How many of us have not gone to the dentist and have perceived a very particular smell? We could say that characteristic



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Source: Freepik (2020)


In part, that smell is due to Eugenol, a component widely used in dentistry. This compound is a major essential oil in cloves, it has had a relevant role in the home treatment of tooth pain (In Venezuela it was widely used by grandmothers) and periodontal diseases. Eugenol, as an active ingredient, has the property of being a local or topical antiseptic and anesthetic.

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Wikipedia Source (2020)

Essential oils have been used by man over the centuries, both for medical or therapeutic and spiritual purposes.

*Eugenol* is a phenolic derivative present in the essence of cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) although it can also be extracted from pepper, bay leaves, cinnamon, camphor and other plants. About 80.71% of the clove essence is composed of Eugenol, but there are other aggregates, such as eugenol acetate (14.83%), ß-carophylene (4.14%), and triterpene oleanolic acid (03.2% ).

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kyleana/x6iibOZk-image.png)
Source: Yleana Cedeño (2020)


Eugenol is liquid and oily in consistency, light yellow in color, with a characteristic aroma, poorly soluble in water and soluble in alcohol. Clove oil has been used since the 16th century as a local antiseptic and anesthetic for topical application, until Chislama in 1873 introduced it to dentistry and recommended that it be mixed with zinc oxide to form a zinc eugenolate putty and could directly into the carious cavities.

At low rates eugenol reversibly inhibits nerve activity, as a local anesthetic. After exposure to high concentrations of eugenol, nerve conduction is irreversibly blocked, indicating a neurotoxic effect. Therefore, its pharmacological effects are complex and dependent on the concentration of free Eugenol at exponential tissue quality.

In dentistry, eugenol is currently used, often mixed with zinc oxide, as a temporary filling material, and is a component of oral hygiene preparations. It is also used as a pulp sedative, provisional cement, surgical dressing, root canal obturator, topical anesthetic, dental protector, as a disinfectant in the filling of root canals and in the pulp lining.

Although it is a completely natural oil, it is toxic at concentrations greater than 600 mg / ml, it inhibits cell migration and modifies the synthesis of prostaglandins, which affects cellular respiration, mitochondrial activity in the lip mucosa and has been observed progressive denaturation. When administered orally to children, clave oil has been associated with lactic acidosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, liver dysfunction, and irritation of mucous tissues.

Although it is a natural and very powerful product, it must be used with great caution and can cause irreversible damage. It was customary in the Venezuelan Andes to bite a clove to relieve pain, a clove or two did not reach the toxic toxins indicated in the bibliography. Personally, I tried the pure oil and it generates an unpleasant sensation and you feel that you are burning (I would not do it again)

Soon I will tell you about the extraction methods of this essential oil and the associated yields.

If you need this information as a reference for a project I will attach you to the reference article: http://serbi.ula.ve/serbiula/librose/pva/libros/avances_retos_ciencias_ingenieria.htm 

*References*

Universidad de Antioquia. Aceites esenciales. (2003). Obtenido el 27 de febrero del 2013, de http://farmacia.udea.edu.co/~ff/esencias2001b.pdf

Aceites esenciales. (n.d.). Obtenido el 27 de febrero del 2013, de http://ocw.upm.es/ingenieria-agroforestal/uso-industrial-de-plantas-aromaticas-y-medicinales/contenidos/material-de-clase/tema7.pdf

Myrtaceae. (n.d.). Obtenido el 27 de febrero del 2013, de http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrtaceae
Aceite esencial del clavo de olor. (2013). Obtenido el 27 de febrero del 2013, de http://merida-merida.nexolocal.com.ve/p5764250-aceite-esencial-de-clavo-de-olor

Gonzales, R. (2002). Eugenol: Propiedades farmacológicas y Toxicológicas. Revista cubana de Estomatología. Versión Online. Obtenido el 27 de febrero del 2013, de http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?pid=S0034-75072002000200005&script=sci_arttext