Pogostemon patchouli aka P. patchouly var. suavis syn. Pogostemon cablin syn.Pogostemon javanicus syn.Pogostemon patchouly. Steam distilled from the sun-dried leaves and young shoots. Social Enterprise from Indonesia.
Aroma: This Patchouli oil is a viscous dark orange or brown with a complex, strong, earthy, sweet-herbaceous, woody-balsamic, long-lasting odour. It does not have the burnt note that commercial bottom-of-the-barrel distillations have.
Learn about how patchouli oil is grown, dried, fermented and distilled and the difference that social enterprise makes here: http://ivazimova.wordpress.com/my-letters/from-indonesia/patchouli-mission/
Description: A perennial herb from the mint family growing up to 1 metre high with a sturdy, hairy stem, large, fragrant, furry leaves and white flowers.
Properties: Antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent, cicatrizant, cytophylactic, deodorant, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicidal, insecticidal, sedative.
Constituents: Patchouli alcohol aka patchoullol (31-58%), α -guaiene (10-15%), caryophyllene (2-4%), α-bulnesene (2-4%), seychellene(6-9%), α-patchouline (3-6%),
α-patchouline (1-5%), pogostol (0-3%).
Uses: Perfumery- including oriental bases, woody bases, fougeres and chypres. Insect repellant, especially moths. Skin healing. Patchouli was a renown antidote to snake and insect bites in India and China. In the Victorian era, it was used to treat Indian carpets from deteriorating from insects and fungi.
During the screening of anti-influenza virus substances from traditional herbal medicines, the methanol extract from the leaves of Pogostemon cablin Benth. showed potent in vitro antiviral activity (99.8% inhibition at a concentration of 10 μg/mL) against influenza virus A/PR/8/34 (H1N1).>/i> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21671149
Blends well with: Bergamot, black pepper, clary sage, frankincense, geranium, ginger, lavender, lemongrass, myrrh, neroli, rose, rosewood, sandalwood, and ylang-ylang.
Safety: A 10% dilution is recommended. Non-toxic, non-sensitizing, non-irritant.