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Clove oil is made up mainly of eugenol, which is known to kill the larvae of disease-spreading mosquitoes such as Aedes aegyptiDepsoitphotos VIEW 1 IMAGES The best method of limiting the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases is to kill the mosquito larvae, but doing so often involves the use of synthetic insecticides. A new study now suggests a method of improving the effectiveness of a cheaper, longer-lasting alternative – clove oil. Thanks to a chemical compound within it known as eugenol, clove oil is already known for its ability to eradicate mosquito larvae when added to standing water. Not only is...

Appearing in the January 2010 issue of JLRFor those who do not drink, researchers have found that six essential oils –from thyme, clove, rose, eucalyptus, fennel and bergamot—can suppress the inflammatory COX-2 enzyme, in a manner similar to resveratrol, the chemical linked with the health benefits of red wine. They also identified that the chemical carvacrol was primarily responsible for this suppressive activity. These findings, appearing in the January issue of Journal of Lipid Research, provide more understanding of the health benefits of many botanical oils and provide a new avenue for anti-inflammatory drugs. Essential oils from plants have long...