Borneol is a natural alcohol compound found in essential oils of plants and trees in Southeast Asia. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine and can be chemically converted into camphor. Borneol has two isomers and is used in perfumes and scented products, but is mildly toxic and not approved by the FDA in the US.
Borneol is a naturally occurring organic compound, an alcohol of the terpene family with the chemical formula C10H18O. It is derived from the essential oils of several plant and tree species native to Southeast Asia and Borneo, hence the name. The same word is also used to describe blends used in traditional Chinese medicine that contain the same compound. These blends are sometimes known as Borneo or Borneol camphor.
The association with camphor occurs because this substance is similar to camphor, and in fact can be chemically converted by oxidation into the compound from which camphor is obtained. Synthetic borneol, in contrast, can be produced by breaking down camphor. It is also used in other chemical processes as a basis or catalyst for the synthesis of other compounds.
Like many other chemical compounds, borneol has two separate forms, or isomers, which are chemically identical in terms of formula, but differ in the arrangement of individual atoms. One of these two forms is found in nature, but the other is synthetic. The natural type causes the light passing through its crystals to bend. The synthetic form does not have this effect. Another isomer of borneol, known as isoborneol, is also used in some organic chemistry processes.
In its pure form, borneol is a whitish crystalline substance consisting of small irregular crystals. Its Chinese name comes from the Chinese words for “ice” and “slice”. While used in many traditional Chinese medicines and some clinical applications in other types of medicines, pure borneol is an irritant to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract and is classified in the United States as mildly toxic and potentially harmful if ingested.
In addition to its medicinal uses, borneol is also used in other ways, most notably in the manufacture of perfumes and other scented products. Despite the possibility of harmful effects from exposure or consumption, it is sometimes used, albeit in very small quantities, as a flavoring and in over-the-counter medicines, particularly in Asia. Some of these products may also be available in other parts of the world. In the United States, borneol is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a medicine, but it is not banned as an ingredient and products containing it are labeled as “herbal supplements” or “dietary supplements”. .
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