Health Benefits of Camphor And Its Side Effects

Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) is a terpene (organic compound). There are two types of trees from which Camphor is extracted. Though the properties are mostly the same, a slight difference in smell and the concentration of some of the chemicals present in them. This beneficial compound is traditionally obtained from the bark and the wood of camphor trees.

Interesting Facts: Depending on its source camphor is classified into two types – Common camphor (Cinnamomum Camphora) and Borneo camphor (Dryobalanops Camphora).

These days it is also produced artificially from turpentine oil.

Camphor has a wide range of uses from health to perfume to even keeping ants away. Camphor trees are evergreen and belong to the laurel family. They can grow as tall as 40 meters and can live up to 1000 years.

Camphor is extracted from the essential oil that is contained in the secretory cells all over the tree. While the leaves contain 1% essential oils the wood of the trees contain 3%.

Camphor has a range of uses from medicinal to aromatic and many others. It is used to keep ants away. This justifies its use in various sweet dishes. It is used in making perfumes and balms.

Camphor’s soothing smell helps people relax and induces sleep. Dandruff can be treated with the application of camphor. Its antiseptic property makes it an effective disinfectant and can be used in cleaning your home.

Cockroaches hate camphor. To rid your house of these tiny beasts boil few neem leaves and add camphor and spray it to the cockroach infested areas. It also has a very good anti-inflammatory, painkilling, decongestant and antispasmodic property.

Camphor when applied and consumed in moderate quantity is safe and beneficial. Do not apply products on areas where the skin is gaping and open wounds as there are high chances of camphor causing poisoning. Inhaling camphor is fine till a certain extent for decongesting blocked air ways. Consumption or inhaling higher levels of camphor can be very dangerous and may also cause death.

Symptoms of camphor toxicity are burning of the mouth and throat, nausea and vomiting. Children should be kept away from camphor as they might not be able to tolerate its toxicity as they are more sensitive.

Pregnant and breast feeding women should not consume camphor. There are slight side-effects of applying camphor like redness and skin irritation.

Camphor is a crystalline substance that is obtained by distilling the bark and wood of camphor trees. Originally camphor belongs to the Southern islands of Japan and Taiwan. China too has camphor trees growing in the wild. Tropical and sub-tropical climate is favourable for growing camphor and has hence become popular India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Madagascar, South Africa and the US.

Previously all the parts of the tree was used to extract camphor, but now only leaves are used to preserve the tree and make the process eco-friendly. The ancient Chinese used camphor as an embalming agent. The distillation process gives three grades camphor, white, brown and yellow. Only the white fraction is safe for therapeutic purposes and the rest should neither be applied or consumed as it is highly toxic.