Isolation of Essential Oil from Cloves

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Essential oils Essential oil is a common name for fragrant volatile compounds extracted from plants. Common essential oils are citrus oil, rose extracts, mint and eucalyptus. Essential oils are found in more then 2000 plant species and they are present in various parts of the plants. They are produced by the plants and serve a wide spectrum of biological functions such as protection against natural parasites and predators, attraction of pollinates and inhibition of germination. Humans have discovered the essential oils early in history. Parts of plants that contain essential oils were used for flavoring food and drinks, as perfumes and as medicinal remedies. Today essential oils are usually isolated from the plants and are used in their purified form in the food and perfumery industries. In addition, essential oils have pharmacological use mainly as antiseptics. Essential oils show antibiotic activity against a wide spectrum of bacteria. Some essential oils have minor local anesthetic effect and can produce an increase in blood circulation. These compounds are used in ointments for relieving sprains and muscular pain. Many other pharmacological properties are attributed to essential oils in traditional and alternative medicine. Clove oil Cloves are dried flower buds collected from the tree Syzygium aromaticum which is native to Indonesia. Cloves are used as a spice in many cuisines. Steam distillation of cloves yields oil which is composed of eugenol, acetyl eugenol and β-caryophellene. The typical spicy fragrance of cloves is mainly due to eugenol. Eugenol is an oily substance which is only slightly soluble in water and is soluble in organic solvents. It is used in perfumes and also has various applications in dentistry. Eugenol is a common ingredient in mouth wash and also serves as a dental analgesic. When eugenol is mixed with zinc oxide it forms a composite

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