Borneol: A Plant-Sourced Terpene with a Variety of Promising Pharmacological Effects

Background: Borneol, a bicyclic monoterpene belonging to the class of camphene, is sourced from Blumea balsamifera, Cinnamonum camphora (L.) Presl, Dryobalanops aromatica Gaertner, and the volatile oils extracted from various other plant sources. Chinese Traditional Medicine system documents almost 1000 years of clinical use of borneol as an adjuvant as well as an active in treating various diseases and disorders, mainly pertaining to the central nervous system.Get more news about 2 borneol,you can vist our website!

Objective: The review aims to provide insights into the array of pharmacological activities elicited by borneol along with their underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Apart from the promising permeation enhancing activity, the scientific database has established strong evidence of a variety of pharmacological effects of borneol. The current work involved critical evaluation of the published and patented literature revealing various pharmacodynamic activities of borneol alone and in combination with other actives. The mechanisms responsible for the same were also investigated.

Results: Many studies have revealed a promising antimicrobial, antiparasitic, and antimicrobial adhesion activity of borneol. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, neuroprotective, and antiepileptic actions of borneol have been elucidated via a number of preclinical studies. Anti-diabetic, anti-hyperlipidemic, antihypertensive, and anticancer effects have also been explored for borneol.

Conclusion: The array of pharmacological activities evaluated for borneol alone or in combination with other actives could be attributed to its specific molecular structure, excellent brain permeability, strong antioxidant property, and ability to modulate various inflammatory pathways and precursors. However, more extensive preclinical and mainly clinical studies are warranted before this bicyclic monoterpene can establish as an active pharmaceutical agent.