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nature direct 2u
Most common oils
Chamomile Others Seeds
Glossary |
Clove |
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Eugenia caryophyllata The Latin name is cariofilum. Arabia, Iran and Turkey and most of India call it calafur. In the area of the Molucca islands, where it is native, the name is chanque.
Cloves are a widely used medicine in Asian herbalism. They have been considered an aphrodisiac in China since the 3rd century B.C. Even in Europe they quickly acquired some fame; the Danish medieval herbalist Harpenstreng realised the value of cloves, stating that they "makes the man desire the woman", and that they promote digestion. The Swahili used a bark decoction as a remedy for diarrhea. Egyptians used clove to strengthen the respiratory system. Eugenia is widely used in Paraguayan folk medicine for treating gout.
It's aroma is light, sweet, warm, spicy and fruity. It is a medium note (room scent only) and mixes well with geranium, lavender, lemon, peppermint, pink grapefruit, rosemary, sandalwood, ylang-ylang, basil, black pepper, cinnamon, citronella, nutmeg, orange, citronella & rose. Clove oil is antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and germicidal. It is a good oil for the prevention of disease and infection. The volatile oil is a powerful analgesic. Cloves are very hot, energizing aromatics. When of good quality they are fat, oily, and dark brown in colour, and give out their oil when squeezed with the finger-nail. When a pale colour and dry, they are of inferior quality and yield little oil. Clove stalks are said to be stronger and more pungent than the cloves. The powdered stems are often sold as pure powdered cloves. Clove oil is best known as a local anaesthetic for toothache. Eugenol, it's principal constituent, is used synthetically in the dental industry for numbing the gums. Compounds in clove oil have shown "strong activity" against bacteria associated with plaque and gum disease. This stimulating oil is widely used in mouthwash and gargle. Both clove and clove oil is used in European hospitals for mouth infections, viral hepatitis, bacterial colitis, cholera, amoebic dysentery, infectious acne, nervites, cystites, sinusitis, bronchitis, flu, tuberculosis, hypertension, thyroid dysfunction, digestive problems, muscular disorders, asthma, nausea, and fatigue. Clove is a powerful oil that has been used for the sterilization of surgical instruments. The most stimulating and carminative of all aromatics; it is given in powder or infusion for nausea emesis, flatulence, languid indigestion and dyspepsia, and used chiefly to assist the action of other medicines. Cloves are considered to promote circulation in the lungs and the stomach. Clove oil is very warm to the system, and is very useful with people who have cold extremities. Cloves will promote sweating with fevers, colds and influenza. Herbalists use cloves to promote fluid flow in the lymph system. It is a strong germicide, a powerful antiseptic, and has been used with success as a stimulating expectorant in phthisis and bronchial troubles. Fresh infusion of cloves contains astringent matter as well as the volatile oil. If distilled with water, salt must be added to raise the temperature of ebullition and the same. It is also used as an effective insect and mosquito repellent. Care: Clove is a powerful skin irritant and it should not be used undiluted on the skin. Do not use during pregnancy. Do not use on children under age 5. DISCLAIMER: This page is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for accurate diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care professional. The author is neither a chemist nor an herbalist and has had no medical training whatsoever. The content herein is the product of research, not practical experience. |
