Clove
Cloves come from the evergreen tree known as Syzygium aromaticum. Native to Indonesia’s Maluku islands, the tree is cultivated for its aromatic clove-scented flower buds and has been used in medicinal practices over the years.
Clove is used in alternative medicine for treating the injured testicle that causes blood in semen. Parkes (P) strain mice were subjected to chronic oral administration of hexane extract of flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum at three dosages (15 mg, 30 mg, and 60 mg/kg BW) during a single spermatogenic cycle (35 days) to determine its influence on testicular function. Toxic effects on the body’s systems were not observed at the levels used in the study. The extract’s lower dosage (15 mg) enhanced testosterone levels and the activity of Delta (5) 3 beta-HSD and 17 beta-HSD. However, a drop in daily sperm production and a depletion of the 1C (round and elongated spermatids) population were seen at the higher dosages (30 and 60 mg) of extract, inhibiting these parameters. These findings reveal a dual effect of Syzygium aromaticum flower bud hexane extract on testicular function, calling for caution in the flower bud’s traditional usage as an aphrodisiac in the traditional medical practices of Asian nations.
