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The genus Cinnamomum

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222 K. Nirmal Babu, P.N. Ravindran and M. Shylaja<br />

used for camphor production resulting in a very drastic reduction of this variety. Until<br />

relatively recently the Chinese camphor industry was interested only in the production<br />

of camphor, the camphor oil was never used. <strong>The</strong> producers have developed the Chinese<br />

method of camphor extraction (bowl method) and the improved barrel method, which<br />

is a simpler version of the Japanese method. In the first quarter of the last century,<br />

China exported large quantities of camphor. <strong>The</strong> Chinese camphor industry also suffered<br />

a lot during the world war years and during the post-war years the Chinese camphor<br />

industry continued to decline along with the other camphor producing countries. However,<br />

the introduction of leaf distillation for the production of camphor oil has given a<br />

new impetus to the camphor industry of China. With government support camphor oil<br />

production has gone up substantially in the past two decades. <strong>The</strong> Sichuan province<br />

is now the major camphor leaf oil production region where a new distillary at Yibui<br />

produces more than 1000 t of camphor leaf oil annually, about 70% of China’s total<br />

output (Weiss, 1997).<br />

Physico-chemical Properties of Camphor Oil<br />

Original oil (non-rectified)<br />

Oil of Kusunoki<br />

Hon-Sho oil:<br />

Specific gravity (25°C) – 0.9543<br />

Optical rotation – 32°24<br />

Refractive index (25°C) – 1.4806<br />

Acid number – 1.1<br />

Saponification number – 4.1<br />

Saponification number after acetylation – 23.3<br />

Alcohol content (as C10H18) – 6.5%<br />

Camphor content – 50.5%<br />

Hon-Sho oil (from Taiwan):<br />

Specific gravity at 25°C – 0.936<br />

Optical rotation – 21°58<br />

Refractive index (at 25°C) – 1.4702<br />

Alcohol (content calculated as C10H18O) – 6.5%<br />

Camphor content – 50.5%<br />

Ho-Sho soil (from Taiwan):<br />

Specific gravity at 25°C – 0.9306<br />

Optical rotation – 21°58<br />

Refractive index (at 25°C) – 1.4702<br />

Alcohol (content calculated as C10H18O) – 30.0%<br />

Camphor content – 44.0%<br />

Ho-Sho leaf oil:<br />

Specific gravity (25°C) – 0.8925<br />

Optical rotation – 11°2<br />

Refractive index (25°C) – 1.4659<br />

Alcohol content (calculated as C10H18O) – 71.2%

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