Botanical name : Syzygium aromaticum (Linn.) Merrill & Perry
Family : Myrtaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Lavanga, Devapushpa, Bringa, Sreeprasunaka
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta, Katu
Guna : Lakhu, Teekshna, Snigdha
Virya : Seeta
Vipaka : Katu
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Clove tree
Hindi : Launga, laumg
Malayalam : Gramboo, Karayampoo, Karampoo
Distribution – Cultivated in the hilly areas of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamilnadu states in India.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
A small to moderate sized evergreen tree grows up to 15 meters of height. Leaves simple, lanceolate, fragrant; flower buds pink, found as clusters in the tip of branches, aromatic, with pungent taste. Fruits fleshy dark drupes; enclosing oblong grooved seeds.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated kapha, pitta, flatulence, colic, anorexia, pain, cough, skin diseases, headache, vomiting, and dental caries. Clove oil is used as local anesthetic for dental treatments; and as a good pain reliever if applied locally, due to its counterirritant property.
Useful part : Dried flower buds, oil.
Photo : Dr. Eby Abraham MD