Karpura – A Aromatic Herb with a Crystalline Cold Compound (Camphor)

Recent Research on Cinnamomum camphora

• In this study, the foliar volatiles of Cinnamomum camphora (Lauraceae), which had been collected by air entrainment, exhibited activities toward Graphium Sarpedon nipponum (Papillonidae) in both electrophysiological and behavioral tests. The volatiles were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography with electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD). Although the difference between the sexes was not significant, the female butterfly’s preference tended to be more active than that of the male’s Li J, Wakui R, Tebayashi S, Kim CS. Volatile attractants for the common bluebottle, Graphium Sarpedon nipponum, from the host, Cinnamomum camphora. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2010; 74 (10): 1987- 90. Epub 2010 Oct 7.
• To study the anti-inflammatory effects of Naphtha from different chemotypes of Cinnamomum camphora and natural borneol on the rat arthritis model induced by Freund’s adjuvant. The different chemotypes of C. camphora have an anti-inflammatory effect on the rat arthritis model induced by Freund’s adjuvant, but pharmacological activity and mechanism of action are different. The study points out the clinical curative effects of the chemotypes of the kindred medicinal plant are different, and please consider the difference of chemotypepe in clinical application. Li H, Huang L, Zhou A, Li X, Sun J. Study on the anti-inflammatory effect of different chemotypes of Cinnamomum camphora on rat arthritis model induced by Freund’s adjuvant. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2009 Dec; 34 (24): 3251- 4.
• The study was conducted to investigate seasonal changes in dry mass and CO (2) exchange rate in fruit and leaves of the evergreen tree Cinnamomum camphora to quantitatively determine the translocation balance between the two organs. C. camphora would be adaptive for steadily supplying enough amount of carbohydrates to the fruits, as there was little competition for carbohydrates between the two organs. As assimilates by leaves are used for processes such as reproduction and the formation of new shoots, photosynthesis by reproductive organs is considered to be important to compensate for the reproductive cost. Imai S, Ogawa K. Quantitative analysis of carbon balance in the reproductive organs and leaves of Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl. J. Plant Res. 2009 Jul; 122 (4): 429- 37. doi: 10. 1007/s 10265- 009- 0233- 9. Epub 2009 Apr 25.
• This study, it is aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of Cinnamomum camphora on various inflammatory phenomena to explore its potential anti-inflammatory mechanisms under non-cytotoxic (less than 100 microg/ml) conditions. The data suggest that the anti-inflammatory actions of Cinnamomum camphora may be due to the modulation of cytokine, NO, and PGE (2) production and oxidative stress, and of the subfractions tested, the EtOAC extract may be further studied to isolate the active anti-inflammatory principles. Less HJ, Hyun EA, Yoon WJ, Kim BH, Rhee MH, Kang HK, Cho of Cinnamomum camphora extracts. J Ethnopharmacology. 2006 Jan 16; 103 (2): 208- 16. E pub 2005 Sep 22.
• Camphor in the concentration of 500 Mg/ml completely inhibits the growth of Vibrio parahaemolyticus which is one of the causative agents of diarrhea and dysentery (Rujino et al.).
• The essential oil from the plant possesses potent anti-lingual activity against many fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus. Candida albicans etc. (Thind & Suri 1979).
• The bark of the plant is used as a sedative, antispasmodic, diaphoretic and anthelmintic (Chaudhuri & Kayal, 197).
• Kang, Na-Jin & Han, Sang-Chul & Yoon, Seok-Hyun & Sim, Jae-Yeop & Maeng, Young & Kang, Hee-Kyoung & Yoo, Eun-Sook. (2019). Cinnamomum camphora Leaves Alleviate Allergic Skin Inflammatory Responses In Vitro and In Vivo. Toxicological Research. 35. 279-285. 10.5487/TR.2019.35.3.279. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of Cinnamomum camphora leaves on allergic skin inflammation such as atopic dermatitis. We evaluated the effects of C. camphora leaves on human adult low-calcium high-temperature keratinocytes and atopic dermatitis mice. C. camphora leaves inhibited Macrophage-derived chemokine (an inflammatory chemokine) production in interferon-γ (10 ng/mL) stimulated Human adult low-calcium high-temperature keratinocytes in a dose-dependent manner. C. camphora leaves suppressed the phosphorylation of the janus kinase signal transducer and activator of transcription 1. C. camphora leaves also suppressed the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, a central signaling molecule in the inflammation process. These results suggest that C. camphora leaves exhibit anti-inflammatory effects via the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. To study the advanced effects of C. camphora leaves on atopic dermatitis, we induced experimental atopic dermatitis in mice by applying 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene. The group treated with C. camphora leaves (100 mg/kg) showed remarkable improvement in atopic dermatitis symptoms: reduced serum immunoglobulin E levels, smaller lymph nodes with reduced thickness and length, decreased ear edema, and reduced levels of inflammatory cell infiltration in the ears. Interestingly, the effects of C. camphora leaves on atopic dermatitis symptoms were stronger than those of hydrocort cream, a positive control. Taken together, C. camphora leaves showed alleviating effects on inflammatory chemokine production in vitro and atopic dermatitis symptoms in vivo. These results suggest that C. camphora leaves help in the treatment of allergic inflammation such as atopic dermatitis.
• The roots are also anthelmintic. The roots and leaves are used for disorders of the spleen and liver (Hartwell 1969).

