Borneol (Moxa, Borneo camphor) is a terpenoid with a minty, almost piney menthol aroma and is commonly used in perfumery, though may cause skin irritation if applied topically. It was developed by the cannabis plant as an insect repellent, and appears in many other species for a similar purpose. It has both anti-inflammatory and pain relieving effects. It can be found naturally in teak trees, cinnamon, galangal, sagebrush and wormwood.
It is often utilized as a calming sedative, but has been shown to assist with PTSD, and assists greatly in hemorrhoids.
Citations
- Li, YH. Sun, XP. Zhang, YQ. Wang, NS. The antithrombotic effect of borneol related to its anticoagulant property. American Journal of Clinical Medicine. (2008)
- Wu, HY. Tang, Y. Gao, LY. Sun, WX. Hua, Y. Yang, SB. Zhang, ZP. Liao, GY. Zhou, QG. Lou, CX. Zhu, DY. The synergetic effect of edaravone and borneol in the rat model of ischemic stroke. European Journal of Pharmacology. (2014)