Farmeroid

Kottayam, Kerala

Cloves are used in IndianAyurvedicmedicine, Chinese medicine, and westernherbalismanddentistrywhere theessential oilis used as ananodyne(painkiller) for dental emergencies. Cloves are used as acarminative, to increase hydrochloric acid in the stomach and to improveperistalsis. Cloves are also said to be a naturalanthelmintic.The essential oil is used in aromatherapy when stimulation and warming are needed, especially for digestive problems. Topical application over the stomach or abdomen are said to warm the digestive tract. Applied to a cavity in a decayed tooth, it also relieves toothache.

In Chinese medicine, cloves ording xiangare considered acrid, warm, and aromatic, entering thekidney, spleenandstomachmeridians, and are notable in their ability to warm the middle, direct stomachqidownward, to treathiccupand to fortify the kidneyyang.Because the herb is so warming, it is contraindicated in any persons with fire symptoms and according to classical sources should not be used for anything except cold fromyangdeficiency. As such, it is used in formulas for impotence or clear vaginal discharge fromyangdeficiency, for morning sickness together withginsengandpatchouli, or for vomiting and diarrhea due to spleen and stomach coldness.

Clovesare the aromaticflowerbudsof a tree in the familyMyrtaceae, Syzygium aromaticum. They are native to theMaluku IslandsinIndonesia, and are commonly used as aspice. Cloves are commercially harvested primarily inBangladesh, Indonesia, India, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, andTanzania. Cloves are available throughout the year.