The Nature LibraryEN·ES
← The ApothecaryDipterocarpaceaeresin crystals (natural borneol), oleoresin (camphor oil), leavesFact-checked 24 October 2026

Borneo camphor

Dryobalanops aromatica

Also calledSumatran camphor · Kapur Barus (Malay/Indonesian) · Long nao / Bing pian (Chinese, for the borneol)

A Southeast Asian rainforest tree, harvested in northern Sumatra, whose resin was the original source of natural (+)-borneol, the Chinese medicine Long nao or Bing pian, used for more than 1,500 years to 'open the orifices' in coma, stroke and fainting and in remedies for sore throats, mouth sores and eye disease. Today most borneol comes from other plants or is synthetic, and the tree is listed as Vulnerable.

What it is used for

  • A leaf extract strongly inhibited hepatitis C virus in cell culture; the active compound, the oligostilbene vaticanol B, mainly blocked viral entry. No animal or human data.3

  • Heart
    Traditional

    Borneol is an ingredient of widely prescribed Chinese patent medicines for coronary heart disease (quick-acting heart tablets, compound salvia drops, Angong Niuhuang pills) and of Suhexiang and Suxiao Jiuxin pills; the evidence for borneol itself is from animal and formulation studies.2

  • Sore throat
    Traditional

    The Chinese Pharmacopoeia lists borneol for sore throat, red eyes and mouth sores; it reduces inflammatory markers (NO, TNF-α, IL-6) in cultured macrophages.2

  • Used in Chinese medicine for mouth sores and gum pain.2

  • Eyes
    Traditional

    Mainly used in eye preparations: 73% of 76 eye formulations in China's national TCM products collection contain borneol.2

  • Applied for limited painful conditions including burns and joint pain on the basis of its anti-inflammatory and analgesic action.2

How it is prepared

powder

Crystalline borneol used in pills, eye drops and topical preparations, usually as part of a multi-herb formula; not for home use.

Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015), as cited in a review: 0.3–0.9 g natural borneol or 0.15–0.3 g synthetic borneol for clinical use.

Heart · Sore throat · Eyes

Amounts are as recorded by the named source, not a recommendation.

Safety

Pregnancy
Insufficient data
Breastfeeding
Insufficient data

Interactions with medicines

  • drugs acting on the brain (and P-glycoprotein substrates)ModerateBorneol increases brain concentrations of co-administered drugs (by 26–197% for several drugs in animals) and inhibits P-glycoprotein; effects on human drug levels are unknown.
Interaction checker →

Side effects

  • Stomach irritation at high doses

Toxicity

Oral LD50 of borneol in rodents is 300–5800 mg/kg. Natural borneol is considered less toxic than synthetic borneol, which can contain 45–97% camphor; camphor is toxic, particularly to infants and young children. High doses of synthetic borneol caused abortion and maternal deaths in pregnant mice, possibly from its isoborneol content.

In the healing traditions

  • Traditional Chinese Medicine

    Long nao / Bing pian (natural borneol)

    Pungent, bitter and slightly cold, entering the heart, spleen and lung meridians; clears heat, 'awakens the mind', opens the orifices and relieves pain. Used for coma, syncope and stroke, chest pain, red eyes, mouth sores, sore throat and discharging ears; also a 'messenger' that guides other herbs to the brain.

    Supplementary Records of Famous Physicians; Newly Revised Materia Medica (Tang dynasty); Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020

  • Southeast Asian (Jamu, Thai, Philippine…)

    Kapur Barus

    The oleoresin is harvested by forest-dependent communities in northern Sumatra for medicinal and fragrance uses.

Active compounds

(+)-borneol (D-borneol)
bicyclic monoterpene alcohol; crosses the blood-brain barrier within minutes and reversibly increases its permeability in animal studies
vaticanol B
oligostilbene from the leaves; anti-hepatitis C activity in vitro

History

Borneol entered Chinese medicine between 220 and 589 CE and was recorded in the Tang-dynasty Newly Revised Materia Medica. Because the tree's resin was rare and costly, camphor-laurel oil and later synthetic borneol were substituted.

Sources

  1. 1.Zhang QL, Fu BM, Zhang ZJ. Borneol, a novel agent that improves central nervous system drug delivery by enhancing blood–brain barrier permeability. Drug Deliv 2017
  2. 2.Tang M et al. Role of borneol as enhancer in drug formulation: a review. Chin Herb Med 2025
  3. 3.Aoki-Utsubo C et al. Identification of an oligostilbene, vaticanol B, from Dryobalanops aromatica leaves as an antiviral compound against hepatitis C virus. Biol Pharm Bull 2023 (abstract)
  4. 4.Aswandi A et al. Phytochemical compounds of Sumatra camphor oleoresin from the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. Preprints 2025 (abstract)
  5. 5.GBIF: Dryobalanops aromatica C.F.Gaertn. (IUCN: Vulnerable)

Reference, not prescription. Nothing here is medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and be dangerous in pregnancy; tell your doctor or pharmacist about anything you take.