What if one familiar perfume could help support your joints, blood sugar, gut, brain… and even a healthy weight?
When you hear the word patchouli, you probably think of perfume.
I think of one of nature’s most overlooked botanicals.
Researchers have been quietly rediscovering patchouli. Far from being just a familiar fragrance, this botanical has become the subject of dozens of studies exploring its potential role in inflammation, metabolism, digestive health, and healthy aging.
I was especially intrigued by a review published in Molecules, where researchers pulled together dozens of studies on patchouli. Their conclusion? This familiar botanical may have far more health-supporting potential than most people realize.
Why Researchers Are Taking a Second Look
Patchouli isn’t attracting attention because it smells good—it’s attracting attention because of what researchers are finding.
Studies suggest that compounds in patchouli may help calm inflammatory pathways involved in arthritis, improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation, protect the intestinal lining, support healthy metabolism, and help defend brain cells against oxidative stress.
That’s exactly the kind of multitasking I look for in a medicinal plant.
My Patchouli Biohack
I’ve always believed that the best botanicals don’t just target one symptom—they support the body as a whole.
Patchouli appears to be one of them.
If you’ve only thought of patchouli as a fragrance, it may be time to take a second look at its essential oil—and the fascinating research behind it.
>> Where can you find Patchouli? I’ve made it available to you HERE!
Resources include:
Swamy, M. K., & Sinniah, U. R. (2015). A Comprehensive Review on the Phytochemical Constituents and Pharmacological Activities of Pogostemon cablin Benth.: An Aromatic Medicinal Plant of Industrial Importance. Molecules, 20(5), 8521-8547. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules20058521
Jeong JB, Choi J, Lou Z, Jiang X, Lee SH. Patchouli alcohol, an essential oil of Pogostemon cablin, exhibits anti-tumorigenic activity in human colorectal cancer cells. Int Immunopharmacol. 2013 Jun;16(2):184-90. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2013.04.006. Epub 2013 Apr 17. PMID: 23602914.
Lee HS, Lee J, Smolensky D, Lee SH. Potential benefits of patchouli alcohol in prevention of human diseases: A mechanistic review. Int Immunopharmacol. 2020 Dec;89(Pt A):107056. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107056. Epub 2020 Oct 8. PMID: 33039955; PMCID: PMC7543893.
