Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Karpura / Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)- Indications & Medicinal Uses

LATIN NAME

Cinnamomum camphora

FAMILY

Lauraceae

SYNONYMS

HINDI - Kapoor

SANSKRIT - Karpura

ENGLISH - Camphor

MORPHOLOGY

It is a tall tree of height up to 100 feet. The bark is rough on the outside and smoother inside. All parts of the tree have the peculiar fragrance of camphor.

LEAVES

The leaves are 2 -4 inches long, yellowish –green in color with a leathery texture. The leaves resemble the leaves of Tejpatra also known as Indian bay leaves.

FLOWERS

The flowers are yellowish – white in color and occur in clusters.

FRUITS

The fruits are dark green in color resembling peas. The fruits dry out and later turn black.

SEEDS

The seeds are small and have the peculiar fragrance of karpura.

VARIETIES

There are many varieties of camphor depending upon its place of occurrence, color and ripeness.

OCCURRENCE

One of the varieties of this camphor is found in Borneo, Sumatra from where it derives its name. This plant exudes a resinous white fragrant extract.

Another variety of the tree belongs to Chinese and Japanese main land. It is also cultivated in India.
Another, third variety of camphor is native to the Indian subcontinent and occurs in Dehradun, Maharashtra, Mysore, Kolkata etc.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

Menthol, Thymol, Phenol, Salicylic acid and Naphthol are amongst the fragrant chemical constituents obtained from this plant.

GUNA (Characteristics)

Tikshna (Pungent), Laghu (light)

RASA (Taste)

Tikta (bitter), Katu (pungent), Madhura (sweet).

VIPAKA (After taste that develops post digestion)

Katu (Pungent)

VIRYA (Potency)

Sheet (Cold potency)

PRABHAVA (Special response)

It is especially effective in cases of lymphadenopathy.

EFFECT ON THE THREE DOSHAS (Body humors)

It balances the three body doshas collectively (Vata, Pitta and Kapha)

INDICATIONS

  • Bad breath
  • Pyorrhea
  • Digestive problems
  • Microbial infections
  • Blood disorders
  • Heart problems
  • Muscular cramps
  • Joint pains
  • Mental debility
  • Sinusitis
  • Chest congestion
  • Obesity

DOSAGE

125 -375 mg.

USEFUL PARTS OF KARPURA

Purified Extracts

MEDICINAL USES OF KARPURA

  • Camphor has a very healing effect on the skin problems. It effectively controls the inflammation and pain and has a cooling and soothing effect. Any itching, pruritis or rashes are also controlled by the use of camphor locally over the affected area. For this reason it is used in the treatment of many kinds of skin disorders.
  • It helps relieve muscle cramps and pains when mixed with an effective oil base for example Mustard oil.
  • It is very effective for treating acne and acne scars etc. when mixed with coconut oil, olive oil etc.
  • It is a great chest decongestant and can be used in vapor form to relieve severe cough and cold.
  • It r can be used as an effective treatment for hair loss. It is applied when mixed with coconut oil or mustard oil or any of the other such skin friendly oils and massaged over the head. It can help cure dandruff, head lice, itchy scalp.
  • It is a great stimulant for the heart and the whole circulatory system.
  • It can be used as a mouth cleanser to cleanse the saliva and improve the sense of taste.
  • It improves the digestive secretions but it is only to be consumed in small amounts as over dosage of camphor causes indigestion, nausea and vomiting.
  • It is a great diuretic and keeps the urinary system free of bacterial infestations.
  • It is used in general to control excessive sweating and burning sensation of the skin.

PLANET AYURVEDA PRODUCT CONTAINS CAMPHOR AS AN INGREDIENT

Gum Care Powder

It is a very effective mouth paint for treating problems of the oral cavity like gingivitis, bleeding gums, pyorrhea, bad breath etc. It scraps off the tartar deposited over the teeth and cleanses the overall pharynx.

It has a combination of Camphor, Clove (Syzigium aromaticum), Dalchini (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Haritaki (Terminalia chebulla), Mustaka (Cyperus rotundus) etc.

It is pure herbal formulation that has a very effective role to play in maintaining oral hygiene.

DOSAGE/HOW TO USE - Apply two to three times per day and massage over the teeth and gums. Rinse with water after 10 minutes.

WHERE TO BUY PLANET AYURVEDA GUM CARE POWDER

To buy Planet Ayurveda Gum Care Powder, please visit - www.alwaysayurveda.com/store/products/planet-ayurveda-gum-care-powder

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