Camphor/Kapoor - Health benefits, application, chemical constituentsz side effects and many more

 


 Camphor/Kapoor


Camphor tree is native to China, India, Mongolia, Japan and Taiwan and a variety of this fragrant evergreen tree is grown in Southern United States; especially in Florida.1,2 Camphor is obtained through steam distillation, purification and sublimation of wood, twigs and bark of the tree. 

Camphor has been widely used as a fragrance in cosmetics, as a food flavourant, as a common ingredient in hous.......................read more


Dosage : 125-375 mg, in divided dose per day





Phytochemical constituents

The composition of essential oil from the aerial parts of sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua) includes camphor (44%), germacrene D (16%), trans-pinocarveol (11%), β-selinene (9%), β-caryophyllene (9%) and artemisia ketone (3%). Significant activity of the essential oil was noted against the Gram-positive bacteria, Enterococcus hirae, as well as against the fungi Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae using the liquid diffusion method.

This plant has various active chemical constituents like its leaves contain 1% essential oil and wood contain around 3%. The essential oil of the plant contains cineol, pinene, thymol, menthol, 10-15% of 2-bornanon, terpineol and no safrole. But the brown variety has 80% safrole and some terpenoids. Its yellow variety also has safrole, and other components like esquiterpenes and sesquiterpene alcohol.

The leaf of Cinnamomum camphora contains camphor, as the main component along with cineol, linalool, eugenol, limonene, safrole, a-pinene, ß-pinene, ß-myrecene, a-humulene, p-cymene, nerolidol, borneol, camphene and some other components.

Camphor activates some of TRP (transient receptor potential) channels like TRPV1, TRPV3, TRPM8 and inhibits TRPA1, causing warm sensation, excitation and desensitization of sensory nerves, relieving the pain, itch and irritation in applied area.

Menthol, Thymol, Phenol, Salicylic acid and Naphthol are amongst the fragrant chemical constituents obtained fro.......................read more






Properties and Benefits

  • Rasa (Taste) – Tikta(Bitter), Katu(Pungent), Madhura(Sweet)
  • Guna (Qualities) – Laghu(Light to digest), Rooksha(Dryness)
  • Taste conversation after digestion – Katu(pungent) 
  • Veerya(Potency) – Sheetala(Coolant) 
  • Effect on Tridosha – Balances Kapha and Pitta Dosha.
  •           Click here to Explore more about Tridosha (Vata-Kapha-Pitta)
  • Vishahara, Vishapaha – Anti toxic
  • Chakshushya – improves vision, good for eyes, useful in eye disorders
  • Madakaraka – over-dosage may cause intoxication.
  • Yogavahi – acts as a catalyst
  • Dahahara – being a coolant, it relieves burning sensation
  • Vrushya – acts as aphrodisiac in lower doses. However, higher doses decrease sexual performance.
  • Medhya – improves inte.......................read more





Uses, Remedies, Benefits and Application

1) camphor has been used as an ingredient in betel leaf and Tambul, which helps to relieve bad breath, mouth dryness, clears throat along cooling effect.


2) In India, camphor is commonly burnt in temples during religious rituals because unlike any other aromatic smoke, camphoric fumes are non-irritant to eyes. 


3) Camphor which is obtained from within the stem is considered to be superior and the rest are of intermediate attributes. The superior variety is slightly yellowish in color while the other one is fully white. Camphor which is white in color, rough in touch, firm and expanded.


4)  Teaspoon/5gms of Camphor oil is mixed along with 100 ml of olive/sesame oil. This is applied externally to improve blood circulation.

       Click here to explore more about Sesame Oil


5) Herbal oils are mixed with camphor, menthol, thymol, Eucalyptus oil etc, to prepare pain relieving oil. This liniment gives a coolant / counter-irritant/Anti-inflammatory. 


6) 10gms of camphor is dissolved in 100-150 ml of mustard oil. This oil is rubbed over the fat deposited areas such as chest, abdomen, etc for 15-30 minutes. This helps to reduce obesity.

         Click here to explore more about Mustard oilExplore more about Mustard oil


7)  Solid camphor releases fumes that form a rust-preventative coating and is therefore stored in tool chests to protect tools against rust.

8) 500mg/0.5gms of camphor powder is mixed with half spoon of honey. This is consumed by licking. This pacifies cough, cold, throat pain and irritation of the throat.

           Click here to explore more about Honey


9) 10 grams of camphor is dissolived in 100 ml of warm coconut oil with very little heat and allowed to cool down. This is applied on the scalp in case of burning/ headache, head lice(applied to scalp for whole night and wash it on next day).

            Click here to explore more about Coconut oil


10) For Flatulence : Camphor, rock salt, cumin seeds and cardamom or clove are taken in equal quantity and fine paste is made. This is mixed well and rolled into the pills of 125-250 mg size. This is dried under shade and collected and stored. This is taken along with warm water or cumin herbal tea.

             Click here to explore more about Rock Salt

             Explore more about Cumin seeds

             Explore more about Cardamom

             Explore more about the Clove

11) It is a great stimulant for the heart and the whole circulatory system.


12) It can be used as a mouth cleanser to cleanse the saliva and improve the sense of taste.


13) The best use of camphor essential oil in aromatherapy is to add 1-3 drops in bathtub and soak in water for 5 to 10 minutes. It helps to calm the mind, improves moofro.......................read more



Synthetic production of Camphor

The synthetic production of camphor involves using turpentine oil as a starting material. Turpentine is used as the source of α-pinene through a distillation process; α-pinene is converted into camphene through the catalysis of a strong acid with acetic acid as the solvent; the camphene then undergoes Wagner-Meerwein rearrangeme.......................read more




Note : 

Natural camphor is obtained by distilling the bark and wood of the camphor tree Cinnamonum camphora.  

Camphor which is obtained from within the stem is considered to be superior and the rest are of intermediate attributes. The superior variety is slightly yellowish in color while the other one is fully white. 

camphor is being synthetically prepared by using turpentine. This is however used for offerings to god. It is not m.......................read more




Side effects

For external application, use camphor concenfro.......................read more 



Refrence

  1. Dhanvantari Nighantu
  2. Bhavaprakasha Nighantu 
  3. Charaka Samhita
  4. Sushruta samhita
  5. Molecules. 2013 May; 18(5): 5434–5454.  PMCID: PMC6270224
  6. International Journal of Science and Research. Volume 6 Issue 4, April 2017
  7. Asian J Pharm Clin Res, Vol 7, Issue 5, 2014, 279-28
  8. Int J Mol Cell Med. 2012 Autumn; 1(4): 191–196.   PMCID: PMC3920510
  9. IJCRI – International Journal of Case Reports and Images, Vol. No. 201 2. ISSN – [0976-31 98]
  10. Hippocratic Journal of Unani medicine
  11. Int J Tradit Complement Med, July, 2021; 4(7): 128
  12. Bhojana Kutuhalam
  13. Local tradition and knowledge
  14. NCBI
  15. PUBMED
  16. Kaiyadeva Nighantu
  17. Book : Dravyaguna Vijyan

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