Camphor Medicinal Usage & Benefits in Ayurveda

Camphor medicinal usage, Health benefits, for fragrant mouth, Camphor Tooth powder, glowing face and skin, to cure cuts and wounds, joint and nerve pains, boils and infections of ear, Piles etc.
The word “Camphor” refers to two varieties, one of which is edible and the other is non edible and poisonous. We refer only to edible camphor here, and readers are advised to verify before using the same. Even edible camphor has side effects and should only be used in limited quantities (a pinch is a good measure). Camphor is obtained from the wood of the “Camphor Laurel” (Cinnamomum Camphora), a tree native to Indonesia. It is also derived from “kapur or kapoor” tree native to India and Indonesia. It can be produced synthetically from turpentine oil.
Camphor medicinal usage Ayurveda

Camphor is known as “Pachchaa karpooram” in Telugu, “Pachai karpooram” in Tamil, “Kachha karpoor “ in Hindi. Camphor has a wide variety of uses and is used for making explosives, insect repellent, and medicines. It is also used in food preparation and religious ceremonies.

The cooling sensation caused by camphor is because it is absorbed by our skin and activates the ion channel in our body. Camphor has anesthetic, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. It causes increased heart beat, skin flush and loss of appetite. Hindus use camphor for religious ceremonies by lighting it and also throwing it in the sacrificial fire.

Camphor Medicinal Usage for Home Made Natural Remedies

  • For Cuts and Wounds
    For injuries caused due to knives, axe and other sharp instruments, camphor is a good fix. Obtain some camphor and ghee (clarified butter) and grind them together. Apply this on the wound and bandage well. This will prevent forming of puss in the wound and decomposition of the skin. Soon wound will heal.
  • For glowing face and skin
    Take equal quantities of camphor, green gram fried in ghee, and saribha powder (Sarsaparilla). Mix them well and store for future use. Mix this powder with milk and make into a paste. Apply this paste on the face, wait for couple of hours and wash with warm water. This will cure pimples, acne, black marks and make face radiant and glowing. For people with oily skin, use the above powder with water instead of with milk to obtain results.
  • For Joint and Nerve pains
    Camphor oil is an excellent remedy for Joint pains, diabetic leg pains and nerve pains. On a stove heat 2 cups of coconut oil. To this add camphor crystals and stir gently, till they are dissolved completely. camphor oil is ready. Apply this on the affected joints and body parts and massage gently. The pains will vanish.
  • For boils and infections of Ear
    People suffering from this ailment can do the following. Obtain some goat urine or cow dung and mix camphor to it and grind together. Apply this medicine to the infected ear to cure infection.
  • For Fragrant mouth
    Take 10 grams of Camphor, 40 grams of nagakesar seeds (Mesua Ferrea, scientific name) and 80 grams of chengalva kostu (scientific name is Saussurea auriculata, also known as Kust in Hindi). Grind all of the above into a fine powder and store in container. Scoop 1 gram of this powder in a spoon, add honey and chew (don’t swallow). Do this twice a day to get fragrant mouth.
  • For Piles
    Piles can make life hell for a person. To cure it, take equal quantities of camphor, need seeds, radish seeds, Collyrium (Rasanjanam). Add water to the above and grind into a paste and make pills out of it. Dry these pills in the air completely and store in a dry place. Depending on the severity of the disease, take 1 or 2 pill with water twice a day. Piles will be cured gradually.
  • How to make Camphor Tooth powder
    Obtain rice husk and burn it to get a white ash. Filter this ash with a cloth to get a fine powder. Add Camphor (1/8 of the ash quantity) to this ash, grind together. Store this powder for daily use. This will cure all teeth and gum related ailments and give strong teeth.