Effect of Topical Clove (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry) Gel on Premature Ejaculation: A Pilot Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Ahmad Reza  Sharifi Olounabadi; Fereidoun Khayyamfar; Mohammad Kamalinejad; Mahmood Salesi; Fatemeh Alijaniha; Fatemeh Emadi; Farzaneh Ghaffari; Babak Daneshfard; Mohsen Naseri

doi:10.18502/tim.v6i3.7312

Ahmad Reza Sharifi Olounabadi Department of Traditional Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
Fereidoun Khayyamfar Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Kamalinejad School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahmood Salesi Medicine, Quran and Hadith Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Fatemeh Alijaniha Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
Fatemeh Emadi Department of Traditional Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
Farzaneh Ghaffari School of Traditional Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Babak Daneshfard Integrative Medicine Research Unit, Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohsen Naseri Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/tim.v6i3.7312

Keywords: Clove; Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb; Integrative medicine; Premature ejaculation; Persian medicine; Randomized controlled trial; Syzygium aromaticum; Urology; Sexual disorders

Abstract

Premature ejaculation is one of the most common sexual disorders worldwide without a satisfying treatment. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a topical formulation of clove oil in premature ejaculation patients. Eligible patients were randomly divided into two groups to use either Syzygium aromaticum (SA) 1% gel or placebo gel 10 minutes before the intercourse for a period of 8 weeks. Outcome measurement were Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaires in addition to Intravaginal Ejaculation Latency Time (IELT). A total number of 22 (11 patients in each group) participants completed the study. At the end of the intervention, the IELT scores changed from 29.84 ± 18.59 to 97.09 ± 91.86 and 42.51 ± 13.98 to 52.45 ± 32.7 seconds in SA gel and placebo groups, respectively (p-value = 0.003). Also, the changes of PEDT scores in the SA gel group (from 14 ± 3.55 to 9.2 ± 4.56) comparing to that of placebo gel group (from 14.63 ± 3.61 to 13.5 ± 3.78) was significantly different (p-value =0.001). Moreover, results of IIEF questionnaire revealed significant improvement of “Intercourse Satisfaction” in SA gel group (p-value = 0.016). No adverse event was observed. It seems that SA gel could be beneficial in the treatment of premature ejaculation; however, it should be further evaluated in larger studies.