Clove is a spice made from the dried flower of a type of myrtle tree
that is native to the Maluku Islands, also known as Spice Islands of
Indonesia. The tree is also cultivated to harvest the spice elsewhere,
including Brazil, Sri Lanka, India and Madagascar. Like
cinnamon and
similar aromatic spices, clove played a significant role in the economic
development of the East Asia.
For centuries, clove has been used for the preservation of food. In
fact, at one time, it was more common to use the spice to keep meat from
spoiling than it was to use it as a flavoring. The active constituent
responsible for the warm flavor and aromatic characteristics of clove is
eugenol, an antioxidant with antiseptic, anti-fungal and
anti-inflammatory qualities that has been used for various purposes in
the pharmaceutical industry, most notably dentistry. As a rich source of
this compound, clove is also an ingredient in soaps, ointments and other
cosmetics.
