| Definition | Clove oil is obtained by extraction from the dried flower buds of the clove plant. Traditionally, it has been used as a flavouring spice in foods, or as a fragrance. It is also found in topical analgesics. Clove oil has shown to exert some antimicrobial activities. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of clove is higher than that of many fruits, vegetables, and other spices [A33133].
Clove is native of Indonesia but is now cultured in several parts of the world, including Brazil in the state of _Bahia_. This plant represents one of the richest source of phenolic compounds such as _eugenol_, _eugenol acetate_ and _gallic acid_ and has great potential for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and agricultural applications [A33133].
Interestingly, clove oil has been studied for its potential benefit in treating neuropathic pain, as well as vaginal candidiasis with promising results [A33137], [A33144].
The FDA categorizes clove oil as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in dental cement or as a food additive [F108]. |
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