Uses for Clove

Cloves have been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. The use of cloves dates back as far as 1721 BC, to their native Indonesia. Cloves are also documented to have been used in China as early as 400 BC as a breath freshener.



Cloves, the unbloomed buds of the clove tree, consist largely---72 percent to 90 percent---of a compound called eugenol, an oily liquid that gives cloves their strong aroma, as well as most of the medicinal purposes attributed to them.

Cloves for Toothaches and Dental Care

• Powdered clove is commonly used in mouthwash and toothpaste.

  Because of their mild anesthetic properties, bruised cloves held in the mouth can give temporary relief from a toothache. A drop of clove oil placed on a sore tooth will have the same effect. Dentists use clove oil mixed with zinc oxide for temporary fillings. Clove powder and oil have germicidal properties and are used as ingredients in mouthwash and toothpaste.

Cloves as an Antioxidant

• Clove oil is a powerful antioxidant. Cloves contain the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid, which assists in preserving vision in old age by preventing the breakdown of the retina.

  A study done by faculty in the Department of Food Engineering at Atatürk University, Turkey, found that phenolic compounds cause cloves' antioxidant properties and that cloves can be used as an accessible source of natural antioxidants in food supplements and pharmaceuticals.

Cloves as an Insect Repellant and Vermifuge for Pets

• Clove oil is an effective insect repellent and can be used on herbal flea collars or added to herbal sprays to repel fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and other pests.

  Cloves are an effective vermifuge, or intestinal worm expeller, for dogs and cats. Cloves can be freshly ground and safely added to food.

Cloves for Treating Diabetic Complications

• A study done at the Universiti Putra Malaysia concluded that dietary supplementation with cloves significantly lowered blood sugar levels in diabetic rats and restored antioxidant enzyme levels. Dietary cloves also reduced diabetic tissue injuries in the lens, cardiac muscles and liver.