Intranasal Borneol Improves the Behavioral Problems and Enhances the Immunologic Function in Children with Autism

Children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty interacting with others both verbally and behaviorally. In addition, they display impaired temper and behavior control. These two impairments hamper the daily functions required for independent living. The current study evaluated a patented intranasal herbal formula including borneol as a possible intervention for improving the social ability and self-control of children with ASD. Thirty children with ASD participated in this study, with 15 receiving the herbal medicine and 15 serving as control subjects. After six months of intervention, the children in the experimental group showed significant improvements in their social and self-control abilities. Furthermore, their immunologic function, as indexed by the significant reduction in circulating CD3+CD8+ suppressor/cytotoxic T lymphocytes in their blood samples, was significantly improved. By contrast, the children in the control group did not show improvement in their social or self-control abilities, and no significant difference was found in their immunologic function over the six-month period. Thus, the results suggest that the intranasal herbal formula has therapeutic effects on the behavioral problems of children with ASD.