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. 2006 Aug;39(4):241-8.
doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2184.2006.00384.x.

Cytotoxicity of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) oil and its major components to human skin cells

A Prashar  1 , I C Locke, C S Evans
Affiliations

Cytotoxicity of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) oil and its major components to human skin cells

A Prashar et al. Cell Prolif. 2006 Aug.

Abstract

The essential oil extracted from clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is used as a topical application to relieve pain and promote healing in herbal medicine and also finds use in the fragrance and flavouring industries. Clove oil has two major components, eugenol and beta-caryophyllene, which constitute 78% and 13% of the oil, respectively. Clove oil and these components are generally recognized as 'safe', but the in-vitro study here demonstrates cytotoxic properties of both the oil and eugenol, towards human fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Clove oil was found to be highly cytotoxic at concentrations as low as 0.03% (v/v) with up to 73% of this effect attributable to eugenol. beta-caryophyllene did not exhibit any cytotoxic activity, indicating that other cytotoxic components may also exist within the parent oil.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Dose‐dependent cytotoxicity of clove oil (1 h exposure) to HMEC‐1 endothelial cells, HNDF fibroblasts and 153BR fibroblasts as determined by the NR assay. Following exposure to the oil, the medium was replaced with NR‐containing medium for 3 h, which was then removed and the cells were fixed with 1% CaCl2–0.5% formaldehyde. Cells were then lysed with 1% v/v acetic acid – 50% v/v ethanol to extract the dye, incubated for 10 min at room temperature, and read at 540 nm. Error bars indicate the standard deviation (n > 16).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Dose‐dependent cytotoxicity of eugenol (1 h exposure) to HMEC‐1 endothelial cells, HNDF fibroblasts and 153BR fibroblasts as determined by the NR assay. Following exposure to eugenol, the medium was replaced with NR‐containing medium for 3 h, which was then removed and the cells fixed with 1% CaCl2−0.5% formaldehyde. Cells were then lysed with 1% v/v acetic acid – 50% v/v ethanol to extract the dye, incubated for 10 min at room temperature, and read at 540 nm. Error bars indicate the standard deviation (n > 16). (The concentrations of eugenol used were proportionate to that actually present in the oil).
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