Clove oil

Clove Oil ( Syzygium aromaticum )

Clove oil is an essential oil of vegetable origin that is extracted from the dried buds , leaves or stems of the clove tree . Often the buds are used for this, whereby the essential oil gives cloves their characteristic smell .

Clove oil is characterized by a spicy smell characteristic of cloves and a burning taste . The effectiveness of the oil on toothache has been known for centuries. Nowadays it is used in different areas such as pharmacology , perfume , cosmetics and soap industries. In addition, clove oil is widely used as a culinary spice and flavoring agent .

property

Clove oil is a colorless to yellowish oil , which appears brownish after a while. The brown color results from the oxidation of eugenol . The smell of the volatile oil is spicy and characteristic of clove products, while the taste is described as burning. Clove oil itself does not contain fat , but it is soluble in fats and other organic solvents .

Extraction

Main components of clove oils
Eugenol (75-95%)
Eugenol acetate (2–17%)

Clove oil is obtained by steam distillation of dried buds , leaves or stems of the clove tree.

ingredients

Clove oil consists of various monoterpenes , sesquiterpenes and aromatic compounds. The main ingredients are eugenol (75–95%) and eugenol acetate (2–17%). The oil also contains caryophyllene (α- and β-form) and caryophyllene oxide, which is formed by the oxidation of β-caryophyllene . Acetylsalicylic acid , methyl benzoate , methyl salicylate , pinene , vanillin and other ingredients are also included and contribute to the characteristic aroma. Depending on which part of the clove tree is used for extraction , the salaries of the individual ingredients differ. While the buds still contain significant amounts of eugenol acetate, this is much lower in the leaves. Eugenol acetate is completely absent from the extracts made from stems. Instead, they contain naphthalene .

use

Evaporation of essential oils
(e.g. clove oil) in fragrance lamps

Both cloves and the oil made from them have been used as a spice and flavoring agent for centuries . The pain relieving effect of clove oil in the oral cavity has been known since the Middle Ages . In the household, the extract made from the buds of the clove tree is mainly used, while the food and luxury goods industries (e.g. liqueur and tobacco industries ) prefer ground products made from the leaves and stems. The smell is often perceived as pleasant, which is why it is used in the perfume , cosmetics and soap industries. In addition, it is used in various ways in the food and spice industries (e.g. spices, flavorings). The long shelf life is another benefit of using clove oil. Further fields of application are described below.

Toothache

It has different uses in medicine , e.g. B. as a stomach remedy , anesthetic or in dentistry . From a dental point of view, clove oil is recommended as an anesthetic household agent, which is suitable for short-term relief of toothache .

Induction of labor

Tampons soaked in clove oil can be used to induce labor , which is an alternative method. It is inexpensive and is perceived as less intrusive in the natural course of labor . Another advantage is the low dosage that must be used to achieve the effect. The clove oil is also quickly excreted after the treatment. Although some studies, including clinical ones, have been carried out on this subject, the matter must be further empirically investigated.

As an anesthetic in fish

Clove oil can be used for laboratory and household fish (e.g. rainbow trout ). This area of ​​application is being discussed critically. On the one hand, it is a natural product , the exact composition of the ingredients is difficult to determine and therefore clove oil as an anesthetic for fish is difficult to dose. On the other hand, it is unclear to what extent the animals' sense of smell is impaired. So far it has not been investigated whether and for how long the olfactory receptors of the same are masked or even damaged. It also occasionally reported that at breeding an anesthetic with clove oil on the taste of the fish's impact can.

effect

The small particle size enables rapid absorption through the skin and mucous membranes so that the active ingredients can quickly enter the bloodstream . There are indications for some effects, although these have not always been confirmed by clinical studies . Some mechanisms of action have not been conclusively elucidated. However, it was recognized early on that prostaglandins are involved in the development of inflammatory reactions . The biosynthesis of the same is inhibited by phenolic compounds, above all by eugenol acetate. Recent research into the mechanism of the anesthetic effect suggests an interaction between β-caryophyllene and the cannabinoid receptor 2 . This is how the anti-inflammatory effects of clove oil can be explained. Clove oil can also be an antispasmodic and insect repellent , e.g. B. against mosquitoes work. Below are some of the other effects of clove oil:

