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Toxicity of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) extract
Date Issued
01-01-2022
Author(s)
Nirmala, M. Joyce
Shiny, P. J.
Raj, Uppada Sumanth
Saikrishna, Narasa
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
Abstract
A common spice, Syzygium aromaticum is widely known as clove; this is the flower bud of a tree that belongs to the Myrtaceae family. With its origin in Indonesia, it has found application in medicine in Asian and western countries. It has taken a prominent place in alternative medicine and as a food flavoring agent. The clove buds contain several compounds of interest, such as eugenol, eugenyl acetate, trans-caryophyllene, β-caryophyllene, polyphenols, tannins, and triterpenoids. These rich bioactives make it a sought-after home remedy for illness from dental complications to inflammation of several kinds. The active compounds have been effectively extracted using solvents such as water, ethanol, and methanol. These compounds contribute to the fragrance and antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, which underpin its enormous applications in the food and flavoring industries. Despite these beneficial properties, they may elicit some adverse reactions when administered at higher concentrations. Clove buds and their extracts containing active compounds, or the standalone compounds such as eugenol and oleoresins, have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a food additive. The phenolics-rich fraction of clove has been reported to show no adverse effects on Wistar rats at 1000mg/kg body weight/day. A few research reports are indicative of the extract affecting the reproductive indices in animal models. However, the studies related to the toxic exposure of clove extracts are limited due to the highly variable nature of the sources and their constituents extracted thereafter. This work discusses the toxicity of different types of clove extracts.