Home Ingredients Clovinol® (Clove Bud Polyphenol Extract, Akay Bioactives)
AntioxidantAnti-Inflammatory

Clovinol® (Clove Bud Polyphenol Extract, Akay Bioactives)

Syzygium aromaticum
Evidence Level
Limited
4 Clinical Trials
6 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

Clovinol® is a water-soluble clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum) polyphenol extract made by the Indian company Akay. It is standardized for polyphenols and has had the pungent clove flavor removed, which sets it apart from clove oil, a separate product whose main component is eugenol. Human research is small and comes almost entirely from the maker: a 16-man placebo-controlled crossover during an alcohol challenge, an 84-day trial in 70 adults with metabolic syndrome against synthetic glutathione with no placebo arm, and a 30-day study of blood antioxidant enzymes with no control group. A separate open-label study of a polyphenolic clove extract from the same maker looked at post-meal blood sugar. Every human study used 250 mg a day. Rat and bacterial safety tests found no toxicologically significant changes. Independent placebo-controlled trials have not been published.

Studied Dose 250 mg once a day in every human study: one capsule around a single alcohol challenge, 30 days in capsules or foods in an uncontrolled study, and 84 days in an active-controlled trial.
Active Compound Clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum L.) polyphenol extract; the polyphenolic fraction, distinct from eugenol-based clove oil.

Benefits

Oxidative stress markers during an alcohol challenge

In a placebo-controlled crossover of 16 men who drank alcohol at 1 g/kg body weight, one 250 mg capsule of Clovinol was followed by faster clearance of blood acetaldehyde, lower oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, and higher glutathione and superoxide dismutase than placebo. The study was small, run by the maker, and measured blood markers over 12 hours.

Supported by Trial 1

C-reactive protein and IL-6 after drinking

In the same 16-man crossover, C-reactive protein and IL-6, two blood markers of inflammation, were lower after Clovinol than after placebo, and the hangover severity score was about 55% lower. These are short-term markers from one maker-run study; they do not show protection of the liver or make heavy drinking safer.

Supported by Trial 1

Plasma glutathione over 84 days in an active-controlled trial

In 70 adults with metabolic syndrome taking 250 mg/day for 84 days, the published abstract states that Clovinol enhanced the plasma concentration of glutathione 6-fold, with higher Nrf2, antioxidant enzymes and GSH/GSSG ratio. The abstract does not present the 6-fold figure as a difference from the synthetic glutathione arm, and there was no placebo arm.

Supported by Trial 2

Blood sugar and lipid markers compared with synthetic glutathione

In the same 84-day trial, the abstract reports better fasting and post-meal glucose, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, insulin and blood lipids with Clovinol, while synthetic glutathione showed no significant effect on glucose or lipids. With no placebo arm, the trial cannot show how much of the change beats no treatment.

Supported by Trial 2

Antioxidant enzymes over 30 days

Healthy office workers who took 250 mg a day of Clovinol for 30 days, in capsules or foods, showed higher catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione and lower lipid peroxidation. No control group is described, and the maker ran the study.

Supported by Trial 3, Trial 2

Post-meal blood sugar with the maker's clove extract

In an open-label study of 13 young adults, 250 mg a day of a water-soluble polyphenolic clove extract from the same maker (the paper does not name the product) lowered 2-hour post-meal glucose about 13 to 17 mg/dL from baseline by day 12. There was no control group or blinding, and the maker funded it.

Supported by Trial 3, Trial 2

Mechanism of action

1

Nrf2 and glutathione readouts in people

In the 84-day trial, the abstract reports higher Nrf2, antioxidant enzymes and a higher ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione with Clovinol. These are blood measurements from an active-controlled study; how the clove polyphenols produce them was not tested in people.

2

Faster acetaldehyde clearance after alcohol

In the alcohol-challenge crossover, blood acetaldehyde, the main toxic product of alcohol breakdown, was eliminated faster after Clovinol than after placebo. The study did not test which enzymes were involved.

3

Glucose handling in cell and enzyme tests

In lab tests of the maker's polyphenolic clove extract, it increased glucose uptake in muscle cells, reduced glucose output from liver cells, and inhibited the starch-digesting enzymes alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. These are cell and test-tube findings.

4

Antioxidant and stomach-lining findings in rodents

In rodent studies, Clovinol reduced paw swelling in mice, protected the stomach lining of rats from ethanol damage at 100 mg/kg, and raised superoxide dismutase, glutathione and catalase. These are animal findings that have not been tested in people.

