- Region
- Asia
- Origin
- Camphor laurel from China, Japan and Taiwan; in India and South-East Asia also from other sources. Cinnamomum camphora
- Sanskrit
- Karpoor
Asia · Other · № 141
Cinnamomum camphora
Other · Asia
Camphor
Cinnamomum camphora
Used externally in rubs for muscle pain, itching and blocked noses; it gives a cooling, numbing feeling. There is some evidence of short-term relief.
Safety notes
Toxic if swallowed; even small amounts can cause seizures and death in children. Not for children under two, not under or in the noses of young children, not on broken skin and not with epilepsy. Keep out of reach of children.
Cautions by tradition (3)
- Herbal medicine worldwide: Poisonous or risky: only under expert supervision. No dosage is given here on purpose.
- Ayurvedic materia medica: Poisonous or risky: only under expert supervision. No dosage is given here on purpose.
- Chinese materia medica: Toxic: do not use internally, not during pregnancy.
Preparation
Only externally at low concentrations in ointments, balms or inhalants. No dosage is given here.
Use in traditions
In India camphor is burned during the aarti ceremony in Hindu temples. It was an important remedy in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. Ody warns that it is not a herb for home use.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Herbal medicine worldwide
Attributed effects
Opens the senses, clears the head, stimulates the heart and breathing, raises low blood pressure, balances the nervous system.
Preparation and amount
Traditionally used forms: tea, oil, compress (partly external).
Caution: Poisonous or risky: only under expert supervision. No dosage is given here on purpose.
Ayurvedic materia medica
Attributed effects
Locally irritant and numbing, induces sweating, stimulating, antiseptic, antispasmodic, expectorant, calming; for heart weakness, hysteria, severe diarrhoea; externally for muscle strains, rheumatism, inflammation and itching; for fever, whooping cough, hiccups, asthma, epilepsy.
Preparation and amount
Traditionally used forms: liniment (partly external).
Caution: Poisonous or risky: only under expert supervision. No dosage is given here on purpose.
Natural skin and hair care
Attributed effects
Relieves sore muscles and joints.
Preparation and amount
External: essential oil in massage oil for sore muscles (yellow camphor oil is on the list of oils to avoid).
Chinese materia medica
- Nature and taste
- pungent, hot, toxic
- Meridians
- heart
Attributed effects
Zhang nao was used externally for bruising and injury and for itching from ulcers or parasites (scabies, lice), usually with sulphur and alum.
Preparation and amount
Deliberately no dosage is given here: only under the supervision of a qualified therapist.
Caution: Toxic: do not use internally, not during pregnancy.
Tags
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- Michael & Lesley Tierra, Chinese Traditional Herbal Medicine, vol. II: Materia Medica and Herbal Resource (1998)
- Penelope Ody, The Complete Medicinal Herbal (1993; 2017)
- L. D. Kapoor, CRC Handbook of Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants (1990)
- Stacey Dugliss-Wesselman & Susan Gregg, Herbal Remedies Made Simple (2018)