Camphene

Camphene is a monoterpene that is bicyclic and exhibits a pungent aroma. It is soluble in general organic solvents and vaporizes at room temperature.  It is seen as a vital constituent in Citronella oil, Ginger oil, Camphor oil, Cypress oil, Neroli and Valerian. In the industry, this oil is produced by catalytic isomerization of alpha-pinene.

Commercially, Camphene is seen used as a food additive and in the production of fragrances. Camphene is similar to that of camphor and is a white crystalline solid which imparts a fragrance that is close to camphor. When heated, these crystals give out vapors that cause irritation to the eyes and throat. It is commonly used in the production of insecticides and man-made camphor.

Therapeutic Properties of Camphene:

The predominant remedial attributes of Camphene are as follows:

Antifungal properties of Camphene:

Camphor and camphene in the essential oil of Sage attributes to its antifungal properties. It works effectively in the treatment of fungal skin infections, dysentery, athlete’s foot and dermatitis. It is for the antifungal property displayed by camphene and camphor in Sage oil that it finds its use in skin care products.

Anti-biotic and Cytotoxic properties of Camphene:

The constituents like Camphene, Cineole and Eugenol seen in Tulsi oil is responsible for treating bacterial, fungal and viral infections that affect the respiratory system. It completely cures congestion, and has also been used in the treatment of severe respiratory disorders like bronchitis as well.  It has also been reported that the active ingredients present in Tulsi oils can be used to treat damage caused to the lung by smoking cancer and tuberculosis.

Camphene found in Holy Basil leaves and in Tulsi leaves can be used directly as a paste or as an oil extract on the skin to treat antifungal and antibacterial diseases. The extract can be used to keep away mosquitoes, and to create a cooling effect on the irritated parts of the skin.

Antioxidant properties of Camphene:

Camphene along with vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and helps repair damage caused by stress. They work together and exhibit a soothing effect on the nerves, thereby reducing blood pressure, inflammation, and eventually stress.

Analgesic properties of Camphene:

Constituents of Tulsi such as Eugenol, Camphene, Methyl-Chavicol, Carvacrol, and Cineol, have been understood to show sedative, anti-congestive, analgesic, and disinfectant properties. Tulsi and its essential oil can be used to treat sinus pressure, migraines, cough and cold, and even high blood pressure.

 Hyper-Lipidemia and Camphene:

Camphene was used in a study to treat the effects of hyperlipidemia and its reduction. The results proved that camphene was quite effective in treating hyperlipidemia and can be used in conditions associated with cardiovascular disease.

Antinociceptive properties of Camphene:

To study the antinociceptive and Redox Profile of the Monoterpenes (+)-Camphene, p-Cymene, and Geranyl Acetate an experiment was carried out. It was identified that the entire three constituents displayed anti-inflammation and analgesic properties, with p-cymene and geranyl acetate showing minimal therapeutic uses. It was decided that camphene had better opportunities in the pharmacological angle enabling it to find a place in the development of new therapeutic ideologies.

Reference Links:

  1. Camphene, a Plant-Derived Monoterpene, Reduces Plasma Cholesterol and Triglycerides in Hyperlipidemic Rats Independently of HMG-CoA Reductase Activity, published in PLOS journals
  2. Antinociceptive Activity and Redox Profile of the Monoterpenes (+)-Camphene, p-Cymene, and Geranyl Acetate in Experimental Models, published in Hindawi, International Scholarly Research.
  3. Comparative antifungal activities and biochemical effects of monoterpenes on plant pathogenic fungi by Damanhour University and Alexandria University, Egypt