Clinical trials

1
Clovinol and an Alcohol Challenge: Placebo-Controlled Crossover
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover; one 250 mg capsule of Clovinol or placebo with alcohol at 1 g/kg body weight, reversed after a 2-week washout; blood sampled over 12 hours. Four of the five authors are from the extract maker (Akay). (Mammen et al. 2018, J Med Food)

16 male social drinkers.

Compared with placebo, blood acetaldehyde cleared faster, markers of oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, C-reactive protein and IL-6 were lower, glutathione and superoxide dismutase were higher, and the hangover severity score was about 55% lower. A small maker-run study of blood markers over one drinking session; it does not show liver protection or make drinking safer.

2
Clovinol vs an Active Comparator for 84 Days (no placebo)
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, active-controlled trial of Clovinol versus synthetic glutathione, each 250 mg/day for 84 days, with no placebo arm. Outcomes included plasma glutathione, Nrf2 and antioxidant enzymes, glucose and lipid markers, and inflammatory markers; the abstract states that Clovinol enhanced the plasma concentration of glutathione 6-fold (it does not present this as a gap versus the comparator) and reports higher Nrf2, antioxidant enzymes and GSH/GSSG ratio and lower IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio. Not PubMed-indexed; read from its published abstract only. Two of the six authors are from the extract maker (Akay). (Thomas et al. 2022, J Funct Foods)

70 adults with metabolic syndrome.

The abstract reports that the Clovinol arm improved fasting and post-meal glucose, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, insulin and blood lipids, while the comparator showed no significant effect on glucose or lipids. Between-arm statistics were not available to us. With no placebo arm, the trial cannot show how much of the change beats no treatment. No significant side effects or blood-test changes were reported.

3
Clovinol in Capsules and Foods: 30-Day Study (no control group)
PubMed

Product development paper with a 30-day intake study of Clovinol at 250 mg a day in capsules or added to foods and drinks; the abstract describes no placebo or control group. Outcomes were blood antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase), glutathione and lipid peroxidation. Authors from the extract maker. (Johannah et al. 2015, Food Funct)

Healthy adult office workers; number not given in the abstract.

Average levels of the first four markers rose about 33%, 66%, 56% and 167%, and the membrane damage marker fell about 81%, measured before and after intake with no comparison group. These are blood markers, not health outcomes.

4
Safety of Clovinol (Rat and Bacterial Study)
PubMed

Acute (5 g/kg) and 90-day (0.25, 0.5 and 1 g/kg a day) oral toxicity tests in Wistar rats plus Ames mutagenicity tests of Clovinol; co-authored by the extract maker. (Vijayasteltar et al. 2016, Toxicol Rep)

Wistar rats and Salmonella typhimurium test strains; no people.

No toxicologically significant changes in behavior, weight, blood tests, urine or organ tissue versus untreated rats; the no-observed-adverse-effect level was 1000 mg/kg a day, the highest dose tested. No mutagenic activity was found. These results apply to this polyphenol extract, not to clove oil, which is mostly eugenol.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

In the 84-day trial at 250 mg/day, the published abstract reports no significant side effects or toxic changes in blood tests. Human safety data are limited to small maker-run studies lasting from one day to 84 days.
In rats, 90 days at up to 1 g/kg a day caused no toxicologically significant changes (no-observed-adverse-effect level 1000 mg/kg a day, the highest dose tested), and the extract was not mutagenic in Ames tests. These results apply to this polyphenol extract, not to clove oil.
Clovinol is not clove oil. Clove oil should not be swallowed or given to children: the EMA states that 5 to 10 mL taken by mouth by children under 2 caused life-threatening conditions, and that overdose may cause CNS depression, acidosis, worsening liver function, coma, seizures and low blood glucose.
The EMA lists hypersensitivity to clove or to Peru balsam as a contraindication for clove oil products and reports mucosal irritation and allergic reactions; people with a clove allergy should avoid clove products.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: no Clovinol studies have been published in these groups, and the EMA does not recommend clove oil products during pregnancy and lactation; ask your clinician.

Important Drug interactions

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs (such as warfarin): eugenol and acetyl eugenol from clove oil inhibit platelet clumping in lab tests, and a pharmacy review lists clove among herbs that may add to warfarin's bleeding risk. Eugenol and eugenol acetate were detected in Clovinol in its safety study, which did not report the amount, and no human interaction study exists; ask your clinician before combining them or before surgery.
Glucose-lowering medicines: small studies of Clovinol and of the maker's polyphenolic clove extract reported lower glucose readings, so monitor blood sugar if you add it.
If you take any prescription medicine, check with your health care provider before using concentrated clove products.