• Li, Quan & Wang, Xiao-Xian & Lin, Jin-Guo & Liu, Jing & Jiang, Mao-Sheng & Chu, Lei-Xia. (2014). Chemical Composition and Antifungal Activity of Extracts from the Xylem of Cinnamomum camphora. BioResources. 9. 10.15376/biores.9.2.2560-2571. Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl. is one of the most important hardwood species indigenous to China that possesses significant antifungal activity. The chemical composition of the extracts from the xylem parts of C. camphora was examined by various solvent extractions. Thirty different components accounting for 79.8% of the total methanol extracts from the xylem of C. camphora were identified by gas chromatography-mass (GC/MS) spectrometry. The major chemical components of methanol extracts are camphor (14.3%), a-terpineol (9.9%), and trans-linalool oxide (furanoid) (7. 7%). The chemical composition of chloroform extracts is mainly camphor (17.6%), alpha-terpineol (11.8%), tetradecane (5.6%), and (-) – g- cadinene (7.4%). The extracts of C. camphora were tested for resistance to two wood-decaying fungi with hyphal growth. All the C. camphora extracts showed some antifungal activity against the test fungus. The 50% effective concentration of chloroform extracts for Coriolus versicolor (C. versicolor) was 7.8 mg/mL, which was highly toxic, followed by acetone extracts. The methanol extracts with 8 mg/mL concentration had the best suppression effect for Gloeophyllum trabeum (G. trabeum) with an EC50 of 0.3 mg/mL. The results indicated that the major components of the extracts had antifungal activities; thus C. camphora could provide a renewable source of wood preservatives.
• Ethanolic extract (50%) of fruits showed antibacterial activity against several gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria (Naqvi et al., 1985).
• Khan, Khalid & Ghramh, Hamed & Ibrahim, Essam & Al-hag, Sadeq & Ahmad, Zubair & Kilany, Mona & Janjua, Hussnain & Al-Solami, Habeeb. (2021). Plant (Cinnamomum camphora) mediated silver nanoparticles: their characterization, mosquitoes larvicidal efficacy, and biological activities. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin. 30. 338-348. The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by vegetal extracts is useful because of their biocompatibility, less harmfulness, and environmentally friendly nature. This research work focuses on AgNP synthesis through an ethanol extract of Cinnamomum camphora leaves. Characterization of AgNPs was performed using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy and functional groups acquired by this process were analyzed through Fourier-Transform Infrared Radiation (FTIR) spectroscopy. The impacts of C. camphora plant extract (CcExt)) and the extract with silver nanoparticles (CcExt- AgNPs) was examined for mosquitoes (Culex pipiens) larvicidal efficacy and various biological activities including splenic cell cytotoxicity/proliferation, acute cytotoxicity on hepatic cells, hemolysis, and antibacterial activities. Both CcExt and CcExt-AgNPs revealed a substantial larvicidal effect against fourth instar larvae of the mosquitos and significant antibacterial activity. Furthermore, a significant effect of CcExt and CcExt-AgNPs was observed on normal splenic cells’ cytotoxicity/proliferation, hepatic cells’ acute cytotoxicity, and hemolytic percentage. The formation of AgNPs was confirmed by all applied characterization methods. CcExt and CcExt-AgNPs had potential biological activities. Current studies revealed that C. camphora leaves extract was safe for vital organs (liver) while the treatment with AgNPs showed a little non-significant increase in liver function markers.
• Stubbs, Brett & Specht, A. & Brushett, Don. (2004). The Essential Oil of Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Nees and Eberm.—Variation in Oil Composition Throughout the Tree in Two Chemotypes from Eastern Australia. Journal of Essential Oil Research – J ESSENT OIL RES. 16. 200-205. 10.1080/10412905.2004.9698697. The camphor tree, Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Nees et Eberm., is a major environmental weed in parts of eastern Australia, particularly in northeastern New South Wales. It occurs in this region in two chemotype forms, discriminated based on leaf oil: camphor and 1,8-cineole. Oil was extracted from various parts of trees of each of these chemotypes: leaf, fruit, branch, trunk, and root. Analysis of the oil revealed that, for the camphor-type, camphor content was greater in leaves than in other tree parts, where cineole and safrole were also present in substantial proportions; and, for the cineole-type, 1,8-cineole, which with lesser quantities of sabinene and citronellol dominated the leaf oil, is reduced in significance in the trunk where camphor is also an important constituent.