What is Camphor used for?

Camphor is a waxy, white or cellophane solid with a strong, ambrosial odor. It is a terpenoid with the actinic blueprint C10H16O. It is begin in copse of the camphor account (Cinnamomum camphora), a ample beloved timberline begin in Asia (particularly in Borneo and Taiwan) and aswell of Dryobalanops aromatica, a behemothic of the Bornean forests. It aswell occurs in some added accompanying copse in the account family, conspicuously Ocotea usambarensis. Dried rosemary leaves (Rosmarinus officinalis), in the excellent family, accommodate up to 20% camphor. It can aswell be synthetically produced from oil of turpentine. It is acclimated for its scent, as an additive in affable (mainly in India), as an embalming fluid, for alleviative purposes, and in religious ceremonies. A above antecedent of camphor in Asia is camphor basil.
Norcamphor is a camphor acquired with the three methyl groups replaced by hydrogen.
Uses
Modern uses cover Camphor as a plasticizer for nitrocellulose (see Celluloid), as a moth repellent, as an antimicrobial substance, in embalming, and in fireworks. Solid camphor releases effluvium that anatomy a rust-preventative coating, and is accordingly stored in apparatus chests to assure accoutrement adjoin rust.
Camphor crystals are aswell acclimated to anticipate accident to insect collections by added baby insects, aswell as a ahem suppressant. Some folk remedies accompaniment camphor will avert snakes and added reptiles due to its able odor. Similarly, camphor is believed to be baneful to insects and is appropriately sometimes acclimated as a repellent.
Medicinal
Camphor is readily captivated through the derma and produces a activity of cooling agnate to that of menthol, and acts as slight bounded analgesic and antimicrobial substance. There are anti-itch gels and cooling gels with camphor as the alive ingredient. Camphor is an alive additive (along with menthol) in vapor-steam products, such as Vicks VapoRub. Although accustomed as a ahem suppressant, it has no furnishings on respiratory amplitude function. A contempo advertisement in Pediatrics suggests the contemporary appliance of VapoRub may advance affection of colds and beddy-bye superior if compared to a control.
Camphor may aswell be administered orally in baby quantities (50 mg) for accessory affection affection and fatigue. Through abundant of the 1900s this was awash beneath the barter name Musterole; assembly accomplished in the 1990s.
In the 18th century, camphor was acclimated by Auenbrugger in the analysis of mania.
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