Patchouli Medicinal Uses and Health Benefits

Patchouli Medicinal Uses and Health Benefits

Patchouli herb is believed to have many health benefits to people. This herb has amazing healing properties like anti-phlogistic, aphrodisiac, cicatrisant, anti odor, febrifuge, insecticide, health tonic, anti depressant, antiseptic, astringent, cytophylactic, diuretic, fungicide as well as sedative. The steam distillation of Patchouli leaves gives us patchouli essential oil. Patchouli oil is just one of several floral essential oils that emit a delicate and mild fragrance. Hence, it is quite popular in the perfumery industry. All throughout the history of India, Patchouli oil joins several others types of oil to make perfumes, like rose, sandalwood, and jasmine.

People have been using Patchouli herb for centuries as natural ayurvedic remedies to different ailments. It was even used as an insecticide and insect repellent for years. People used the dried leaves of Patchouli to protect stored clothes from pest attack. However, people have now realized that Patchouli is more than just an insecticide and that there are actually many health benefits of Patchouli essential oil that they can take advantage of.

Medicinal Uses and Health Benefits of Patchouli Essential Oil
1. Anti- depressant: The health benefits of Patchouli essential oil benefits are helpful for people who suffer from depression. It has been observed that the use of this essential oil helps uplift the mood and reduces stress. It is even now a popular oil in aromatherapy. Using this oil in the diffuser helps create an atmosphere that is relaxing and free from stressful vibes.

2. Antiphlogistic: Patchouli helps in reducing inflammation or fever which makes it a very effective Antiphlogistic.

3. Antiseptic: The health benefits of Patchouli essential oil include having antiseptic properties. When used externally, it can help treat wounds and infection. It also helps in stopping the wounds from turning septic. Just a few drops of Patchouli essential oil must be mixed with base oil and massaged on the affected area.

4. Aphrodisiac: Patchouli Oil has been used as an Aphrodisiac for many centuries. It was also a favored scent used by many in their sixties to enhance their sex lives. The health benefits of Patchouli essential oil helps increase a person’s libido and sexual interest.

5. Astringent: Patchouli essential Oil enhances muscle, skin and nerve contractions. This improves the gum hold on teeth, reduces hair fall, decreases muscle looseness and stops skin for sagging. The astringent in this herbal oil reduces bleeding by increasing blood vessel contraction.

6. Cicatrisant: Patchouli essential oil works as an agent that promotes cicatrization or scar formation. It helps in healing wounds and cuts. It also helps in reducing the marks left by scars, acne, chicken pox, measles or boils.

7.  Anti-odor: Patchouli essential oil is spicy and musky fragrance that helps in keeping body odor at bay. However, you must not use the patchouli oil directly as it is too strong for some people, mix it with some base oil and rub it on the odor prone parts of the body.

8. Diuretic: Patchouli essential oil is diuretic.  Thus, the health benefits of patchouli essential oil increase the frequency of urination and help in moving fluids faster from the body while taking toxins along with it. The diuretic properties of patchouli improves the health by lowering the blood pressure, improving appetite, reducing cholesterol level as well as expulsion of toxins from the body.

9. Insecticide: People from older times knew about the insecticidal use of patchouli essential oil. Although it has a sweet aroma, it also helps keep insects and mosquitoes away. It is used in many mosquito repellent sprays, lotions and fumigants. Some people add few drops of patchouli essential oil in the water used to wash clothes to kill any germs in it. Dried leaves of patchouli plant are also kept with woolen clothes to keep it safe from pests.

10. Gargle: The health benefits of Patchouli essential oil are also good for treating bad breath and halitosis. It is added to mouthwash or gargling solutions for a fresher breath.

11. Febrifuge: Reduces body temperature in case of fever by fighting the infections causing the fever. Being an Anti Phlogistic, it gives relief from the inflammations caused by fever and this way too helps bringing down the fever, since fever can be reduced to some extent if the pain and inflammation associated with fever are taken care of.

12. Fungicide: Patchouli Essential Oil has been found quite effective in inhibiting fungal growths and infections, thereby providing protection from some of the notorious infections like athlete’s foot.

13 .Tonic: This property of Patchouli Oil tones up the whole body. It makes right the metabolic functions like decomposition of food and absorption of nutrients by toning up the liver, stomach and intestines, helping you grow stronger and healthier; takes care of proper excretion; regulates the endocrinal secretions of hormones and enzymes and also tones up the nervous system, thus making you more alert and active, and finally, boosts the immune system, protecting you from infections.

14. Other Benefits: Helps treat eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and sores. Gives relief from constipation. Can be used as an antidote against insect bites temporarily.

Suggested Application Methods
There are various ways for you to experience the healing benefits of patchouli essential oil and experience relief. Here are just some of the excellent ways for immediate relief:

Inhalation - This is one of the simplest method to apply patchouli oil. All you need is a piece of cloth wherein you can add a few drops of the oil. Then, sniff it through your nose whenever you feel tensed or nervous, and you will instantly experience a relaxing effect even with minimal sniffing.

Bath - If you want total body relaxation and enable a full absorption of the oil's wonderful therapeutic properties, then bathing is a good idea for aromatherapy application. Simply add 7-10 drops of patchouli oil into your warm bath water.

Massage - A relaxing massage on your entire body should provide two ways for the acquisition of the oil properties: through the massaging of the oil into your skin and the slow releasing of the aromatic essences of the oil.

Blending: Patchouli Essential Oil blends well with essential oils of Bergamot, Clary Sage, Geranium, Lavender and Myrrh.


Assuming you're after the beautifying effects of Patchouli oil, you can apply it to your skin in a few different methods (depending on your goal). If you've got oily skin, combine 2 drops of Patchouli essential oil with 2 tbsp. of cold water, and rinse your face with the mixture. You should start to see immediate effects just by doing this once or twice a day.

Those who want to reduce the appearance of wrinkles on their face can add some Patchouli oil into wrinkle cream to give it an extra punch; the next step is to massage the cream into your skin once a day to rejuvenate your face. If your goal is to have younger-looking skin all over, you can put 10-15 drops of Patchouli essential oils into a tub full of warm water. This not only helps your body's skin, but it also soothes your mind as well!