Eugenol is a natural occurring phenylpropanoid that is primarily derived from clove oil. It’s known to have a broad spectrum of pharmacological effects such as, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic, neuroprotective, and anticancer activities. Its therapeutic action are mediated through various molecular mechanisms, such as the inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes, regulation of oxidative stress, induction of apoptosis, and prevention of tumor metastasis. However, despite its promised clinical benefits as a bioactive compound, its clinical potential faces limitation due to the poor aqueous solubility, bioavailability and dose dependent toxicity. Nevertheless, recent advancements in the field of drug delivery systems particularly Micro/Nano-formulations through encapsulation techniques offer potential solutions to these limitations. This review aims to present a comprehensive overview of eugenol, aiming on its natural sources, chemical structure, pharmacological properties, and mechanisms of action, safety considerations, current applications, recent advancements and future perspectives for eugenol as multifunctional bioactive compound potential.
Published in | Journal of Drug Design and Medicinal Chemistry (Volume 11, Issue 3) |
DOI | 10.11648/j.jddmc.20251103.11 |
Page(s) | 39-47 |
Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Drug Delivery, Eugenol and Toxicity
Property | Value/Description |
---|---|
Molecular formula | C₁₀H₁₂O₂ |
Molecular weight | 164.20 g/mol |
Appearance | Pale yellow to colourless liquid |
Odor | Spicy, clove-like aroma |
Boiling point | ~254°C |
Melting point | -7.5°C |
Density | 1.06 g/cm³ at 25°C |
Solubility in water | Slightly soluble (~2.46 g/L at 25°C) |
Solubility in organic solvents | Soluble in ethanol, diethyl ether, chloroform, and oils |
Log P (octanol-water) | ~2.27 (moderate lipophilicity) |
pKa (phenolic OH group) | ~10.2 |
Biological Activity | Mechanism of Action |
---|---|
Anticancer | Induces apoptosis via caspase-3 activation; modulates p53, Bax/Bcl-2 expression; arrests cell cycle (G0/G1 or G2/M phases); inhibits angiogenesis |
Antioxidant | Scavenges free radicals (e.g., DPPH, superoxide); donates hydrogen atoms; upregulates antioxidant enzymes (e.g., SOD, CAT, GPx) |
Anti-inflammatory | Inhibits COX-2 and LOX enzymes; suppresses NF-κB signaling; reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) |
Antimicrobial | Disrupts microbial cell membranes; causes leakage of cellular contents; inhibits enzymes involved in cell wall synthesis |
Antifungal | Damages fungal cell membranes; inhibits ergosterol biosynthesis; disrupts mitochondrial functions |
Antiviral | Interferes with viral envelope integrity; inhibits viral replication enzymes |
Neuroprotective | Reduces neuroinflammation and oxidative stress; inhibits AChE; improves mitochondrial function and synaptic plasticity |
Hepatoprotective | Reduces lipid peroxidation; enhances glutathione levels; stabilizes liver enzymes (ALT, AST) |
Cardioprotective | Inhibits lipid peroxidation; improves lipid profile; suppresses inflammatory markers in cardiac tissue |
Antidiabetic | Enhances insulin sensitivity; inhibits α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes; modulates glucose transport and metabolism |
Anesthetic | Acts on peripheral nerve endings; blocks ion channels (Na⁺/K⁺) and prevents nerve conduction |
Analgesic | Inhibits voltage-gated sodium channels and TRPV1 receptors; modulates prostaglandin synthesis |
ABTS | 2, 2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) |
ATP | Adenosine Triphosphate |
BHT | Butylated Hydroxytoluene |
CAT | Catalase |
CDKs | Cyclin-Dependent Kinases |
COX-2 | Cyclooxygenase-2 |
DNA | Deoxyribonucleic Acid |
DPPH | 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl |
EFSA | European Food Safety Authority |
EMT | Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition |
FDA | Food and Drug Administration (U.S.) |
FRAP | Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power |
GABA | Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid |
GPx | Glutathione Peroxidase |
GRAS | Generally Recognized as Safe |
HSV | Herpes Simplex Virus |
IC50 | Half-Maximal Inhibitory Concentration |
IL-1β | Interleukin-1 beta |
IL-6 | Interleukin-6 |
iNOS | Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase |
LD50 | Lethal Dose (for 50% of test organisms) |
LOX | Lipoxygenase |
LPS | Lipopolysaccharide |
MAPK | Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase |
MIC | Minimum Inhibitory Concentration |
MMP-2 / MMP-9 | Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 / -9 |
MMPs | Matrix Metalloproteinases |
MPO | Myeloperoxidase |
NF-κB | Nuclear Factor-kappa B |
NO | Nitric Oxide |
NSAIDs | Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs |
pKa | Acid Dissociation Constant |
ROS | Reactive Oxygen Species |
SOD | Superoxide Dismutase |
TNF-α | Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha |
TRPV1 | Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 |
VEGF | Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor |
ZOE | Zinc Oxide-Eugenol |
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APA Style
Faruq, A. U., Ibrahim, I. M. (2025). Comprehensive Overview of Eugenol: Focusing on Sources, Structure, Pharmacological Activities, Mechanisms of Action, Safety Profile, and Applications. Journal of Drug Design and Medicinal Chemistry, 11(3), 39-47. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jddmc.20251103.11
ACS Style
Faruq, A. U.; Ibrahim, I. M. Comprehensive Overview of Eugenol: Focusing on Sources, Structure, Pharmacological Activities, Mechanisms of Action, Safety Profile, and Applications. J. Drug Des. Med. Chem. 2025, 11(3), 39-47. doi: 10.11648/j.jddmc.20251103.11
@article{10.11648/j.jddmc.20251103.11, author = {Ahmad Umar Faruq and Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim}, title = {Comprehensive Overview of Eugenol: Focusing on Sources, Structure, Pharmacological Activities, Mechanisms of Action, Safety Profile, and Applications }, journal = {Journal of Drug Design and Medicinal Chemistry}, volume = {11}, number = {3}, pages = {39-47}, doi = {10.11648/j.jddmc.20251103.11}, url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jddmc.20251103.11}, eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jddmc.20251103.11}, abstract = {Eugenol is a natural occurring phenylpropanoid that is primarily derived from clove oil. It’s known to have a broad spectrum of pharmacological effects such as, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic, neuroprotective, and anticancer activities. Its therapeutic action are mediated through various molecular mechanisms, such as the inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes, regulation of oxidative stress, induction of apoptosis, and prevention of tumor metastasis. However, despite its promised clinical benefits as a bioactive compound, its clinical potential faces limitation due to the poor aqueous solubility, bioavailability and dose dependent toxicity. Nevertheless, recent advancements in the field of drug delivery systems particularly Micro/Nano-formulations through encapsulation techniques offer potential solutions to these limitations. This review aims to present a comprehensive overview of eugenol, aiming on its natural sources, chemical structure, pharmacological properties, and mechanisms of action, safety considerations, current applications, recent advancements and future perspectives for eugenol as multifunctional bioactive compound potential. }, year = {2025} }
TY - JOUR T1 - Comprehensive Overview of Eugenol: Focusing on Sources, Structure, Pharmacological Activities, Mechanisms of Action, Safety Profile, and Applications AU - Ahmad Umar Faruq AU - Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim Y1 - 2025/09/13 PY - 2025 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jddmc.20251103.11 DO - 10.11648/j.jddmc.20251103.11 T2 - Journal of Drug Design and Medicinal Chemistry JF - Journal of Drug Design and Medicinal Chemistry JO - Journal of Drug Design and Medicinal Chemistry SP - 39 EP - 47 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2472-3576 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jddmc.20251103.11 AB - Eugenol is a natural occurring phenylpropanoid that is primarily derived from clove oil. It’s known to have a broad spectrum of pharmacological effects such as, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic, neuroprotective, and anticancer activities. Its therapeutic action are mediated through various molecular mechanisms, such as the inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes, regulation of oxidative stress, induction of apoptosis, and prevention of tumor metastasis. However, despite its promised clinical benefits as a bioactive compound, its clinical potential faces limitation due to the poor aqueous solubility, bioavailability and dose dependent toxicity. Nevertheless, recent advancements in the field of drug delivery systems particularly Micro/Nano-formulations through encapsulation techniques offer potential solutions to these limitations. This review aims to present a comprehensive overview of eugenol, aiming on its natural sources, chemical structure, pharmacological properties, and mechanisms of action, safety considerations, current applications, recent advancements and future perspectives for eugenol as multifunctional bioactive compound potential. VL - 11 IS - 3 ER -