. [34] S. Verdier-Sévrain and F. Bonté, “Skin hydration: a review on its molecular mechanisms,” J. Cosmet. Dermatol., vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 75–82, 2007, doi: 10.1111/j.1473-2165.2007.00300.x.

 *Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

 

Sale

Bronchia Guard — Throat + Lung Spray

Regular price $24.99
Regular price $32.99 Sale price $24.99
Unit price  per 
View product

Leave a comment