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Frequently asked questions about Clovinol® (Clove Bud Polyphenol Extract, Akay Bioactives)

Is Clovinol the same as clove oil?

No. Clovinol is a water-soluble clove bud extract standardized for polyphenols, with the clove flavor removed, and the human studies used 250 mg a day. Clove oil is the essential oil, whose main component is eugenol. In Europe it is approved only for short-term use in the mouth and on teeth, and it is not meant to be swallowed.

What does the 6-fold glutathione result mean?

In an 84-day trial in 70 adults, the published abstract states that Clovinol enhanced the plasma concentration of glutathione 6-fold. The abstract does not present this as a 6-fold advantage over the synthetic glutathione the other group took, and the study had no placebo group, so it cannot show how much of the rise beats no treatment.

Who paid for the Clovinol studies in people?

The human studies were run by or with Akay, the company that makes Clovinol, and they were small. Only the 16-man alcohol-challenge crossover compared Clovinol with a placebo. Independent placebo-controlled trials have not been published.

What is Clovinol?

Clovinol® is a water-soluble clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum) polyphenol extract made by the Indian company Akay. It is standardized for polyphenols and has had the pungent clove flavor removed, which sets it apart from clove oil, a separate product whose main component is eugenol.

What is Clovinol used for?

Clovinol is researched primarily for Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory. In a placebo-controlled crossover of 16 men who drank alcohol at 1 g/kg body weight, one 250 mg capsule of Clovinol was followed by faster clearance of blood acetaldehyde, lower oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, and higher glutathion…

What is the recommended dosage of Clovinol?

The clinically studied dose is 250 mg once a day in every human study: one capsule around a single alcohol challenge, 30 days in capsules or foods in an uncontrolled study, and 84 days in an active-controlled trial. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Clovinol safe, and does it have side effects?