• antibacterial : mainly due to eugenol , growth-inhibiting effect, proven in various pathogenic bacteria
• antioxidant : e.g. B. by scavenging radicals or forming metal complexes of the ingredients
• anti-inflammatory : by inhibiting the biosynthesis of prostaglandin , especially the inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX)
• fungicidal : due to phenolic ingredients ( eugenol , carvacrol )
• inhibitory activities against the herpes simplex virus : by inhibition of HSV-1 DNA polymerase activity
• antitumoral : some reports suggest that the caryophyllene contained may protect against carcinogenic substances and that eugenol can induce the decay of tumor cells
  (not proven by clinical studies)
• preventive against stomach ulcers : through massive increase in mucus production (not proven by clinical studies)
• preventive against osteoporosis : by preserving the bone substance
• narcotic : achievable with high doses of eugenol and caryophyllene (200–400 mg / kg)
• sedating : achievable with low doses of eugenol and caryophyllene (1-100 mg / kg) by inhibiting the transmission of nerve impulses after irritation
  (advantages: low concentrations necessary, rapid excretion )

toxicology

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies all types of clove oil (from buds, leaves and stems) as well as the main ingredient eugenol as generally safe , they are approved as an additive in food. However, high doses of eugenol, and therefore clove oil, can cause liver damage . If used undiluted, it can be neurotoxic and tissue irritant . The value of the permitted daily dose (ETD value) is 2.5 mg eugenol / kg body weight .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Eckert, E .: About the determination of the value of essential oils . ETH Zurich, 1935, p. 13-18 , doi : 10.3929 / ethz-a-000104563 (dissertation).
2. ↑ ^{a b c d} Staudte, H .: Essential oils - antibacterial and anti-inflammatory . In: ZWR-Das Deutsche Zahnärzteblatt . tape 124 , no. 4 , 2015, p. 160-161 , doi : 10.1055 / s-0034-1395620 .
3. ↑ ^{a b c} Wiesenauer, M .: Phytopraxis . 7th edition. Springer, Berlin 2018, ISBN 978-3-662-56335-9 , pp. 61-74 .
4. ↑ Considine, DM & Considine, GD: Foods and food production encyclopedia . Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York 1982, ISBN 0-442-21612-2 , pp. 2196 .
5. ^ Kracher, R. et al .: Lexikon der Chemie . 2. Volume (A to Gese), Jokers Edition. Spectrum, Heidelberg 2007, ISBN 978-3-8274-1909-5 , p. 418 .
6. ↑ ^{a b c} Jaminet, Lv: Essential oils, fragrances and olfactory drugs. A paperback . de Gruyter, Hamburg 2012, ISBN 978-3-11-150961-7 , p. 43 .
7. ↑ Chaieb, K. et al .: The chemical composition and biological activity of clove essential oil, Eugenia caryophyllata (Syzygium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae): a short review . In: Phytotherapy research . tape 21 , no. 6 , 2007, p. 501-506 , doi : 10.1002 / ptr.2124 .
8. ↑ ^{a b c d} Hofmann, D. & Melzig, MF: The personal plant portrait: cloves . In: Journal for Holistic Veterinary Medicine . tape 28 , no. 3 , 2014, p. 92-95 , doi : 10.1055 / s-0034-1382850 .
9. ↑ Rimbach, G., Möhring, J. & Erbersdobler, HF: Food - goods knowledge for beginners . Springer, Heidelberg 2010, ISBN 978-3-642-04485-4 , pp. 262-264 .
10. ^ Dörken, B., Frey, C., Golz, N .: Induction of labor with clove oil tampons - first study results . In: The midwife . tape 17 , no. 4 , 2004, p. 218-219 , doi : 10.1055 / s-2004-860884 .
11. ↑ Stress and Anesthesia . In: Ostrander, GK (Ed.): The Laboratory Fish . Elsevier Science, 2000, ISBN 978-0-12-529650-2 , pp. 503-511 ( google.com ).
12. ^ Adam, B., Schürmann, M. & Schwevers, U .: For dealing with aquatic organisms. Laboratory animal science basics . Springer Spectrum, Wiesbaden 2013, ISBN 978-3-658-01537-4 , p. 81-95 .
13. ↑ Oetinger, F.Ch .: stunning rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with clove oil and BHA - stress load and product quality . LMU Munich, 2003, p. 48 ( uni-muenchen.de [PDF] dissertation).
14. ↑ ^{a b} Hofmann, D. & Melzig, MF: Cloves and clove oil . In: Journal of Phytotherapy . tape 32 , no. 6 , 2008, p. 26-28 , doi : 10.4161 / cib.1.1.6568 .
15. ^ Wagner, H., Wierer, M. & Bauer, R .: In vitro inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis by essential oils and phenolic compounds . In: Planta medica . tape 52 , no. 3 , 1986, pp. 184-187 , doi : 10.1055 / s-2007-969117 .
16. ↑ Gertsch, J .: Antiinflammatory cannabinoids in diet - towards a better understanding of CB2 receptor action? Towards a better understanding of CB2 receptor action? In: Communicative & integrative biology . tape 1 , no. 1 , 2008, p. 295-298 , doi : 10.1055 / s-0031-1286035 .
17. ^ Food and Drug Administration : Title 21-Food and Drugs . Updated April 1, 2019.

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !