Abstract
The biologically active phytochemicals are sourced from edible and medicinally important plants and are important molecules being used for the formulation of thousands of drugs. These phytochemicals have great benefits against many ailments particularly the inflammatory diseases or oxidative stress-mediated chronic diseases. Eugenol (EUG) is a versatile naturally occurring molecule as phenolic monoterpenoid and frequently found in essential oils in a wide range of plant species. EUG bears huge industrial applications particularly in pharmaceutics, dentistry, flavoring of foods, agriculture, and cosmeceutics. It is being focused recently due to its great potential in preventing several chronic conditions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared EUG as a nonmutant and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) molecule. The available literature about pharmacological activities of EUG shows remarkable anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, and antimicrobial properties and has a significant effect on human health. The current manuscript summarizes the pharmacological characteristics of EUG and its potential health benefits.
Highlights
Eugenol (EUG) or 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol is a phenylpropanoid having an allyl chain-substituted guaiacol (Figure 1)
The major natural sources of EUG are Eugenia caryophyllata which comprises 45-90% [2], and cinnamon has 20-50% of EUG, but the commercial level extraction of EUG is quite expensive with longer cultivation times, while ginger, tulsi, and bay can be used instead of cinnamon and clove as cheaper source [1]
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared EUG generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and a nonmutagenic substance
Summary
Eugenol (EUG) or 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol is a phenylpropanoid having an allyl chain-substituted guaiacol (Figure 1). EUG, a naturally occurring compound, has been reported to be present in several plant families including Holy basil or tulsi leaves (Lamiaceae), Eugenia caryophyllata (clove), Zingiber officinale (ginger), bark and leaves of Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon), Curcuma longa (turmeric), and peppers (Solanaceae) [1], as well as various aromatic plants such as Cinnamomum verum (true cinnamon), Ocimum basilicum (basil), Myristica fragrans Houtt. The pharmacological properties of EUG are numerous including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, and antitumor activities that make it a Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. The WHO declared EUG generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and a nonmutagenic substance. This naturally occurring molecule has a large utilization in perfumery industry and food industry [4]. There is a huge list of pharmacological activities and bioactivities of EUG along with industrial utilization. This review will discuss the roles of EUG in inflammatory and chronic diseases, in its antioxidant potential, and in neuroprotection
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