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Common Name
Clove
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Botanical Name
Syzygium aromaticum
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Part Used
Flower bud
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Clinical Summary
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Monograph
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Alcohol
45%
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Dose
5 to 80mL weekly
Clove is useful for the treatment of toothaches and gum disorders, candida, ringworm, athlete’s foot and other fungal infections, bacterial and viral infections such as bronchial infections, coughs and sinus problems, digestive disorders such as indigestion, immune modulation and oxidative stress.
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Traditional Use
Clove has a long history of use as a culinary and household spice in many cultures. In cooking, clove is used in sweet and savoury dishes alike. In ancient times cloves were used as a natural preservative in food, for embalming and as an ingredient in incense and herbal cigarettes. Clove has also been used as a medicinal plant in many cultures including in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as Western herbal medicine. The main applications were for digestive disorders and pain relief in tooth ache as the oil has an anaesthetic and antiseptic action.
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Actions
Astringent, anaesthetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, vulnerary, carminative, antibacterial, antifungal
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Indications
• Tooth aches & gum disorders
• Candida and other fungal infections
• Bacterial and viral infections
• Digestive disorders, especially ulcers
• Anal fissures (topical)
• Immune modulation
• Oxidative stress -
Energetics
Pungent, heating
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Use in Pregnancy
While culinary use is safe, medicinal dosages of clove in pregnancy should be avoided as there is insufficient safety data and some animal studies have shown clove can interfere with implantation or have teratogenic effects.
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Contraindications & Cautions
Clove should be avoided in those with a known allergy or hypersensitivity.
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Drug Interactions
Caution with anticoagulant/antiplatelet (such as warfarin) and antidiabetes drugs.
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Dietary Information
Vegan friendly. Gluten and dairy free
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Substitutes
Prickly Ash, Cinnamon, Thyme