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Clove (Eugenia aromatica) And Clove Oil (Eugenol) Be aware that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate herbs and dietary supplements. There is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of products containing or claiming to contain clove or clove oil. Decisions to use herbs or supplements should be carefully considered. Individuals using prescription drugs should discuss taking herbs or supplements with their pharmacist or health care provider before starting.
Scientists have studied clove and clove oil for the following health problems: Premature ejaculation | One study suggests that when clove is applied to the penis as a cream there is an increase in the time before ejaculation during sexual intercourse. However, the cream that was used in this study contained eight other herbs in addition to clove. Therefore, it is not possible to distinguish between the effects of clove and other herbs in this preparation. | Dry socket after tooth removal | Only one study is available; thus, it is not clear what effects clove has on the treatment of dry socket, a common and painful condition that may follow tooth removal. | Fever | Studies in laboratory animals suggest that clove may be effective in reducing fever. However, no studies have been conducted in humans. Further studies are needed before a recommendation can be made. |
Clove and clove oil have been suggested for many other uses, based on tradition or on scientific theories. However, these uses have not been thoroughly studied in humans, and there is limited scientific evidence about safety or effectiveness. Some of these suggested uses are for conditions that are potentially very serious and even life-threatening. You should consult a health care provider before taking clove or clove oil for any unproven use. Abdominal pain
Acaricidal
Allergies
Anesthetic
Antibacterial
Antifungal
Antigenotoxic
Antihistamine
Antimutagenic
Antioxidant
Antiseptic
Antispasmotic
Antiviral
Aphrodisiac
Arsenite-induced toxicity
Artherosclerosis
Asthma
Athlete's foot
Bad breath
Blood purifier
Cancer
Carminative
Cavities
Colic
Cough
Counterirritant
Decreased gastric transit time
Diabetes
Diarrhea | Dust mites
Expectorant
Flavoring
Food preservative
Gas
Gout
Hernia
Herpes
Hiccough
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Inflammation
Insecticidal
Larvicidal
Lipid-lowering
Mosquito repellent
Mouth and throat inflammation
Mouthwash
Nausea
Oral candidiasis
Oral edema (swelling)
Pain
Parasites
Pediculocide
Smooth muscle relaxant (clove oil)
Stomach pain
Ulcers
Vaginal candidiasis
Vasorelaxant (clove oil)
Vomiting |
Allergies People should avoid clove if they have a known allergy to clove, eugenol or balsam of Peru. Signs of allergy may include rash, itching or shortness of breath. Anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction) has occurred. Side Effects Clove has been well tolerated in studies and is generally recognized as safe for use in foods. Some people may experience skin irritation or painful sensations from clove. This may lead to a rash; hives; burning; irritation; dry, peeling lips; blanching; chemical burns; lack of feeling; and sweating on skin exposed to clove. Erectile dysfunction or prolonged ejaculation has also been reported when clove was applied to the penis. Other adverse effects include seizure, fever, vomiting or coma. Studies in laboratory animals have found that, when applied into the eyes, clove may lead to blindness or, when given by mouth, may excessively irritate the stomach. Excessive tearing in the eyes may also occur. Some people may experience difficulty breathing after using clove or smoking clove cigarettes. Individuals who smoke clove cigarettes have an increased risk of tooth decay. Use of clove may cause both liver and kidney damage and may disrupt metabolic balances in the body. Clove may lower blood sugar levels. Caution is advised if you take prescription drugs to control your blood sugar levels. In theory, clove may also increase the risk of bleeding. If you have diabetes or use anticoagulants (blood thinners) or antiplatelet drugs and are considering using clove, discuss this with your health care provider. You may need to stop using clove before some surgeries. Contamination can occur in clove if improperly stored. Fungi and aflatoxins are among the most common contaminants. Ingesting contaminated clove can lead to health problems in humans, as well as in animals. Pregnancy And Breast-Feeding Clove cannot be recommended during pregnancy and breast-feeding because of a lack of information.
Interactions with drugs, supplements and other herbs have not been thoroughly studied. The interactions listed below have been reported in scientific publications. If you are taking prescription drugs, speak with your health care provider or pharmacist before using herbs or dietary supplements. Interactions With Drugs Clove may increase the risk of bleeding when used with anticoagulants (blood thinners) or antiplatelet drugs. Examples include warfarin (Coumadin), heparin and clopidogrel (Plavix). Some pain relievers may also increase the risk of bleeding if used with clove. Examples include aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve, Anaprox). Clove may lower blood sugar levels. Caution is advised if you are taking prescription drugs that may also lower blood sugar levels. Patients taking oral drugs for diabetes or using insulin should be monitored closely by their health care provider while using clove. Dosing adjustments may be necessary. Based on studies in animals, clove may increase the ability of acetaminophen (Tylenol) to reduce fever. Clove may also reduce the ability of the body to sense pain and therefore may increase the effects of pain-relieving drugs that are applied topically as creams. Interactions With Herbs And Dietary Supplements Clove may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with products such as Ginkgo biloba and garlic ( Allium sativum). Clove may lower blood sugar levels. People using other herbs or supplements that may alter blood sugar levels, such as bitter melon ( Momordica charantia), should be monitored closely by their health care provider while using clove. Dosing adjustments may be necessary. In theory, clove may increase the pain-relieving effects of preparations that are applied topically, such as those containing capsaicin.
