Clove Essential OilBotanical Nomenclature: Syzygium aromaticum Legend tells us that at various times throughout history, European healers used clove buds to freshen the air and protect against the most common pathogens of the day.
Characteristics of Clove OilClove oil can range from pale yellow to brown, depending upon which part of the plant was used. All clove oils should have an overpowering "spicy" bite them with strong "woody" notes. Some cloves oils are somewhat sweet-smelling while others can feel quite dry to nose.Psychological AromatherapyIn Chinese medicine all preparations of clove are thought to stimulate Qi so it will come as no surprise that nearly all of today's aromatherapy authors also associate clove essential oil with warming, energizing qualities.Traditional Uses for CloveToday, clove is used mainly as a spice but in centuries past various clove preparations were an important herbal medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine uses clove to aid digestion while modern European herbalism uses clove preparations to cleanse the mouth and support oral health.In fact, one of clove essential oil's best-known uses is for dental health. Most of the popular aromatherapy books mention clove oil as a home remedy for toothache. Salvatore Battaglia lists the following therapeutic actions in his clove oil monograph:
Serious Medical Studies on Clove Essential OilClove has long been associated the the prevention of infections. Today many of the recent studies on clove essential oil have focused on agricultural and commercial uses but a few medicinal studies stand out:Antifungal Actions Clove's eugenol content, which can approach 90%, is thought to be responsible for clove's ability to fight various fungal infections. A 2007 Korean study published in Journal of Microbiology found clove oil diluted to 0.2 mg/ml effective at a rate of 60% when tested against some of the most common dermatophytes. A similar study, this one looking at clove's effectiveness against Candida, found clove essential oil a "powerful" and "easily accessible" remedy against strains that cause most human yeast infections. Antiviral Actions In laboratory tests, clove oil demonstrates the ability to effectively arrest the replication of various Herpes strains. Again, it seems to be the eugenol content that is responsible for this action. Dust Mites One of the most interesting recent studies on clove oil looked at clove's ability to fight one of the most common household allergens--dust mites. Exactly how (or even if) this discovery will ever be put into practical use remains to be seen but clove was among several oils shown to kill this common pest.
Safety IssuesClove is a strong dermal irritant and may well be one of the best-documented irritants of all the common aromatherapy oils. Numerous reports of both allergy and sensitization have been published throughout the years and, today, many aromatherapy books recommend that clove essential oil never be used on the skin, even if properly diluted.Clove is also a potential poison and it takes surprisingly little to cause serious health problems. In 1991 a 7-month-old child was nearly killed after he accidentally ingested clove essential oil. This report mirrors the experience of a slightly older toddler who experienced liver failure in 2005 after ingesting only 10 ml of the oil.
References: Battaglia, S. (2005). The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. Lalko, J., et al. (2005). Investigation of the dermal sensitization potential of various essential oils in the local lymph node assay. Lane, B., et al. (1991). Clove oil ingestion in an infant. Janes, S., et al. (2005). Essential oil poisoning: N-acetylcysteine for eugenol-induced hepatic failure and analysis of a national database. Park, M., et al. (2007). Antifungal activities of the essential oils in Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. Et Perry and Leptospermum petersonii Bailey and their constituents against various dermatophytes. Chaieb, K., et al. (2007). Antioxidant properties of the essential oil of Eugenia caryophyllata and its antifungal activity against a large number of clinical Candida species. Tragoolpua, Y., et al. (2007). Anti-herpes simplex virus activities of Eugenia caryophyllus (Spreng.) Bullock & S. G. Harrison and essential oil, eugenol. Saad, et al. (2006). Acaricidal activities of some essential oils and their monoterpenoidal constituents against house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Acari: Pyroglyphidae). Leave Clove Essential Oil & return to Essential Oils Directory page.
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