Clove's: Nature's Powerful Remedy for Pain, Inflammation, and Fever

For generations, spices such as cloves, oregano, mint, thyme, and cinnamon have been valued not only as flavoring agents but also for their antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Modern studies now support their antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, and even anticancer effects. Among them, clove has drawn special attention for its strong antioxidant and analgesic qualities, especially due to its active compound, eugenol (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum): a precious spice

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Clove’s Pain-Relieving Properties

Clove has been widely used as a traditional remedy for toothache, and recent experiments provide scientific backing. In an animal study, 90 male mice were given either water-based (aqueous) or alcohol-based (ethanolic) extracts of clove buds.

• Aqueous extract significantly reduced pain tolerance at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, with stronger and longer-lasting effects at higher concentrations.
• Ethanolic extract showed no significant analgesic benefit.

When mice were pretreated with naloxone (an opioid blocker), the pain-relieving effect of clove extract decreased, suggesting that it may work partly through opioid-related pathways.

Eugenol, the key bioactive in clove, is thought to inhibit prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and certain pain receptors, explaining its analgesic effect (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Analgesic effect of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of clove

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Clove’s Anti-Inflammatory Effect

Anti-Inflammatory and Fever-Reducing Effects

Another experiment involving 110 healthy albino male mice tested clove oil (33 mg/kg) against conventional drugs like aspirin and indomethacin. Inflammation was induced using carrageenan, and clove oil reduced swelling by nearly 50%, an effect comparable to indomethacin.

Additional tests showed:

• Acetic Acid Writhing Test: Clove oil reduced pain reactions by 88%, outperforming aspirin (78%).
• Hot Plate Test: Mice treated with clove extracts showed longer reaction times, indicating enhanced pain tolerance.
• Fever Test: Clove oil lowered fever within 30 minutes of yeast injection, with effects lasting up to three hours, almost matching paracetamol (3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
  Experimental evaluation of anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic activities of clove oil in mice
  
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Safety and Toxicity

Toxicity tests revealed that doses below 50 mg/kg were safe, but higher amounts caused slowed movement, drowsiness, and breathing difficulties. The lethal dose (LD50) was about 162 mg/kg, showing that while low doses of clove oil are generally safe, excessive intake can be dangerous.

What This Means

Clove is more than just a kitchen spice—it contains compounds with significant analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic potential. Traditional use now has scientific validation, though much of the evidence still comes from animal studies. Human clinical trials are needed before clove-based or eugenol-based formulations can be recommended for medical use.

Until then, enjoying clove in moderate amounts as part of food or herbal preparations remains safe and could provide small health benefits. However, concentrated clove oil or supplements should be used cautiously and under medical supervision.

References:

1. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum): a precious spice - (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3819475/)
2. Analgesic effect of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of clove - (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4075701/)
3. Experimental evaluation of anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic activities of clove oil in mice - (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4558274/)

Source-Medindia