Camphor tree – air purification
Camphor tree, also known as wild incense tree, scientific name is Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl. Large trees can grow up to 40 meters, reaching 200cm diameter. In Vietnam camphor grows relatively slowly. Flowering season 3-4 months, 10-11 months results season. Is relatively light demanding plants, shade childhood, warm and humid climate preferred average temperature of 15- 20 ° C, over 1,000 mm of rainfall. Grows well on thick clay layer, can not survive in salty soils, wetlands or too dry.
In the right conditions it can be regenerated camphor seeds and shoots well. Camphor tree grows naturally and has been planted on a small area in the northern border provinces of Vietnam. A growing number of roadside places to get shade as Ha Tay (old), Hanoi, Hebei (old), Thua Thien-Hue, Gia Lai … Wood pink brown camphor tree. Gray thin white sense, is water-resistant wood species, not termite scented, used to make furniture, do crafts …
The camphor tree parts can distillates used in industry and medicine. Can be planted roadside camphor trees planted for shade and protection forests. It is by steam distillation of crushed wood, roots, shoots the camphor tree to get the oil, from which in the process of condensing and cooling can collect up to 90% camphor. By fractional distillation of crude oil yielded different ingredients, used in engineering ( “red camphor oil”, contain safrole), health (medical camphor), marinated pineapple ( “white camphor essential oil”).
Previously, many trees were cut down for the production of natural camphor serve for use in health care, but now all kinds of camphor in actual use synthetic origin. Sawdust and shavings from it can also produce camphor oil.
Camphor oils
It is by steam distillation of crushed wood, roots, shoots the camphor tree to get the oil, from which in the process of condensing and cooling can collect up to 90% camphor. By fractional distillation of crude oil yielded different ingredients, used in engineering ( “red camphor oil”, contain safrole), health (medical camphor), marinated pineapple ( “white camphor essential oil”).
Note that camphor oil for medical use another lot with natural camphor oil.
Pharmacological effects of camphor:
Camphor effective central nervous excitement, enhance respiration and circulation, especially central nervous inhibition is on the effects as well. The mechanism of action is at a subcutaneous site stimulants cause arousal reflexes.
The usual dose had no effect on heart muscle, high doses of heart failure only when effective new drugs euphoria. For vascular center only if new functions effective exhaustion of excitement.
When applied to the skin camphor, feeling cool drugs amphetamine due to cold sensory receptors and has analgesic, relieve itching, mild anesthetic, anti-rot.
Drugs can stimulate the intestinal tract causing pleasant warm feeling to the stomach, high doses cause nausea, vomiting.
Camphor is easily absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes rapidly anywhere on the body including the stomach lining. The drug is oxidized by the liver into the campherenol, then pass metabolism associated with glucoronic and excreted in the urine.
Toxicity: oral dose of 0.5 – 1g can cause lightheadedness, dizziness, headache, feeling hot, irritating, to say out loud, drinking on the quiet 2g lead to temporary and followed by the cortex irritated causing convulsions, respiratory failure and eventually death. Drink 7 – 15g and intramuscular injection 4g lethal. Emergency mainly symptomatic treatment, because the drug is rapidly detoxify the body and often save lives.