Eugenol and carvacrol induce temporally desensitizing patterns of oral irritation and enhance innocuous warmth and noxious heat sensation on the tongue

Eugenol and carvacrol are derived from the oils of clove and oregano, respectively, and impart warming, numbing, and irritant sensations in the oral cavity by interacting with the heat-sensitive ion channel TRPV3. Here we show that these agents induce oral irritation in a manner that exhibits self-desensitization and cross-desensitization of capsaicin-evoked irritancy, and enhancement of warmth and heat pain, but not cold sensation.