The doses listed below are based on scientific research, publications or traditional use. Because most herbs and supplements have not been thoroughly studied or monitored, safety and effectiveness may not be proven. Brands may be made differently, with variable ingredients even within the same brand. Combination products often contain small amounts of each ingredient and may not be effective. Appropriate dosing should be discussed with a health care provider before starting therapy; always read the recommendations on a product's label. The dosing for unproven uses should be approached cautiously, because scientific information is limited in these areas. It has been recommended that clove not be used in concentrations greater than 0.06 percent, and intake of eugenol, a component of clove, should not exceed 2.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. There are no standard or well-studied doses of clove, and many different doses are used traditionally. Adults (Aged 18 Or Older) Oral use: It is recommended that intake not exceed 2.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight each day. Topical use: At the current time, there is not enough evidence to recommend the use of clove topically as a cream. Children (Younger Than 18) There are not enough scientific data to recommend clove for use in children, and clove is not recommended because of potential side effects.
Clove and clove oil have been suggested as treatments for many conditions. Although clove is considered safe when used in amounts commonly used for cooking, there is not enough scientific evidence to support the use of clove or clove oil for any medical condition. Clove may increase the risk of bleeding and may lower blood sugar levels. It should be used carefully by people taking anticoagulant drugs or drugs to control blood sugar levels. It should be avoided in pregnant or breast-feeding women and in children. Consult your health care provider immediately if you have any side effects. The information in this monograph was prepared by the professional staff at Natural Standard, based on thorough systematic review of scientific evidence. The material was reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School with final editing approved by Natural Standard.
- Natural Standard: An organization that produces scientifically based reviews of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) topics
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM): A division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services dedicated to research
Selected Scientific Studies: Clove Natural Standard reviewed more than 235 articles to prepare the professional monograph from which this version was created. Some of the more recent studies are listed below: - Burt SA, Reinders RD. Antibacterial activity of selected plant essential oils against Escherichia coli O157:H7. Lett Appl Microbiol 2003;36(3):162-167.
- Chami F, Chami N, Bennis S, et al. Evaluation of carvacrol and eugenol as prophylaxis and treatment of vaginal candidiasis in an immunosuppressed rat model. J Antimicrob Chemother 2004;54(5):909-914.
- Choi HK, Jung GW, Moon KH, et al. Clinical study of SS-cream in patients with lifelong premature ejaculation. Urology 2000;55(2):257-261.
- Consolini AE, Sarubbio MG. Pharmacological effects of Eugenia uniflora (Myrtaceae) aqueous crude extract on rat's heart. J Ethnopharmacol 2002;Jun, 81(1):57-63.
- Damiani CE, Rossoni LV, Vassallo DV. Vasorelaxant effects of eugenol on rat thoracic aorta. Vascul Pharmacol 2003;Jan, 40(1):59-66.
- Dragland S, Senoo H, Wake K, et al. Several culinary and medicinal herbs are important sources of dietary antioxidants. J Nutr 2003;May, 133(5):1286-1290.
- Eisen JS, Koren G, Juurlik DN, et al. N-acetylcysteine for the treatment of clove oil-induced fulminant hepatic failure. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2004;42(1):89-92.
- Elshafie AE, Al-Rashdi TA, Al-Bahry SN, Bakheit CS. Fungi and aflatoxins associated with spices in the Sultanate of Oman. Mycopathologia 2002;155(3):155-160.
- Friedman M, Henika PR, Mandrell RE. Bactericidal activities of plant essential oils and some of their isolated constituents against Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica. J Food Prot 2002;Oct, 65(10):1545-1560.
- Grover JK, Rathi SS, Vats V. Amelioration of experimental diabetic neuropathy and gastropathy in rats following oral administration of plant (Eugenia jambolana, Mucuna pruriens and Tinospora cordifolia) extracts. Indian J Exp Biol 2002;Mar, 40(3):273-276.
- Guynot ME, Ramos AJ, Seto L, et al. Antifungal activity of volatile compounds generated by essential oils against fungi commonly causing deterioration of bakery products. J Appl Microbiol 2003;94(5):893-899.
- Huss U, Ringbom T, Perera P, et al. Screening of ubiquitous plant constituents for COX-2 inhibition with a scintillation proximity based assay. J Nat Prod 2002;Nov, 65(11):1517-1521.
- Jadhav BK, Khandelwal KR, Ketkar AR, et al. Formulation and evaluation of mucoadhesive tablets containing eugenol for the treatment of periodontal diseases. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2004;195-203.
- Juglal S, Govinden R, Odhav B. Spice oils for the control of co-occurring mycotoxin-producing fungi. J Food Prot 2002;Apr, 65(4):683-687.
- Kalemba D, Kunicka A. Antibacterial and antifungal properties of essential oils. Curr Med Chem 2003;May, 10(10):813-829.
- Kim EH, Kim HK, Ahn YJ. Acaricidal activity of clove bud oil compounds against Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Acari: Pyroglyphidae). J Agric Food Chem 2003;Feb 12, 51(4):885-889.
- Li Y, Xu C, Zhang Q, et al. In vitro anti-Helicobacter pylori action of 30 Chinese herbal medicines used to treat ulcer diseases. J Ethnopharmacol 2005;98(3):329-333.
- Pallares DE. Link between clove cigarettes and urticaria? Postgrad Med 1999;106(4):153.
- Sanchez-Perez J, Garcia-Diez A. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis from eugenol, oil of cinnamon and oil of cloves in a physiotherapist. Contact Derm 1999;41(6):346-347.
- Soetiarto F. The relationship between habitual clove cigarette smoking and a specific pattern of dental decay in male bus drivers in Jakarta, Indonesia. Caries Res 1999;33(3):248-250.
Last updated June 15, 2005
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