Patchouly Oil

• Overview
• Uses
• Side Effects
• Precautions
• Dosing

Patchouly oil is taken from the dried leaves, young leaves, and shoots of a plant called Pogostemon cablin. It is used to make medicine.

People take patchouly oil for colds, tumors, headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. It is also used to treat bad breath, especially bad breath due to drinking alcohol.

In foods and beverages, patchouly oil is used as a flavoring.

In manufacturing, patchouly oil is used in perfumes and cosmetics.

How does it work?

Patchouly oil might help fight certain kinds of bacterial and fungal infections.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Colds.
• Headaches.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Stomach pain.
• Bad breath.
• Tumors.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of patchouly oil for these uses.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).

Patchouly oil seems to be safe in food amounts. But there isn’t enough information to know if it is safe when used in larger medicinal amounts.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of patchouly oil during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

The appropriate dose of patchouly oil depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for patchouly oil. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.