The botanical name of clove is Syzgium aromaticum and belongs to Myrtaceae family. Clove is highly beneficial for health as it helps in curing various ailments. The bud is considered to be the best Ayurvedic home remedy for various ailments like toothaches, indigestion, joint pains, asthma, skin disorders, cough and headache etc.
Clove is a dried flower bud. Oil extracted from the clove is used for medicinal purpose. The bud of clove is called Lavanga in Sanskrit. It is also known by various other commonly names such as Shriisanjnan, Laung and Lavang. Various health benefits of clove are discussed in this article.
Health Benefits of Clove
Clove is used for following health benefits:
- Toothaches — Clove bud should be pressed between the jaws at the site of paining tooth. This relieves the pain.
- Tooth decay — Clove oil should be applied in decaying tooth cavity. The method gives relief from pain and improves the infection.
- Bad breath — Chewing clove bud freshens the mouth and removes bad breath.
- Cough — Decoction prepared by boiling 5 to 6 clove buds in 30 ml water should be taken with honey 3 times a day, relieves coughing. Clove chewed with common salt also gives relief from cough. To cure spasmodic cough in asthma, bronchitis and tuberculosis, garlic and clove oil mixed in honey should be taken before sleeping.
- Asthma — Boil 2 cloves, Tulsi leaves and 10 black pepper in water for 15 minutes. Filter it and add 2 teaspoon honey. Drink the decoction with milk to get relief from asthma.
- Acidity — To get relief from acidity, suck a clove bud.
- Stomach ache — Clove oil should be taken with sugar to cure stomach ache.
- Headache — To get relief from headache, prepare a clove paste with common salt and drink with milk. If clove paste is applied externally, it also relieves headache.
- Nausea — Paste prepared by mixing clove powder in honey should be taken to get relief from the problem of nausea and vomiting. Clove boiled in water and if administered to pregnant women eases vomiting sensation.
- Joint pain — Clove oil added to mustard oil helps in relieving joint pains and it is also effective in muscular cramps.
- Earache — Clove oil mixed in sesame oil should be warmed and put 2 to 3 drops in ear to get relief from earache.
- Acne — Clove powder mixed in honey should be applied on the affected area to get relief from acne problem.
- Sty (Inflammation on the eye lashes) — Clove stub should be rubbed over the affected area to get relief from the problem.
- Insect repellent — Clove is an insect repellent and it should be diluted in 1:10 ratio with water and sprayed.
- Catarrh — clove in betel leaf is an effective remedy for catarrh.
The above are some of the health benefits of clove oil. It is also used as a culinary spice and clove oil is used in manufacture of soaps, perfumes and bath salts.
