Clove

Scientific Name (S): Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb. also described as Caryophyllus aromaticus L. and Syzygium aromaticum L. Merr. and Perry. Family: Myrtaceae

Common Name(S): Clove, caryophyllus

Clove is one of the oldest spices in the world, is the dried, unopened flower bud of a small ever green tree. It is indigenous to the Moluccas Islands of Indonesia. 

Clove goes mainly as an ingredient of a variety of food specialties, beverages, medicines, cosmetics, perfumery and toiletries.

Botany: The clove plant grows in warm climates and is cultivated commercially in Tanzania, Sumatra, the Molucca Islands and South America. The plant, a tall evergreen, grows up to 20 meters tall and has leathery leaves. The clove spice is the dried flower bud. Essential oils are obtained from the buds, stems and leaves. The dark brown buds are 12 to 22 mm in length with four projecting calyx lobes. The four petals above the lobes fold over to form a hood, which hides numerous stamens. The cloves are strongly aromatic.

History: Cloves have a long history of culinary and medicinal use. The oil was used as an expectorant and antiemetic with inconsistent clinical results. Clove tea was used to relieve nausea. The use of the oil in dentistry as an analgesic and local antiseptic continues today. The oil has been used topically as a counterirritant.

Uses of Clove

Cloves have been used for their antiseptic and analgesic effects and have been studied for use in platelet aggregation inhibition, antithrombotic activity and chemoprotective and antipyretic effects.

Clove oil has been and continues to be used in connection with respiratory ailments such as asthma and bronchitis, muscle aches, sprains and strains, arthritis and rheumatism. Many individuals use clove oil for its analgesic effects for body pain. Clove oil is one of the oils contained in Narayan Oil.

Side Effects of Clove

Blood-tinged sputum and hemoptysis have been noted in clove cigarette smokers. Clove oil can irritate skin and mucous membranes.

Dosage and Administration

As an herbal nutrient, drop 15 to 30 drops of clove oil in warm water and take this tea 1-3 times daily. Consult your health care advisor regarding the use of clove oil during pregnancy or with infants.

Toxicology: Cloves and clove oils are used safely in foods, beverages and toothpastes. In general, the level of clove used in foods does not exceed 0.236%; the oil is not used in amounts greater than 0.06%. Toxicity has been observed following ingestion of the oil, but this type of poisoning is rare and poorly documented. In rats, the oral LD-50 of eugenol is 2680 mg/kg; however, the toxicity of the compound increases almost 200-fold when administered by the intratracheal route (LD-50 11 mg/kg). This increase in toxicity by the pulmonary route has become more important in light of the toxicity reported among persons who have smoked clove cigarettes. Clove cigarettes, called "kreteks," generally contain about 60% tobacco and 40% ground cloves. More than a dozen brands of kreteks exist, and they enjoy some popularity in Asian countries. This popularity is growing in the US and Europe.

More than a dozen cases of pulmonary toxicity have been reported in people who have smoked clove cigarettes. There is evidence that clove cigarettes may anesthetize the throat, leading to deeper and more prolonged inhalation of the smoke. Blood-tinged sputum and hemoptysis have been noted in smokers and may be related to eugenol's antiplatelet effects. The American Lung Association has issued a warning against clove cigarette use, noting that they can have a higher tar content than ordinary cigarettes. One study, however, found no carcinogenic effect of hot aqueous clove extracts in the Drosophila mutagenicity assay, although metabolites and pyrolysis products of eugenol are carcinogenic.

Clove oil can be a skin and mucous membrane irritant and sensitizer. A case of a 24-year-old woman reports permanent local anesthesia and anhidrosis following clove oil spillage into the facial area. Other case reports exist, including treatment of a 2-year-old child suffering from disseminated intravascular coagulation and liver failure following clove oil ingestion, and development of depression and electrolyte imbalance in a 7-month-old child after accidental oral ingestion of clove oil.

There has been no documentation of toxicity in the bud, leaf or stem of the plant.

Summary: Cloves are used as a common condiment and have found favor in most regional cuisines. Clove extracts and oil have been used medicinally for their antiseptic and analgesic effects. Cloves have also been studied for use in platelet aggregation inhibition, anti­thrombotic activity and chemoprotective and antipyretic effects. Toxicity from clove oil can occur by inhalation of smoke from clove cigarettes or by ingestion of large amounts of the oil.