Facts about camphor
The camphor tree is an evergreen which is indigenous to China and Japan and mainly planted on Taiwan. The camphor woods have a clear aromatic scent of camphor, and just as resin oozes out of fir trees, you can see the camphor crystals as crusts on the trees. Camphor and camphor oil are extracted through steam distillation of wood, twigs and roots. Camphor has a disinfecting effect and was formerly used for embalming and in mothballs. The wood is used for e.g. camphor wood boxes and due to the content of camphor oil, the wood is never attacked by insects.
When used externally on the body, camphor promotes the blood circulation and is often used in massage products against sports injuries and muscle tension, in lip balm and for inhalation. Internally, camphor has a stimulating effect on the heart as we know it from "Hoffmann's drops" against fainting.