Side effects and cautions reported for Clovinol include: In the 84-day trial at 250 mg/day, the published abstract reports no significant side effects or toxic changes in blood tests. Human safety data are limited to small maker-run studies lasting from one day to 84 days. It may also interact with some medications. Clovinol is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Clovinol interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs (such as warfarin): eugenol and acetyl eugenol from clove oil inhibit platelet clumping in lab tests, and a pharmacy review lists clove among herbs that may add to warfarin's bleeding risk. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Clovinol?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Clovinol as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 4 study summaries and 9 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(9 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Mammen RR, Natinga Mulakal J, Mohanan R, Maliakel B, Illathu Madhavamenon K. Clove Bud Polyphenols Alleviate Alterations in Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Markers Associated with Binge Drinking: A Randomized Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study. J Med Food. 2018;21(11):1188-1196. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2017.4177.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover in 16 male social drinkers given alcohol at 1 g/kg body weight: one 250 mg capsule of Clovinol versus placebo, with a 2-week washout and blood sampled over 12 hours. Compared with placebo, blood acetaldehyde was eliminated faster, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, C-reactive protein and IL-6 were lower, glutathione and superoxide dismutase were higher, and the hangover severity score was 55.34% lower. Four of the five authors are from the extract maker (Akay); blood markers over one drinking session, not a liver outcome.
  2. NM J, RM R, G G, Maliakel B, D S, IM K. Beyond the flavour: a de-flavoured polyphenol rich extract of clove buds (Syzygium aromaticum L) as a novel dietary antioxidant ingredient. Food Funct. 2015;6(10):3373-82. doi: 10.1039/c5fo00682a.PubMedUsed to support: Development of a de-flavored clove bud polyphenol extract (Clovinol) for foods, plus a 30-day study in healthy office workers taking 250 mg a day in capsules or foods: catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione rose about 33%, 66%, 56% and 167%, and lipid peroxidation fell about 81%. The abstract describes no placebo or control group. Authors are from the extract maker (Akay).
  3. Issac A, Gopakumar G, Kuttan R, Maliakel B, Krishnakumar IM. Safety and anti-ulcerogenic activity of a novel polyphenol-rich extract of clove buds (Syzygium aromaticum L). Food Funct. 2015;6(3):842-52. doi: 10.1039/c4fo00711e.PubMedUsed to support: Animal study of Clovinol from the maker's research center: it raised antioxidant levels and reduced carrageenan-induced paw swelling in mice, inhibited ethanol-induced stomach lesions in rats by more than 97% at 100 mg/kg by mouth, and raised superoxide dismutase, glutathione and catalase. Acute (5 g/kg) and 28-day (2.5 g/kg) rodent toxicity tests found it suitable for further study. Animal findings only.
  4. Thomas JV, Patel AA, Das Sivadasan S, Sreevallabhan S, Illathu Madhavamenon K, Mohanan R. Clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum L.) polyphenol helps to mitigate metabolic syndrome by establishing intracellular redox homeostasis and glucose metabolism: A randomized, double-blinded, active-controlled comparative study J Funct Foods. 2022;98:105273. doi: 10.1016/j.jff.2022.105273.SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed (author list from Crossref and OpenAlex; read via its published abstract only). Randomized, double-blind trial in 70 adults with metabolic syndrome comparing Clovinol with synthetic glutathione, each 250 mg/day for 84 days, with no placebo arm. The abstract states that Clovinol enhanced the plasma concentration of glutathione 6-fold and does not present this as a difference from the synthetic glutathione arm; it also reports higher Nrf2, antioxidant enzymes and GSH/GSSG ratio, and improved fasting and post-meal glucose, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, insulin and blood lipids with Clovinol, while synthetic glutathione showed no significant effect on glucose or lipids. No significant side effects were reported. Two of the six authors list the extract maker (Akay Natural Ingredients) as their affiliation; funding could not be read.
  5. Mohan R, Jose S, Mulakkal J, Karpinsky-Semper D, Swick AG, Krishnakumar IM. Water-soluble polyphenol-rich clove extract lowers pre- and post-prandial blood glucose levels in healthy and prediabetic volunteers: an open label pilot study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019;19(1):99. doi: 10.1186/s12906-019-2507-7.PubMedUsed to support: Open-label pilot with no control group of a water-soluble polyphenolic clove extract made by Akay (the paper does not name the product): 13 volunteers (7 with normal and 6 with raised pre-meal glucose) took 250 mg after lunch for 30 days. Two-hour post-meal glucose fell from baseline by about 13 to 17 mg/dL by day 12; pre-meal glucose fell only in the higher-glucose group. In lab tests the extract raised muscle-cell glucose uptake, cut liver-cell glucose output and inhibited alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. Funded by Akay (per the full text), with co-authors from Akay and from a supplement company that sells the extract.
  6. Vijayasteltar L, Nair GG, Maliakel B, Kuttan R, I M K. Safety assessment of a standardized polyphenolic extract of clove buds: Subchronic toxicity and mutagenicity studies. Toxicol Rep. 2016;3:439-449. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2016.04.001.PubMedUsed to support: Rat and bacterial safety study of Clovinol: an acute oral test at 5 g/kg (14 days) and 90 days at 0.25, 0.5 and 1 g/kg a day caused no toxicologically significant changes versus untreated rats, giving a no-observed-adverse-effect level of 1000 mg/kg a day, the highest dose tested; no mutagenicity in Ames strains. The full text reports eugenol and eugenol acetate among the compounds identified in Clovinol (amount not given) and no methyleugenol. Co-authored by the extract maker (Akay); applies to this polyphenol extract, not clove oil.
  7. Srivastava KC. Antiplatelet principles from a food spice clove (Syzygium aromaticum L) [corrected]. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 1993;48(5):363-72. doi: 10.1016/0952-3278(93)90116-e.PubMedUsed to support: Lab study in human platelets: eugenol and acetyl eugenol isolated from clove oil inhibited platelet aggregation triggered by arachidonate, adrenaline and collagen, partly by lowering thromboxane formation. Not a study in people taking clove; basis for the bleeding caution.
  8. Heck AM, DeWitt BA, Lukes AL. Potential interactions between alternative therapies and warfarin. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2000;57(13):1221-7; quiz 1228-30.PubMedUsed to support: Pharmacy review listing clove among herbal products that may increase bleeding risk or add to the effect of warfarin; the authors note that nearly all such information comes from lab data, animal studies or individual case reports.
  9. European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Community herbal monograph on Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merill et L. M. Perry, floris aetheroleum (EMA/HMPC/534924/2010) European Medicines Agency. 2011;Final, adopted 13 September 2011. Accessed 2026..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed (EU regulatory document). Traditional-use monograph for clove oil limited to mouth washes and dental application for no more than 1 week; use under 18 years and in pregnancy and lactation is not recommended; hypersensitivity to Peru balsam is a contraindication; mucosal irritation and allergic reactions are reported. It states that 5 to 10 mL of clove oil by mouth in children below 2 years caused life-threatening conditions, and that overdose may cause CNS depression, acidosis, worsening liver function, coma, seizures and low blood glucose.