Clove Seeds

Clove Seeds in India
The Latin name is cariofilum. Arabia, Iran and Turkey and most of India call it calafur. In the area of the Molucca islands, where it is native, the name is chanque.
Cloves are a widely used medicine in Asian herbalism. They have been considered an aphrodisiac in China since the 3rd century B.C. Even in Europe they quickly acquired some fame; the Danish medieval herbalist Harpenstreng realised the value of cloves, stating that they "makes the man desire the woman", and that they promote digestion. The Swahili used a bark decoction as a remedy for diarrhea. Egyptians used clove to strengthen the respiratory system. Eugenia is widely used in Paraguayan folk medicine for treating gout.
The cloves of commerce are the dried embryo seed. If the seeds are allowed to mature, most of the pungency is lost. The varieties of clove are known by the names of the localities in which they are grown. Formerly cloves were often adulterated, but as production increased the price lowered and has decreased. Cloves contain a large amount of essential oil which is much used in medicine. Cloves must be steam distilled over and over again to get their full essence.