Description: Cloves are the unopened pink flower buds of the evergreen clove tree. The buds are picked by hand when they are pink and dried until they turn brown in color. Cloves are about ½ inch long and ¼ inch in diameter and with their tapered stem, they resemble tiny nails. In fact, their English name is actually derived from the Latin word clavus, which means nail. Although cloves have a very hard exterior, their flesh features an oily compound that is essential to their nutritional and flavor profile. Clove is produced in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala in India. Tamil Nadu contributes to around 75% while Karnataka contributes to around 20% and Kerala around 5%.

Uses: Cloves are a widely used as medicine in Asia. Clove oil is antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and germicidal. Cloves contain 15 to 20% essential oil, which is mostly Eugenol, which is a very strong antiseptic. Clove oil is also best known as a local anaesthetic for toothache. Clove oil is known to provide immediate relief when applied directly to an aching tooth. It is a strong stimulant and carminative and used to treat nausea, indigestion and dyspepsia. Both clove and clove oil is used for mouth infections, viral hepatitis, bacterial colitis, cholera, amoebic dysentery, infectious acne, nervites, cystites, sinusitis, bronchitis, flu, tuberculosis, hypertension, thyroid dysfunction, digestive problems, muscular disorders, asthma, nausea, and fatigue.