Thai Herbal Therapy for Refractory Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Insights from the Apaisalee Formulation and Steam Inhalation

Introduction: There was limited guidance on and limited application of the Apaisalee formulation and herbal steam inhalation among patients with COPD. This research aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Apaisalee formulation and herbal steam inhalation in three patients with COPD. Methods: A pre-post research design was conducted to evaluate the effects of Thai Apaisalee and herbal steam inhalation on three patients with COPD. The participants administered Apaisalee (900 mg) twice a day before meals and inhaled herbal steam thrice each morning for a duration of two months. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was employed to evaluate the active constituents of Thai herbal medicine for their therapeutic efficacy. Results: All three male patients completed PEFR and CAT scores. After two months of therapy, PEFR dramatically rose from 276.67 ± 64.29 L/min to 376.67 ± 66.58 L/min (p < 0.05), indicating treatment efficacy and bronchial dilatation. The CAT score reduced considerably from 17.67 ± 1.53 to 7.33 ± 1.53 (p < 0.05), indicating a shift from moderate to mild or low-impact symptoms. The GC-MS analysis revealed that the major active components in Thai herbal formulations (piperidine, caryophyllene, isoborneol, limonene, and pinene) corresponded with the extracts' bioactive compounds, exhibiting anti-inflammatory, antiviral, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant effects. Discussion: The successful therapy of COPD patients with Thai herbal formulations has been attributed to the combined bronchodilator, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties of the herbal components. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the Apaisalee formulation, combined with herbal steam inhalation, may contribute to alleviating COPD.