Camphor Induced Seizures in an Adult- A Revisit

In Nineteenth century camphor was produced by distillation of the tree bark of camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) however now a days it is obtained artificially from oils like turpentine. Camphor is used to relieve pain, coryza, haemorrhoids, osteoarthritis and is an ingredient in of many over-the-counter drugs. In India the most popular use of camphor still remains in the spiritual prayers and pujas offered daily even in an ordinary household. Seizures can occur as soon as minutes after ingestion of camphor. Seizures associated with camphor have been reported in young children after accidental ingestion, dermal, and inhalational exposure. We report a case of camphor self-ingestion in an elderly female who experienced generalized tonic clonic convulsions with no previous history of seizure disorder. On evaluation she had no other plausible explanation for seizures but for camphor toxicity. She was treated supportively with no seizure recurrence.