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Clove Essential Oil

Cloves are a spice, and its origins can be traced to the Indian subcontinent. Its scientific name is Eugenia caryophyllata.

Like most other spices, cloves have not only been used for cooking, but also for their medicinal value. Ayurvedic texts that are thousands of years old list the uses of cloves in the curing of a number of ailments, and lately, research is being conducted to scientifically study how exactly it is that cloves benefit us.

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The essential oil derived from cloves is called clove oil. Clove oil is very expensive because it takes quite a lot of cloves to produce one ounce of clove oil. It is, however, a very potent oil and needs to be diluted before use. It has a strong, spicy aroma, and is colorless or pale yellow.

How is clove oil extracted?

Cloves, like all other spices, are sun dried and sold to preserve them. This means that they need to be rehydrated to extract their essential oils. Although there are a number of methods of doing this the most common method is via the steam distillation method.

Steam distillation uses steam to both rehydrate the cloves and to act as a medium to transport the oils to the collection pan. The steam breaks down the cell walls of the clove and mixes with the oils. The oils are then transported along with the steam to another chamber where the steam is cooled and the water collected. The essential oil is then collected from this water by the method of fractional distillation. The resultant oil is almost 100% pure clove oil.

Chemical Composition

Clove oil has four main ingredients:

  • Carvacrol
  • Thymol
  • Eugenol
  • Cinnamaldehyde

Each of these ingredients are being studied individually for their benefits. For example, it is known that clove oil provides 100% repellency against mosquitoes.

Therapeutic Applications

Clove oil has a number of therapeutic uses. Apart from its use in cooking and as an insecticide, it has a number of properties that are of use to us.

Some of the most common benefits are listed below.

  • Dental Care - clove oil has for long been used to relieve pain in the gums. The eugenol in the oil is known to be a very good analgesic and also has anesthetic properties.
  • As an antiseptic - clove oil is a very good antiseptic and can be used directly on wounds, cuts, sores, and any other kinds of injury.
  • For skin - clove oil is known to be very good for the skin and helps remove acne and scars.
  • Premature ejaculation - clove oil has often been used as a treatment option for premature ejaculation.
  • Aches - clove oil provides immediate relief from headaches and earaches.
  • Indigestion - clove oil is known to prevent indigestion
  • Reduce fever - clove oil is known to reduce body temperature while also increasing metabolic activity.

Precautions

Clove oil is considered safe to use and generally does not have any adverse side effects. What must be kept in mind though is that clove oil is very strong, and even a topical application in an undiluted form can cause damage to the skin.

There is no specific dosage that needs to be followed, and the dosage differs depending on the usage method. Also clove oil should not be used repeatedly. There is evidence to show that when used repeatedly as a pain reliever, it causes damage to the skin. Additionally, internal consumption of the undiluted oil has been known to damage the kidneys and liver.

What are the oils that it blends well with?

Clove oil can be blended well with the following oils:

Clove Oil should be stored in an airtight bottle away from sunlight.

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