Camphor is a household item with a variety of applications. In schools we learn this compound with the special property of sublimation. It finds use in home remedies, as a repellent for flies and in ‘arathi’ in Hindu functions. The smell is very pleasant and soothing Camphor is a waxy, flammable, white or translucent solid with a strong aroma. It is a terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H160. A major source of camphor in Asia is camphor basil (the parent of African blue basil).
It is found in the wood of the camphor laurel (Cinnamomumcamphora), a large evergreen tree in Asia (particularly in Sumatra and Borneo islands, Indonesia) and also of the unrelated kapur tree, another tall timber tree from the same region. It also occurs in some other related trees in the laurel family, notably Ocoteausambarensis. The oil in rosemary leaves (Rosmarinus officinalis), in the mint family, contains 10 to 20 per cent camphor. Camphor can also be....
