Botanical Name
Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry
Family
Myrtaceae
Synonyms
Eugenia aromatic Kuntze, Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb., Eugenia caryophyllus (Spreng.) Bullock & S.G.Harrison, Caryophyllus hortensis Noronha, Caryophyllus silvestris Teijsm. ex Hassk., Jambosa caryophyllus (Thunb.) Nied.
Regional Name
English : Clove,
Hindi : Lavanga, Laung,
Sanskrit : Devapuspa,
Urdu : Qarnful, Laung,
Punjabi : Laung, Long,
Gujrati : Lavang, Laving,
Bengali : Lavang,
Assamese : Lavang, Lan, Long,
Kannada : Lavanga,
Kashmiri : Rung,
Malayalam :Karampu, Karayarnpoovu, Grampu,
Marathi : Lavang,
Oriya : Labanga,
Tamil : Kirambu, Lavangam,
Telugu : Lavangalu.
Part Used
Flower buds.
Description
Lavang is native to Malay Archipelago especially Moluccas, cultivated in many Asian islands and south India. Within India, it is cultivated mainly in Kerala (Kottarakara, Chengannur, valleys of Pamban and Manimala rivers, and gardens of Pidavoor and Kottayam areas) and Tamil Nadu (the Nilgiris, Courtallam and Kanniyakumari). Flower bud measuring 10-17.5 mm in length, dark brown or dusty red, consisting of a sub-cylindrical, slightly flattened, four sided hypanthium, two celled inferior ovary with numerous ovules attached to a axile placenta, surmounted by four thick, divergent sepals and covered by unopened corolla consisting of four membranous imbricate petals,frequently detached, enclosing numerous incurved stamens and one erect-style, odour, strongly aromatic, taste, pungent, aromatic followed by slight tingling of the tongue.
Phytoconstituents
Main chemical constituents are Essential oils. It contains eugenol, eugenitin, eugenalacetate, caryophyllene, phenylpropanoids such as carvacrol, thymol, and cinnamaldehyde. It also contains acetyl eugenol, beta-
caryophyllene and
vanillin,
crategolic acid.
Ayurvedic Properties
Rasa : Katu, Tikta,
Guna : Laghu, Tiksna,
Vipaka : Katu,
Virya : Sita,
Karma : Sulahara, Dipana, Kasahara, Kaphapittasamaka, Pacana, Rucya.
Ayurvedic Applications
Amlapitta, Svasa, Chardi, Ahmana, Hikka, Kasa, Ksaya, Trsna.
Medicinal Uses
It is used in Digestive disorders, dyspepsia, gastric irritability, diarrhoea, stomach and bowel ailments, Cholera, Coughs, irritation relieving pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx), Asthma, Head ache, Teeth ache, Ear Ache, Muscular Cramps and relaxing muscle. It is also used to relieve pain from rheumatism, arthritis, or other inflammation-based pain.