Camphor tree - appearance and place of growth.
Camphor tree is an evergreen plant. It can reach up to 50 meters in height and up to 5 in diameter. Barrel branched, crooked, bark covered with vertical long cracks. The leaves are lanceolate, with 3 veins, the surface is smooth, waxy, with numerous droplets of essential oil appearing on it. Flowers are small, greenish-yellow, collected in paniculate inflorescences with a long stem. The fruits of the camphor tree look like blackberries, they are the stems of up to 1 cm in size, purple-black in color, ripening in November.
Wild camphor trees can be found in Japan, South China, Taiwan. In culture it is bred in Southern Europe, on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, in South America and Africa.
Collection and procurement of medicinal raw materials.
The medicinal substance obtained from the camphor tree is camphor oil. As a rule, old wild-growing trees are used as a raw material, since the greatest amount of essential oil is in the lower parts of trees. The severed trees are crushed, grinded to the state of a powder, which is subjected to distillation with steam in special apparatuses. So get camphor oil. It produces a crystalline camphor, which is a colorless crystals that have a strong odor. This is a natural, so-called, dextrorotatory camphor. There is a synthetic levorotating variety, obtained from fir oil.
What effect does the body have on camphor.
Camphor is an analeptic agent that exerts an exciting effect on the vasomotor and respiratory center of the brain.
The influence of camphor on the cardiac muscle is also known: it enhances the metabolic processes taking place in it, increases the sensitivity to the influence of the SNS (sympathetic nervous system). The sympathetic nervous system innervates the blood vessels and internal organs and activates under stressful conditions.
It should be said about the vasoconstrictive action of camphor on the body. The release of camphor from the body occurs through the respiratory tract, which facilitates the separation of sputum. Camphor improves respiratory function of the lungs.
Application of camphor.
Camphor solutions are used in the treatment of various infectious diseases, pneumonia, respiratory depression, in case of poisoning with narcotic or hypnotic drugs, with acute and chronic heart failure.
To date, camphor is rarely used as a respiratory or cardiovascular agent, since there are more effective analeptic drugs. However, as a local antiseptic and irritant, it still finds wide application. Camphor oil is used for burns, cuts, small wounds, pustular skin diseases.
Camphor oil has a special fresh aroma, it has a calming effect. It is used in aromatherapy to help with sleep disorders, neuroses, depression, irritability.
Medicinal preparations based on camphor.
The pharmacy sells the following preparations based on camphor:
- Camphor in oil, 20% camphor solution in ampoules for subcutaneous administration. It is recommended that the preparation be heated before use. Indication for use - respiratory or heart failure, is contraindicated in case of possible convulsive reactions and epilepsy.
- For outdoor use, 10% camphor oil is produced. It is used for radiculitis, arthritis, rheumatism. Camphor oil with local application gives an irritating effect and some antiseptic effect.
- A solution of camphor in paraffin oil. These are ear drops that help with inflammation of the middle ear, they give a warming and anti-inflammatory effect.
- Camphor ointment. This product is for external use, which is used for grinding with joint and muscle pain.
- Camphoric alcohol - a tool for external use, is used for rubbing and preventing bedsores.
- Camphocin - liniment, which includes camphor oil, tincture of capsicum, salicylic acid. Used for inflammation of the joints and rheumatism.
- Tooth drops "Denta" - a remedy for calming the toothache. In the composition - camphor oil and chloral hydrate (anesthetic).
Undoubtedly, camphor will long remain among the most popular drugs.