Camphor Health Dictionary

Internal. Restricted dose: 10mg. Maximum daily dose: 30mg.

Historical. 1-2 drops on sugar 2-3 times daily, internally, to reduce troublesome sex-urge: priapism or nymphomania. Hourly, such doses were once classical treatment for cholera.

Liniment. 10 drops oil of Camphor to egg-cup Olive oil. Massage for relief of lumbago, fibrositis, neuralgia, chest and muscle pain.

Inhalant: Inhale the fumes for respiratory oppression with difficult breathing, heart failure, collapse, shock from injury, hypothermia, tobacco habit.

Camphor locket. A small square is sometimes hung in a small linen bag round the neck for prevention of infection, colds.

Camphorated oil: 1oz (30g) Flowers of Camphor to 4oz (125g) peanut oil. Dissolve in gentle heat. Camphor lotion. Dissolve teaspoon (4-6g) Camphor flowers in 4oz Cider vinegar.

GSL as restricted dose above.

Camphor Drops. At one time a bottle brandy with a knob of Camphor at the bottom was kept in every pantry to restore vitality and warmth to those suffering from exposure to cold and damp. One drop of the mixture in honey rapidly invigorates, imparts energy, and sustains the heart. A reaction is evoked almost immediately; it is harmlessly repeated hourly. Camphor should be given alone as it antidotes many drugs and other remedies. 

FAMILY: Lauraceae

SYNONYMS: Laurus camphora, true camphor, hon-sho, laurel camphor, gum camphor, Japanese camphor, Formosa camphor.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A tall, handsome, evergreen tree, up to 30 metres high, not unlike the linden. It has many branches bearing clusters of small white flowers followed by red berries. It produces a white crystalline substance, the crude camphor, from the wood of mature trees over fifty years old.

DISTRIBUTION: Native to Japan and Taiwan principally, also China; cultivated in India, Ceylon, Egypt, Madagascar, southern Europe and America.

OTHER SPECIES: There are many species of camphor: the ho-sho variety produces ho leaf and ho wood oil; the Chinese variety produces apopin oil; the Japan and Taiwan type, known as hon-sho or true camphor, produces two chemotypes: camphor-safrol (Japan) and camphor-linalol (Taiwan). All these are to be distinguished from the Borneo camphor or borneol which is of different botanical origin.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: A long-standing traditional preventative of infectious disease; a lump of camphor would be worn around the neck as a protection. In addition it was used for nervous and respiratory diseases in general, and for heart failure! However, in its crude form it is very poisonous in large doses, and has been removed from the British Pharmacopoeia.

ACTIONS: Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antiviral, bactericidal, counter-irritant, diuretic, expectorant, stimulant, rubefacient, vermifuge.

EXTRACTION: Crude camphor is collected from the trees in crystalline form. The essential oil is produced by steam distillation from the wood, root stumps and branches and then rectified under vacuum and filter pressed to produce three fractions, known as white, brown and yellow camphor.

CHARACTERISTICS: White camphor is the lightest (lowest boiling) fraction, a colourless to pale yellow liquid with a sharp, pungent camphoraceous odour. Brown camphor is the middle fraction. Yellow camphor, a blue-green or yellowish liquid, is the heaviest.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: 1 White camphor contains mainly cineol, with pinene, terpineol, menthol, thymol and no safrol. 2. Brown camphor contains up to 80 per cent safrol and some terpineol. 3. Yellow camphor contains mainly safrol, sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpene alcohols.

SAFETY DATA: Brown and yellow camphor (containing safrol) are toxic and carcinogenic and ‘should not be used in therapy, either internally or externally.’. White camphor does not contain safrol and is relatively non-toxic, non-sensitizing and non-irritant. It is, however, an enviromental hazard or marine pollutant.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE White camphor may be used with care for:

Skin care: Acne, inflammation, oily conditions, spots; also for insect prevention (flies, moths, etc).

Circulation Muscles And Joints: Arthritis, muscular aches and pains, rheumatism, sprains, etc.

Respiratory System: Bronchitis, chills, coughs.

Immune System: Colds, fever, ’flu, infectious disease.

OTHER USES: White and brown camphor are used as the starting material for the isolation of many perfumery chemicals, for example safrol and cineol. White camphor is used as a solvent in the paint and lacquer industry, and for the production of celluloid. Fractions of white oil are used as fragrance and masking agents in detergents, soaps, disinfectants and household products.