Clove Oil for Pain

Clove oil, derived from the clove plant, has garnered attention for its potential therapeutic properties in pain management. Several scientific investigations have explored its application in managing various types of pain, reflecting growing interest in natural analgesic approaches. These studies examine whether clove oil can offer beneficial therapeutic effects for alleviating discomfort across different pain conditions.

Protocols Studied in Research

[1] Clinical efficacy of polyherbal formulation Eezpain spray for muscular pain relief. (Cited by: 4) (PMID: 25553684)

• Protocol: A prospective, open-label pilot study with 20 subjects evaluating a topical polyherbal formulation containing clove oil, Gaultheria oil, Eucalyptus oil, Turpentine oil, Menthol, and Camphor for muscular pain relief over 14 days.
• Outcome: The Eezpain spray demonstrated significant efficacy in relieving mild to moderate muscular pain when applied locally to affected areas.

[2] A Comparative Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Curcumin Lozenges and Intralesional Corticosteroids with Hyaluronidase in Management of Oral Submucous Fibrosis. (Cited by: 0) (PMID: 34615779)

• Protocol: A randomized comparative study with 80 patients with group III OSMF divided into two groups. Group A received TurmNova lozenges (curcumin 100 mg + clove oil 10 mg) three times daily for 3 months, while Group B received intralesional dexamethasone + hyaluronidase twice a week for 3 months.
• Outcome: Significant clinical improvement in mouth opening and subjective symptoms, including burning sensation/pain, was observed in the curcumin lozenges group (containing clove oil) compared to the corticosteroid group.

[3] Non surgical therapy for anal fissure. (Cited by: 53) (PMID: 22336789)

• Protocol: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials with 5031 participants assessing the efficacy and morbidity of various non-surgical medical therapies for anal fissure, including clove oil as one of seventeen agents investigated.
• Outcome: Clove oil showed promise based on a single study but lacked comparison to more established medications and was less effective than surgery for chronic anal fissure.

Research Interpretation: Summary and Conclusion

The available evidence suggests moderate positive outcomes for clove oil in pain management applications. Three distinct studies demonstrate clove oil's potential analgesic properties across different pain conditions, though with varying degrees of effectiveness and methodological rigor.

The most robust evidence comes from two clinical trials. The first (PMID 25553684) involved a polyherbal formulation containing clove oil that demonstrated significant efficacy for mild to moderate muscular pain relief in 20 subjects over 14 days. However, this study was limited by its open-label design and small sample size. The second trial (PMID 34615779) showed promising results for oral pain management, where curcumin lozenges containing clove oil significantly improved burning sensations and pain in 80 patients with oral submucous fibrosis compared to corticosteroid treatment.

A comprehensive systematic review (PMID 22336789) involving 5031 participants examined clove oil among seventeen agents for anal fissure treatment. While clove oil showed promise based on a single study, it lacked comparison to established medications and proved less effective than surgical intervention for chronic cases.

The evidence points to clove oil's antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties, primarily attributed to compounds like eugenol. Studies indicate effectiveness in alleviating toothaches, gum discomfort, muscular pain, and oral burning sensations. However, the research is limited by small sample sizes, lack of comparative studies with established medications, and varied formulations that combine clove oil with other active ingredients.

Further research with larger randomized controlled trials, comparative studies against standard pain medications, and investigation of optimal dosing and delivery methods would strengthen the evidence base for clove oil as a pain management intervention.

Publications

[1] Nelson RL; Thomas K; Morgan J; Jones A (2012). Non surgical therapy for anal fissure The Cochrane database of systematic reviews 2012 (2) :CD003431. (PMID: 22336789)

[2] Pandey VK; Srivastava S; Ashish; Dash KK; Singh R; Dar AH; Singh T; Farooqui A; Shaikh AM; Kovacs B (2024). Bioactive properties of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) essential oil nanoemulsion: A comprehensive review Heliyon 10 (1) :e22437. (PMID: 38163240)

[3] Nawaz A; Sheikh ZA; Feroz M; Alam K; Nazar H; Usmanghani K (2015). Clinical efficacy of polyherbal formulation Eezpain spray for muscular pain relief Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences 28 (1) :43-7. (PMID: 25553684)

[4] Srivastava R; Kundu A; Pradhan D; Jyoti B; Chokotiya H; Parashar P (2021). A Comparative Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Curcumin Lozenges (TurmNova((R))) and Intralesional Corticosteroids with Hyaluronidase in Management of Oral Submucous Fibrosis The journal of contemporary dental practice 22 (7) :751-755. (PMID: 34615779)