Clove oil
Effect and application
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Clove oil is healthy and has many positive effects. We reveal the background of the oil and show how it is used correctly.
History of clove oil
The clove is a plant from the myrtle family. Originally from Indonesia, it is now grown around the world. Clove oil is also by its Latin name Caryophylli floris aetheroleum or the short name PHEur known.
The cloves were brought to Europe as early as the Middle Ages, where the Dutch initially had a monopoly on their trade, so to speak. Nowadays, the highest quality is said to be the cultivation of cloves in Madagascar and Zanzibar.
Production of clove oil
Clove oil is a herbal medicine and is made from the dried flower buds of the plant Syzygium aromaticum won. Although all parts of the clove tree contain essential oils, the oil from the clove buds is the best and most expensive. Among other things, it contains few side effects.
To make clove oil, the flowers must first be harvested shortly before they bloom. They are then left to dry for about five days. This is followed by a swimming test of the flowers: only high-quality cloves sink into the water, as only they contain the oil. This is now obtained by steam distillation.
Important ingredients:
- Eugenol (essential oil)
- Eugenol acetate
- Beta-caryophyllene
- Oleanolic acid
- Polyphenols
Effect of clove oil
The element eugenol is decisive for the effect of clove oil. Eugenol has a numbing effect. It also has anti-inflammatory effects, because it acts on the prostaglandins, which are responsible for causing a lot of inflammation.
Clove oil has an overall antimicrobial and antiseptic effect. This is shown by the fact that the oil in the clove fights bacteria and fungi. In addition, the oil influences your calcium balance in the cell and can have a direct effect on the structure of the cell wall. In this way, any pain that occurs can be numbed.
Clove oil: This side effect can occur
Due to the strong effects of eugenol, it may cause irritation when applied directly to the skin. This can lead to tissue being destroyed or the genetic material of the cells being changed. To avoid this risk, you should purchase and use make sure that the following criteria are met:
- Use only natural, essential oil
- Use only a few drops with each application
- Take orally only diluted with water
- Apply only locally to the painful area
You just have to follow these simple rules!
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Application of clove oil
Naturally pure clove oil can be used for the following purposes:
- Protection against colds: To prevent colds, you can use clove oil in conjunction with a foot bath. Put three to four drops in a tub and mix them with hot water. You can add more hot water every few minutes. Optionally, you can also add other oils (such as lavender). Make sure to dry yourself well after the bath and warm your feet well.
- Protection against mosquitoes: Do you like to sit on the terrace or balcony in summer? Then mosquitoes can prove to be extremely annoying. But with the scent of clove oil you can actively drive them away. To do this, take about 100 ml of the oil and apply it to a few cotton balls. You place these in a small bowl, to which you can also add a small bowl of orange or lemon. Alternatively, you can just put an open bottle of clove oil on the table. You can also use the fragrance lamp in the room to ensure that no mosquitoes get into your room despite the open window.
- Against inflammation in the throat: Put a few drops of the oil in a glass of water and use it to rinse the oral cavity for a minute. For the treatment of periodontal disease, clove oil has primarily an antibacterial rather than an analgesic effect. Very painful, but usually harmless, stomatitis is also common. This inflammation of the oral mucosa also often leads to inflammation of the gums. Here you can relieve the pain with the above recipe.
- For oral care: Bad breath is usually caused by bacteria in the mouth. This can effectively banish clove oil – and is therefore a good complement to general oral care. For this you use a few drops of the oil with a little water and gargle it in the oral cavity for a few seconds. It's best to do this several times a day. You can also mix the oil with a mouthwash of your choice.
- Against toothache: Clove oil is very good for toothache as it kills bacteria. It also comes into its own with inflammation of the gums. Thanks to the eugenol, the oil also has an anesthetic effect, which means that you no longer notice the pain. To do this, take a few drops with a little water and dampen a cotton ball with it. You can use the pad to work on the local area and then rinse your mouth with a mixture of water and clove oil.
- During pregnancy: Clove oil is an ideal essential oil for initiating childbirth. In connection with an aroma lamp, the oil can create a very calming atmosphere as aromatherapy. Be careful not to use a synthetic oil. And please don't confuse the oil of the leaves with that of the clove buds.
Are you a big fan of essential oils? From orange oil to safflower oil to rosemary oil, we have put together a wide range for you. How you can create a healthy nutrition plan, however, you will learn in this article.
If you would like to exchange ideas with others about the wonderful effects and uses of various oils and suitable products, take a look at our BRIGITTE community.
sources
Hofmann, D. & Melzig, M.F .: Cloves and Clove Oil. In: Journal of Phytotherapy. Volume 32, No. 6, 2008
Staudte, H .: Essential oils – antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. In: ZWR-Das Deutsche Zahnärzteblatt. Volume 124, No. 4, 2015
Dörken, B., Frey, C., Golz, N .: Induction of labor with clove oil tampons – first study results. In: The midwife. Volume 17, No. 4, 2004