Uses For Patchouli Essential Oil

Patchouli essential oil is extracted from the dried, fermented leaves of the patchouli plant, Pogostemon cablin, a perennial herb. The plant is native to tropical Asia, most notably the Philippines and Indonesia. It produces purple-rimmed flowers and dark, sweet essential oil. According to Julia Lawless, author of "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils," ingredients in the essential oil include patchouli alcohol, pogostol, bulnesol, nor patchoulenol, bulnese, and patchoulene.

Fragrance

Patchouli is known for its use in incense. From as far back as biblical times, incense has been used to celebrate, commemorate and consecrate. Incense had a resurgence in the 1960s, with patchouli topping the list of fragrances, perhaps for its ability to mask other smoke odors like marijuana. Since then, patchouli essential oil has become a popular base note in a number of fragranced products. Its warm, sweet, rich, earthy herbaceous aroma is used as a fixative in soaps and perfumes. According to Lawless, patchouli blends well with other essential oils such as sandalwood, labdanum, vetiver, lavender, rose and myrrh.

Skin Care

Because of a number of patchouli's properties--anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, fungicidal, and antiphlogistic--both Lawless and Daniele Ryman of the Aromatherapy Bible say that the oil is beneficial for a number of skin-related conditions, including acne, athlete's foot, cracked and chapped skin, dandruff, dermatitis, eczema, fungal infections, hair care, impetigo, sores, wounds and wrinkles.

Insect Repellent

According to a 2003 study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, patchouli essential oil was found to repel termites. Additionally, an article by the Bastyr Center for Natural Health in Seattle, Washington, cited a study published in the 2003 issue of Phytotherapy Research that found that patchouli essential oil was effective in repelling Aedes aegypti mosquitoes for up to two hours.

Other Uses

According to Lawless, patchouli oil has been used in Japan and Malaysia as an antidote to snakebite and as a treatment for a number of upper-respiratory and digestive ailments. It is also used as a flavoring in some brands of cigarettes.