LAUSR

n the Western world, essential oils are the fourth leading cause of accidental ingestions (1). Clove oil, an essential oil, is used to I alleviate toothaches (1) via its analgesic component eugenol. Eugenol is metabolized by the liver through the cytochrome p450 system and is known to cause heptatoxicity (2) similar to acetaminophen via glutathione depletion (3). Specifically, in murine models, treatment with both eugenol and an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis led to hepatotoxicity characterized by hepatic congestion and centrilobular necrosis (3). Despite increasing use of essential oils, there are few reports on clove oil ingestion. Although NAC has been previously used to treat eugenol toxicity, in both prior cases NAC was only given 24 hours or longer after ingestion, and severe liver injury with multiorgan dysfunction occurred despite therapy (1,4). We report a case of a patient with clove oil-associated hepatotoxicity wherein NAC was administered early and the patient’s course was milder and shorter compared to the others in the literature.