PHYTOCHEMISTRY, PHARMACOLOGY & MEDICINAL IMPORTANCE OF CLOVE: A REVIEW

Abstract

Clove has many medicinal uses.It is used in the treatment of toothache, and for mouth and throat inflammation. Cloves have historically been used in Indian cuisine. In the north Indian cuisine, it is used in almost every sauce, mostly ground up along with other spices. Cloves possess antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. One of the main constituents of clove oil is eugenol and exhibits broad antimicrobial activities. Cloves are well known also for their antiemetic and carminative properties. Traditionally it is used to treat flatulence, nausea and vomiting. The volatile oil of clove is highly active against a range of test microorganisms, being classified as bactericidal in nature.