Working of camphor in horses
The camphor tree originally comes from Southeast Asia where the trees can grow up to 30 meters high. Camphor is extracted from the wood as a white powder. The Japanese and Chinese traded a lot in camphor and used it often for arthritis or other joint complaints.
Camphor is on the list of banned ingredients of the FEI, so be cautious when using products with camphor if competing in competitions.
Camphor mainly for external use
Internally, camphor has a calming effect in small doses, but in high doses it can have an exciting effect. However, the main effect is external for joint pain, muscle pain, bruises, cramps or rheumatic conditions.
Camphor is often included in lotions, massage products or cooling products. It helps muscles recover faster. Camphor is also frequently used for arthritis complaints. Studies have shown that camphor has anti-inflammatory properties and can therefore be effective in this type of joint complaints.