Clove oil has been and continues to be used in connection with respiratory ailments such asasthma and bronchitis, muscle aches, sprains and strains, arthritis and rheumatism. Many individuals use clove oil forits analgesic effects for body pain.Clove is a slender evergreen tree up to 39ft high. Its bright green leaves stand in pairs on short stalks. The long buds have a rosy-pinkcorolla at the tip; as the corolla fades the calyx turns red. The whole tree is highly aromatic. The spice was introduced into Europe from the fourth to the sixth century. Believed to be native to Indonesia; now cultivated worldwide, especially in the Philippines, the Molucca Islands and Madagascar. The main oil-producing countries are Madagascar and Indonesia. Clove leaf oil is steam distilled from the leaf of the plant. The medicinal properties reside in the volatile oil. If distilled with water, salt must be added to raise the temperature of ebullition and the same Cloves must be distilled over and over again to get their full essence. The oil is frequently adulterated with fixed oil and oil of Pimento and Copaiba.
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Specification of Clove Bud Oil
Product Code
LJP/CBO
Name
Clove Bud Oil
Botanical Name
Eugenia Caryophyllata
Obtain
By steam distillation from wood the buds of the clove. Oil is also produced from the steam & leaves.
Appearance
brownish yellow
Specific gravity
0.038 TO 0.5250
Optical Rotation
1.5270 TO 1.5350
Solubility
Soluble in alcohol and other organic solvents and insoluble in water
History
Well known as a domestic spice worldwide. The dried spice, steeped in wine, was formerly given to ease the pain of childbirth.
This tradition somewhat continues in various northern European countries, where red wine is steeped with various spices, among them clove and cinnamon, for the popular “Gluhwein” (translate this as “glowing wine”, which probably refers to the red cheeks it creates when consumed).
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Property
Clove oil has a warm, strong, spicy smell and the oil is colorless to pale yellow with a medium to watery viscosity. A native of Indonesia and the Malacca Islands, it is an evergreen tree that grows to about 10 meters (30 feet) tall and has bright green leaves and nail-shaped rose-peach flower buds which turn, upon drying, a deep red brown. These are beaten from the tree and dried.
The Latin word 'Clavus' means nail shaped, referring to the bud.It was often used by the Greeks, Roman and the Chinese, to ease toothache and as a breath sweetener, especially when talking to the Emperor.
It has antiseptic properties and was used in the prevention of contagious diseases, such as the Plaque.It was an important commodity in the spice trade and is still used in perfumes, mulled wines and liqueurs, love potions, dental products and, stuck in an orange as pomade, an insect repellant.
Benefits / Uses
Ancient all-purpose remedy - Cloves have been used in Southeast Asia for thousands of years and were regarded as a panacea for almost all ills.
Antiseptic - The antiseptic property of cloves makes them useful for treating certain viral conditions. In tropical Asia, they have often been given to treat infections such as malaria, cholera, and tuberculosis, and parasites such as scabies.
Antispasmodic - Digestive discomfort, such as gas, colic, and abdominal bloating, can be relieved with cloves. Their antispasmodic property also eases coughs and, applied topically, relieves muscle spasms.
Mind & body stimulant - Cloves are a stimulant, both to the mind (improving memory) and to the body as a whole, and have been used as an aphrodisiac both in India and in the West. The herb has also been used to prepare for childbirth. Clove helps stimulate and strengthen uterine muscle contractions in labor.
Additional uses - Besides all their other uses, cloves can be used to treat acne, bell's palsy, skin ulcers, sores, and styes. They also make a potent mosquito and moth repellent. Oranges studded with cloves were used in the Moluccas as insect repellents.
Western herbalism - Despite the bewildering variety of their therapeutic uses, cloves are underrated in the West. They are used regularly only in mouthwashes and for their local anesthetic effect - for example, in relieving toothache.
Other medical uses - Altitude sickness, Strep throat, Stomach cancer.
Safety Data
Clove oil is a very potent oil and should be used with care. If it is used in a oil, lotion or cream applied to the skin, the concentration should be well below 1%.
It may cause irritation to the skin of some individuals and can easily irritate the mucus membranes. It should be avoided during pregnancy.
