CLOVE

CLOVE

Fruits and herbs including rhubarb, pomegranate, mint and cloves could be used to develop new drugs for a range of human diseases, according to major new research. Scientists at Kings College London tested more than 8,000 natural chemicals taken from 240 plants most commonly used in Chinese medicine. They found almost two-thirds of the herbs contained chemicals which experts believe have the potential to be used as drugs to treat human diseases. Ginseng and rhubarb may be used to treat inflammation, while ginkgo and mint could potentially help control diabetes. Pomegranate and cloves could be used in treating HIV, because they contain a wide range of chemicals which could interfere with the way the virus attacks cells. Traditionally cloves have been used to treat flatulence, nausea and vomiting. In tropical Asia cloves have been given to treat such diverse infections as malaria, cholera and tuberculosis, as well as scabies. Traditional uses in America include treating worms, viruses, candida, various bacterial and protozoan infections. It is not safe to inhale cloves, however taken orally is fine provided you follow the RDA. It is recognized that rhubarb not only exercises a digestive action but it operates directly as a conveyer of bile salts. It can therefore be classed as a hepatic stimulant. Rhubarb performs its first digestive operation in the mouth by stimulating the taste buds with its pleasantly bitter flavor which gives a sense of cleansing out the oral cavity, preparing it to taste the coming food. When it reaches the stomach its digestive effects come into full play, causing an increase of the flow of gastric juice and inducing their movement, thus favoring the processing of the contents of the stomach. Besides stimulating the secretions from the liver which convey the bile salts, it assists the intestine in regulating the absorption of fats.


What is the most important information I should know about clove?
Clove is a commonly used flavoring agent and food product. Clove is also available as an herbal supplement. The information contained in this leaflet refers to the use of clove as an herbal supplement. When used as a food product, the benefits and potential side effects of clove may be less pronounced than when it is used as an herbal supplement.
Do not use clove without first talking to your doctor if you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder, or if you are taking any medicines to prevent or treat a blood clotting disorder. Clove has been reported to affect blood clotting.
Clove has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of clove may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.
What is clove?
The use of clove in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous.
Clove is also known as Eugenia carylphyllata, caryophyllus, and eugenol.
Clove is a commonly used flavoring agent and food product. Clove is also available as an herbal supplement. The information contained in this leaflet refers to the use of clove as an herbal supplement. When used as a food product, the benefits and potential side effects of clove may be less pronounced than when it is used as an herbal supplement.
Clove has been used for the topical treatment of toothache. Clove has also been used for the common cold, cough, and inflammation of the mouth or throat.
Clove has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of clove may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.
Clove may also have uses other than those listed in this product guide.
Who should not take clove?
Do not use clove without first talking to your doctor if you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder, or if you are taking any medicines to prevent or treat a blood clotting disorder. Clove has been reported to affect blood clotting.
Talk to your doctor before taking clove if you have any other medical conditions, if you take medicines or herbal/health supplements, or if you suffer from allergies (especially to plants). Clove may not be recommended in some situations.
Do not take clove supplements without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy. It is not known whether clove will harm an unborn baby. The amount of clove customarily used in foods is not reported to be problematic.

Do not take clove without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. It is also not known whether clove will harm a nursing infant. The amount of clove customarily used in foods is not reported to be problematic.
There is no information available regarding the use of clove supplements by children. Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without first talking to the child's doctor.
How should I take clove?
The use of clove in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous.
If you choose to take clove, use it as directed on the package or as directed by your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider. Generally, is used topically.
Standardized extracts or oils of clove may provide a more reliable dose of the product.
Store clove as directed on the package. In general, clove should be protected from light and moisture.
What happens if I miss a dose?
No information is available regarding a missed dose of clove. Consult your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider if you require further information.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention.
Symptoms of a clove overdose have not been reported.
What should I avoid while taking clove?
There are no known restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while taking clove, unless otherwise directed by your health care provider.
What are the possible side effects of clove?
Although uncommon, allergic reactions to clove have been reported. Stop taking clove and seek emergency medical attention if you experience symptoms of a serious allergic reaction including difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives.
Irritation of the skin and mucous membranes has been reported with the use of clove. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
What other drugs will affect clove?
Do not take clove without first talking to your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
warfarin (Coumadin);
aspirin;
a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, others), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, others), ketoprofen (Orudis KT, Orudis), indomethacin (Indocin), etodolac (Lodine), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), sulindac (Clinoril), tolmetin (Tolectin), and others;
ardeparin (Normiflo);
dalteparin (Fragmin);
danaparoid (Orgaran);
enoxaparin (Lovenox); or
heparin.
Clove has been reported to affect blood clotting. You may not be able to take clove, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring while taking clove if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with clove or affect your condition. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines or other herbal/health supplements.
Where can I get more information?
Your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider may have more information about clove.

Consultation with a licensed health care professional is advisable before using any herbal/health supplement. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous. Remember, keep this and all other prescription drug products, over-the-counter drug products, and herbal/health supplements out of the reach of children.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Daily clove use discouraged because of DNA-altering risk
By Joe and Terry Graedon
The People's Pharmacy
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Question: I have been diagnosed with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). My symptom is a gagging reflexive cough.
I have accidentally found out that I get relief from the chronic cough by sucking on dried cloves. This is the most comforting relief I have had from this condition in many years. When the cloves are soft, I usually eat them. I eat two to four a day. Are cloves safe to eat?
Answer: Cloves have been used as a spice for seasoning food for centuries, and they are generally recognized as safe for that use. Dentists have used clove oil topically for pain relief, and some Eastern medical traditions suggest that cloves can be helpful against heartburn and cough.
We would discourage you from eating cloves daily, as there are some disturbing data suggesting that an ingredient in clove oil (eugenol) may alter DNA (Mutagenesis, May 2006). Whether this would lead to cancer is unknown.
Q. My husband is very interested in the remedy with raisins and gin. He is really suffering with arthritis in both knees.
A. We have heard from many people who have found the gin-raisin remedy helpful. One wrote: "I have had both my hips replaced due to arthritis, and have been an avid golfer for more than 40 years. I thought I was going to need one of my hips redone this spring due to all the pain that has come back. A few days before my spring golf trip to Nevada in mid-March, I started taking the gin-and-raisin remedy.
"I used Fleischmann's Gin and dark raisins. I took seven a day in the morning and seven a day before going to bed.
"I have been pain-free ever since. I was in agony before. My pain was gone in 48 hours from the first day I tried it."
We are sending you our Guide to Home Remedies with the recipes for gin-raisins, Certo and grape juice, and other low-cost approaches to joint pain. Anyone who would like a copy, send $2 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (59 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. R-1, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.