What Is Camphor?
Botanical Name of camphor- Cinnamomum camphora Origin- Japan, Vietnam, and China Tree Height- Up to 100 feet. Other Names- Karpur (Hindi/Marathi/Bengali/Gujarati), Karpooram (Telugu), Pachai Karpooram (Tamil), Kalpooram (Malayalam), Karpoora (Kannada), Kappur (Punjabi), Kafur (Arabic) and Kyāmōra (Nepali). Here are some camphor benefits.
Only 50-year-old trees can produce oil from the active component, which can be found in each and every part of the tree. And steam is used to extract camphor oil from the tree.
Health Benefits of Camphor
Camphor has been used for a variety of ailments for centuries. It is a very common ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine, prized particularly for the benefits of burning and then inhaling the fumes.
Skin Care: Applied to the skin as a lotion or in a carrier oil, this herbal remedy cools and numbs the skin, reducing pain and inflammation. It is also found in many skin care products to alleviate itching and irritation. Camphor oil or ointment is also used to treat nail fungus and eczema. For this reason, it is often found in lotions and rubs for sore muscles, because it quickly relieves pain and swelling.
Respiratory Health: It is very commonly found in a cough and cold medication and decongestants, like mentholated chest rubs, as the fragrance can help to induce sleep and break up congestion.
Hair Care: Camphor oil is also used as a topical hair wash to improve hair health. It promotes hair growth by stimulating blood circulation near the scalp, which keeps your hair soft. It is a popular treatment for hair lice and is usually added to bathwater.
Hormone Regulation: It can also be used externally as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. It is believed to stimulate the hormones and therefore boosts libido, however, several studies conducted on rats showed no measurable hormonal change.
Liver Health: Camphor may boost liver dysfunction in patients suffering from liver disease.