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An extremely aromatic plant (the entire tree smells of Cloves), this familiar herb grows in tropical regions such as Tanzania, Madagascar, and Brazil. The medicinal element, oil of Cloves, is extracted from the plant's flower buds, leaves, and fruit. Boasting antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and pain-killing effects, it is used primarily as a local anesthetic, especially for toothache. The Cloves found in the typical kitchen spice rack are flower buds picked at the embryo stage. (If picked when mature, they lose their pungency.) They appeared in Europe as early as the 4th Century A.D. In India and Indonesia, they are still smoked in cigarettes. In Asian medicine, Cloves are also used for stomach ailments, bad breath, and skin diseases, but their effectiveness for these purposes has not been confirmed.
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