title: Effectiveness of topical clove oil on symptomatic treatment of chronic pruritus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pruritus is a frequent symptom in the general population and in many skin and systemic diseases. Its frequency demonstrates a high burden and an impaired quality of life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Assessment of the efficacy of topically applied clove oil alone in the treatment of chronic pruritus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty selected subjects diagnosed with chronic pruritus due to either hepatic, renal, or diabetic causes were studied and divided into two groups of 25 patients each. Group I patients were instructed to hydrate the skin and then apply topical clove oil while group II patients applied petrolatum topically by hand; this application was done on the areas of pruritus, twice daily and for 2 weeks. The severity of the itch was assessed and compared before and after the study by 5-D itch scale. The results were analyzed by SPSS. Statistical methods such as descriptive analysis, independent-samples t-test, paired-samples t-test, and chi-square were employed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant improvement regarding all studied individual parameters (5-D itch scale) for the clove oil users with no significance among petrolatum users. Comparison of 5-D itch scale total score between patients of group I and patients of group II favored the improvement following the use of clove oil than using placebo (P value>.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The topical treatment of chronic pruritus with clove oils is effective, easy to use, safe, cheap, and more acceptable for whom topical and systemic treatments tend to be irritating, contraindicated, or less well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ibrahim M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed L
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7541-5241
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Elsaie
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Abdelraouf M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Almohsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mahmoud H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Mohey-Eddin
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D045783:Clove Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000150:complications; D004643:Emollients / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010577:Petrolatum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D045783:Clove Oil; D004643:Emollients; D010577:Petrolatum
keywords: clove oil; itch; pruritus