Cinnamomum camphora - Karpura

Karpura, Cinnamomum camphora

Karpura, Cinnamomum camphora is a relatively fast-growing, evergreen tree with a dense crown; it usually grows from 10 - 15 metres tall, but can reach 40 metres. The bole, which usually branches from quite low down, can be up to 75cm in diameter. The plant is grown commercially in China and Japan as a medicinal tree and also for its essential oil, though most camphor oil on the market nowadays is produced synthetically.

Uses

Improves digestive system, Inflammation, Decongestant, Cold and cough, Aphrodisiac, Arthritis

Parts Used

Extract

Chemical Composition

The plant contains a volatile oil comprising camphor, safrole, linalool, eugenol and terpeneol. It also contains lignans (including secoisosolariciresinol dimethyl ether and kusunokiol). Safrole is thought to be carcinogenic. The leaf oil is a natural source of linalool (94.9%); also contained citronellal (2.4%).

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada	karpoora, paccakarpura
Hindi	kapur
Malayalam	cutakkarpuram, karpooram
Tamil	pachai karpooram, karpuram
Telugu	candramu, gamburam, ghanasaramu, kappuramu, karpuramupacha karpooram
Marathi	NA
Gujarathi	NA
Punjabi	NA
Kashmiri	NA
Sanskrit	candraprabha, himavaluka, karpurah, gandhadravya
English	Camphor tree

Properties

Reference: Dravya - Substance, Rasa - Taste, Guna - Qualities, Veerya - Potency, Vipaka - Post-digesion effect, Karma - Pharmacological activity, Prabhava - Therepeutics.

Dravya

Rasa

Tikta (Bitter), Katu (Pungent), Madhura (Sweet)

Guna

Laghu (Light), Rooksha (Dry)

Veerya

Sheeta (cold)

Vipaka

Katu (Pungent)

Karma

Pitta, Kapha

Prabhava

Habit

Tree

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
Simple	alternate	Leaves spirally arranged, glabrous, chartaceous to sub-coriaceous, ovate-elliptic to elliptic to subovate-elliptic, 1-5 x 3-10 cm, base acute or tapered-cuneate, both surfaces minutely reticulate or above smooth; main nerves slender. Petiole slender, 2-4 cm long.

Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
Bisexual	axillary panicles	greenish white		Panicles axillary, slender, glabrous, many-flowered, up to 10 cm long with few short branches. Pedicels 1-2 mm, obconical. Tepals ovate, acutish, fleshy, c. 2 mm. Stamens 1.5 mm long; anthers broad; inner anthers truncate, upper cells smaller, latrorse; gland large attached to the basal part of the filament. Staminodes stipitate. Style as long as the ovary with peltate triquetrous stigma.

Fruit

Type	Size	Mass	Appearance	Seeds	More information
A berry	5-10 mm in diameter	Fruit globose, slightly fleshy, 5-10 mm in diameter, seated on a shallow, thin cup, 3-5 mm in diameter at the apex, 1-2 mm deep, the basal part fleshy, obconical, usually not differentiated from the obconical pedicel, together 5-7 mm long.			{{{6}}}

Other features

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Cuttings.

How to plant/cultivate

Seed - the seed has a short viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe. Remove the fruit pulp since this can inhibit germination. Germination can take 1 - 6 months at 20°c

Commonly seen growing in areas

Tropical area, Sub tropical area

Photo Gallery

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External Links

• https://easyayurveda.com/2014/12/08/camphor-benefits-dose-research-side-effects/
• https://www.ayurtimes.com/cinnamomum-camphora/
• http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cinnamomum+camphora