Camphor Resin

The word camphor derives from the medieval Latin camfora, which in turn derives from the Arabic al-kafur, this term having its origin in Sanskrit, कर्पूरम्/karpūram.

Camphor was already well known in India during the Vedic period (2000 BC). The Sanskrit term karpūram probably has its origins in the ancient Malay language, in which camphor was called kapur Barus, meaning “Chalk of Barus,” due to its whitish color. At that time, Indian traders bought camphor from Malay traders.

Camphor comes from a very aromatic tree known as Cinnamomum camphora, endemic to Asia. Its popular names vary between “camphor tree”, “Chinese camphor”, “Japanese camphor”, “Baros camphor”, “Bornean camphor”, among others.

Campfora is rapidly absorbed by the skin, producing a cooling sensation similar to that of menthol, and acts as a mild local anesthetic as well as an antimicrobial and antiseptic.

Camphor helps with self-knowledge, working on personal discipline, helping to transform and control negative habits. This plant is related to the energy of meditation and chastity.

Categories: ,

History of Camphor

For the Romans, camphor was used in healing ointments after battles.

In the Pūja ritual of Hindu origin it is used to light the fire that ends the ceremony. Also among the Indians, camphor is used as part of poisonous antidotes.

In Chinese medicine it is known for eye ailments, in addition to eliminating harmful odors from any part of the body. It is one of the main plants used in the ointment known worldwide as “Tiger Balm”.

In Egyptian culture, camphor was used to preserve corpses, due to its cooling power, and that is why traces of camphor are almost always found in Egyptian mummies.

 

Camphor Collection

According to travelers from the 12th century, the collection of Canfora was carried out together with magical practices, only at certain times of the year and in groups.

The “camphor tree” is a tree that attracts many poisonous snakes, making it dangerous and difficult to approach the tree to collect fresh camphor. Thus, there was only one period of the year in which the snakes moved away from the tree: after mating. So it was during this period that pickers could approach the tree and make cuts in the stems.

Currently, the crystallized white camphor that we know is obtained in the laboratory through chemical synthesis, a process developed at the end of the 19th century.