Clove oil

Clove oil is obtained by extraction from the dried flower buds of the clove plant. Traditionally, it has been used as a flavouring spice in foods, or as a fragrance. It is also found in topical analgesics. Clove oil has shown to exert some antimicrobial activities. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of clove is higher than that of many fruits, vegetables, and other spices .

Clove is native of Indonesia but is now cultured in several parts of the world, including Brazil in the state of Bahia. This plant represents one of the richest source of phenolic compounds such as eugenol, eugenol acetate and gallic acid and has great potential for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and agricultural applications .

Interestingly, clove oil has been studied for its potential benefit in treating neuropathic pain, as well as vaginal candidiasis with promising results .

Clove oil is primarily indicated in conditions like colic, flatulence, and toothache .

• Mild pain
• Toothache

Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb. [Myrtaceae]) essential oil (CEO) has been demonstrated to possess antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-histamine, and anticancer properties. However, few studies have focused on its topical use , .

Clove essential oil, used as an antiseptic in oral infections, inhibits gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria as well as yeast .

The chief constituent present in clove oil is the phenol "eugenol" which is present in amounts up to 85%. Clove oil acts as a germicide to Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa .

Clove oil is thought to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis, thereby reducing painful symptoms .

Eugenol, the main constituent of clove oil is purported to have anticancer action. In one study, eugenol-treated HL-60 cells showed features of apoptosis including DNA fragmentation and formation of DNA ladders in agarose gel electrophoresis. It was observed that eugenol transduced the apoptotic signal via reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, inducing mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), decreasing anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2 level, inducing cytochrome c release to the cytosol, and subsequent apoptotic cell death. When taken together, the study showed that ROS plays a critical role in eugenol-induced apoptosis in HL-60, and this is the first report on the mechanism of the anticancer effect of eugenol .

Clove oil is rapidly absorbed through the skin and is used in patented systems for dermal drug delivery to enhance drug uptake from skin patch delivery systems .

In a pharmacokinetic study, the metabolism of eugenol (the primary constituent of clove oil) was investigated in healthy male and female volunteers. It was quickly absorbed and metabolized after oral administration and was almost completely excreted in the urine within 24 hours of ingestion .

In a pharmacokinetic study, average half-life values of eugenol in plasma and blood were long (14.0 and 18.3 h, respectively), suggesting a potential accumulation of the drug following repeated administrations .

Acute oral toxicity (LD50): 2650 mg/kg [Rat] .

Clove oil is considered safe in small quantities (< 1,500 ppm) as a food additive . the lethal oral dose is 3.75 g per kg body weight in humans .

Contact with skin or soft tissue may cause transient irritation, contact dermatitis, inflammation of the lips, and inflammation or ulceration of the mouth. The eugenol present in clove oil may act as an irritant to skin and mucous membranes; it may also cause hypersensitivity and is reported to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis. Patients may become sensitive to clove oil .

After oral administration of 5-10 ml of clove oil in children below 2 years of age, life-threatening conditions were observed. Adverse effects included coma, acidosis, a generalized seizure, disordered blood clotting, and acute liver damage .

Overdose may lead to CNS depression, urinary abnormalities, anion-gap acidosis, deterioration of liver function, coma, seizure and low blood glucose levels. Treatment should be supportive and symptomatic; there have been reports in the literature that N-acetylcysteine has been successfully used as an antidote .

There are no epidemiological studies of potential adverse human health effects related to exposure to clove leave oil or eugenol from any human exposure scenarios. Nor are there any studies of agricultural use, either in workers or those with bystander exposure or other applications. There are no occupational exposure standards for clove leaf oil or eugenol including OSHA PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) or AGIHA TLVs (Threshold Limit Value) in air .

No interactions found.