Home
Resources
Publications
Camphor--a Fumigant During the Black Death and a Coveted Fragrant Wood in Ancient Egypt and Babylon--a Review

Camphor--a Fumigant During the Black Death and a Coveted Fragrant Wood in Ancient Egypt and Babylon--a Review

Weiyang Chen, Ilze Vermaak, Alvaro Viljoen

Molecules. 2013 May 10;18(5):5434-54.

PMID: 23666009

Abstract:

The fragrant camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) and its products, such as camphor oil, have been coveted since ancient times. Having a rich history of traditional use, it was particularly used as a fumigant during the era of the Black Death and considered as a valuable ingredient in both perfume and embalming fluid. Camphor has been widely used as a fragrance in cosmetics, as a food flavourant, as a common ingredient in household cleaners, as well as in topically applied analgesics and rubefacients for the treatment of minor muscle aches and pains. Camphor, traditionally obtained through the distillation of the wood of the camphor tree, is a major essential oil component of many aromatic plant species, as it is biosynthetically synthesised; it can also be chemically synthesised using mainly turpentine as a starting material. Camphor exhibits a number of biological properties such as insecticidal, antimicrobial, antiviral, anticoccidial, anti-nociceptive, anticancer and antitussive activities, in addition to its use as a skin penetration enhancer. However, camphor is a very toxic substance and numerous cases of camphor poisoning have been documented. This review briefly summarises the uses and synthesis of camphor and discusses the biological properties and toxicity of this valuable molecule.

Chemicals Related in the Paper:

Catalog Number	Product Name	Structure	CAS Number	Price
AP464482	(−)-Camphor		464-48-2	Price
AP464493-A	Camphor		464-49-3	Price

As a specialist in analytical chemical Products, Alfa Chemistry offers consumers a wealth of raw materials and a full range of technologies and services.

QUICK LINKS

HEADQUARTERS

Tel:

Fax:

Email: