Extraction and Analysis of Eugenol from Clove

Eugenol is a bioactive phenolic compound with antimicrobial, antioxidant and anaesthetic properties, but its extraction from locally available cloves and its characterization are still insufficiently reported. This study aimed to extract eugenol from clove (Syzygium aromaticum) buds, determine the percentage yield, characterize the extract and evaluate its antibacterial activity. Dried clove buds purchased from a local market in Birnin Kebbi were ground and extracted with 90% ethanol in a Soxhlet apparatus, and the solvent was removed with a rotary evaporator. The extract was characterized using colour tests (Marquis, Mecke and FeCl3 reagents), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), and its antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was assessed at 30, 60 and 90 mg/cm3 using the agar well diffusion method. The extraction gave a percentage yield of 77.6% (crude extract). The Marquis, Mecke and FeCl3 reagents produced red, green-to-black and green colours, respectively, and the FTIR spectrum showed bands characteristic of the O-H, C-H, aromatic C=C and C-O groups of eugenol. GC-MS revealed a complex mixture in which eugenol was not the dominant peak, so further purification and confirmation against an authentic standard are required. The extract inhibited both bacteria, with zones of inhibition of up to 25 mm for S. aureus and 28 mm for E. coli at 90 mg/cm3. These findings support the potential of clove-derived eugenol as a natural antimicrobial agent for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.

Cloves, Eugenol, Antioxidant, GC-MS and Pharmacological Properties

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