valuable than stem and leaf oils in flavor
applications.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Clove buds yield 15–18% volatile oil; clove
stems yield 4–6%; and clove leaves yield
2–3%.
Other constituents present in clove buds
include glucosides of sterols (sitosterol, stig-
masterol, and campesterol), crategolic acid
methyl ester, oleanolic acid, quercetin,
eugeniin, kaempferol, rhamnetin, about 6%
protein, 20% lipids, 61% carbohydrates, vita-
mins, and others (JIANGSU;MARSH).1–3
Clove bud oil contains 60–90% eugenol,
2–27% eugenol acetate, and 5–12%b-caryo-
phyllene, with minor constituents such as
methyl salicylate, methyl eugenol, benzalde-
hyde, methyl amyl ketone,a-ylangene, and
chavicol also present (ARCTANDER;MASADA).4,5
Clove stem oil usually contains 90–95%
and clove leaf oil 82–88% eugenol (ARCTAN-
DER;MASADA); they contain little or no eugenyl
acetate. Naphthalene (not present in the bud
oil) is reportedly present in both oils in trace
amounts; also many of the minor constituents
in the bud oil are absent or present in much
smaller concentrations in the leaf and stem
oils.^5
PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIES
A tincture of cloves (15% in 70% alcohol) has
been reported to be effective in treating ring-
worms such as athlete’s foot (JIANGSU). Clove
oil has antihistaminic and spasmolytic (mus-
culotropic) properties, the latter probably due
to its content of eugenyl acetate (seebalm).6–8
Clove oil (due to its eugenol) has anodyne
and mildly antiseptic properties, exhibiting
broad antimicrobial activities (against
Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and acid-fast
bacteria, and fungi),5,7–10as well as anthel-
mintic and larvicidal properties.^11 No data are
available that correlate the pharmacological
properties of noneugenol clove constituents
such as eugenyl acetate, methyl eugenol (see
sweet bay), and caryophyllene, which are
often present in relatively large amounts in
cloves and clove derivatives. Aqueous extracts
of cloves, clove oil, eugenol, eugenyl acetate,
and methyl eugenol all have trypsin-potenti-
ating activity (seecinnamon).
Eugeniin exhibited strong antiviral activity
against herpes simplex virus.^3TOXICOLOGYClove oil is reported to cause skin irritation
and sensitization in humans.7,8 Despite its
possible toxicity in high dosage levels, euge-
nol (and presumably cloves and clove deriva-
tives) is considered nontoxic at normal use
levels.^5USESMedicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.
Clove bud oil (or eugenol) is used for the
symptomatic relief of toothache; the oil is
applied directly without pressure on the cari-
ous tooth with a small piece of cotton. It is also
extensively used as a major component in
preparations for the treatment of postextrac-
tion alveolitis (dry socket) and in dental ce-
ments and fillings, among others.
Clove bud and stem oils are used exten-
sively as fragrance components in dentifrices,
soaps, detergents, creams, lotions, and per-
fumes. Maximum use levels reported for the
bud and stem oils are, respectively, 0.15% and
0.25% in soaps and 0.7% and 1.0%, respec-
tively, in perfumes.7,8Clove leaf oil is primar-
ily used in soaps and low-cost perfumes, and
to a much lesser extent than the other oils
(ARCTANDER).Food. Cloves, clove bud oil, clove stem oil,
clove leaf oil, and eugenol are widely used in
flavoring many food products, with cloves and
clove bud oil by far the most used. Clove bud
extract and oleoresin are also used, though to
a lesser scale. Major food products in which210 Cloves