Patchouli is the dried aerial part of the perennial herb patchouli or Patchouli from the Lamiaceae family. It is cultivated and mainly produced in Guangdong, Hainan, and other regions. The original plant thrives on hillsides or roadsides, preferring warm and humid climates, slightly cold-resistant, drought-averse, and can grow in general soil. It has a pungent taste and a slightly warm nature, belonging to the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians. Its effects include aromatic herbs resolving dampness, stimulating appetite and stopping vomiting, and relieving summer heat. Clinical names include Patchouli and patchouli.
bubble_chart Compendium of Materia Medica
Bencao Tujing: Essential for spleen and stomach vomiting.
《Yao Lei Fa Xiang》: Slightly warm in nature, sweet and pungent in taste.
Treats wind edema, removes malign qi. Treats spleen and stomach, vomiting, cholera, and heart pain.
《Medicinal Property Fu》: Sweet in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. Can ascend and descend, yang in nature. Its uses are twofold: stimulates appetite to promote eating, stops cholera and eliminates vomiting.
Tangye Bencao: Slightly warm in nature, sweet and pungent in taste, yang in nature. Sweet and bitter, pure yang, non-toxic.
Enters the Taiyin meridians of the hands and feet.
《Xiang》云: Treats wind edema, removes malign qi, treats spleen and stomach vomiting, cholera heart pain. Use leaves, remove branches and stems.
《Xin》云: Fragrant aroma, aids spleen in stimulating appetite and stopping vomiting.
《Zhen》云: Strengthens defense qi, benefits stomach and promotes eating.
《Materia Medica》云: Mainly treats spleen and stomach vomiting, treats wind edema and toxic swelling, removes malign qi, treats cholera heart pain. Warms the middle and quickens qi, treats bad breath, upper energizer congestion, decoct for gargling. Enters the Taiyin meridians of the hands and feet, enters Lindera Qi-Regulating Decoction to tonify the lungs, enters Astragalus Root Four Gentlemen Decoction to tonify the spleen.
Bencao Fahui: Jiegu says: Warm in nature, bitter in taste, strong in qi, light in taste, floating and ascending, yang in nature. Tonifies kidney qi, promotes eating. Use leaves, remove branches and stems.Bencao Jingshu: Patchouli inherits a clear and strong fragrant qi, hence its pungent taste, slightly warm nature, and non-toxicity. Jiegu: Pungent and sweet, also sweet and bitter. Strong in qi, light in taste, floating and ascending, yang in nature. Dongyuan: Can ascend and descend, yang in nature. Enters the Taiyin meridians of the hands and feet, also enters the Yangming meridian of the feet. Wind edema and toxic swelling, disease lies in the spleen, malign qi invades internally, also due to spleen deficiency and evil invasion, cholera heart abdominal pain are all middle energizer disorders. The spleen governs the middle energizer, the fragrant qi first enters the spleen, regulates the spleen and stimulates the appetite, healthy qi flows smoothly, then the aforementioned conditions are naturally eliminated. Su Song considers it essential for spleen and stomach vomiting. Jiegu says it aids stomach qi, stimulates appetite, promotes eating. Haizang says it warms the middle and quickens qi. Lung deficiency with cold, and cold stagnation heat congestion in the upper energizer, bad breath from drinking alcohol, decoct and drink. All pungent and warm, enters the lungs and spleen, clears the upper and treats the middle.
Precautions: Although Patchouli can stop vomiting and treat hiccups, if the disease is caused by yin deficiency with effulgent fire, weak stomach with desire to vomit, and stomach heat causing vomiting, middle energizer fire excess and extreme heat, warm disease Rebing, Yangming gastrointestinal system evil excess causing vomiting and distension, it is contraindicated.
Bencao Mengquan: Pungent and sweet in taste, slightly warm in nature. Light in taste, strong in qi, can ascend and descend, yang in nature. Non-toxic. Specifically treats the spleen and lung meridians. Added to Lindera Qi-Regulating Powder, it works on the lungs; added to Astragalus Root Four Gentlemen Decoction, it takes effect on the spleen. Used in cold-damage disease formulas, named healthy qi powder. Regulates cholera to stop vomiting, stimulates appetite to increase eating. Prevents bad breath, eliminates wind edema and swelling.《Materia Medica Cheng Ya》: Qi disorder in the intestines leads to cholera. The cause of disorder and qi stoppage is malign qi. Patchouli is dry and fragrant, possessing the meaning of not rebelling or bending, entering a group without causing disorder, thus can stabilize the disorder, hence named Patchouli; used in odd-ingredient formulas and emergent formulas, in dispersing formulas, light formulas, and dry formulas.
Treats wind edema and toxic swelling by reaching wood, stops heart abdominal pain, and congestion and swelling by emitting fire; stabilizes vomiting, revives spleen and stomach by seizing earth; earth stagnation is seized, fire stagnation expels pathogen from the exterior, wood stagnation is reached, thus it fulfills the role of transformation and nurturing, and in the season of summer, as the main of the four properties, named Patchouli healthy qi for this reason.
《Medicinal Property Jie》: Patchouli, sweet and pungent in taste, slightly warm in nature, non-toxic, enters the lung, spleen, and stomach meridians. Stimulates appetite, promotes eating, stops cholera, eliminates vomiting.
Note: Patchouli is pungent and warm, entering the lung meridian to regulate qi; sweet and warm, entering the spleen and stomach to harmonize the middle. With proper regulation, the central region is in order, then the zang-fu organs are all at peace, and illness will not arise.
Yaojian: The temperature is pungent and sweet, non-toxic, with a thick qi and thin flavor. It is a remedy that can ascend and descend, specifically treating the spleen and lung meridians. When added to Lindera Qi-Regulating Powder, it acts on the lungs. When combined with Astragalus Root Four Gentlemen Decoction, it takes effect on the spleen. Therefore, it can open the spleen and stomach, promote appetite, stop cholera, and stabilize vomiting. It is a key component in cold-damage disease prescriptions and a holy medicine for dispersing healthy qi. Its ability to eliminate foul breath is due to its fragrant aroma. Its ability to clear wind and reduce swelling is due to its warm and pungent nature.Jingyue Quanshu: The flavor is pungent and slightly sweet, the temperature is warm. Both qi and flavor are thin, yang in nature, and can ascend and descend. This herb is fragrant and potent, effectively speeding up the spleen and smoothing qi, opening the appetite, widening the chest and diaphragm, promoting appetite, stopping cholera vomiting, and regulating the lungs to resolve stagnation. When added to Lindera and other remedies, it can also strengthen the spleen; when decocted with Four Gentlemen, it can eliminate bad breath. It also treats edema and relieves alcohol-induced disorders.
Bencao Beiyao: Disperse, remove malign qi.
Pungent, sweet, and slightly warm. Enters the hand and foot Taiyin meridians (lungs and spleen). Speeds up qi and harmonizes the middle, opens the stomach and stops vomiting. Contraindicated for those with weak stomach and stomach heat causing vomiting. Removes malign qi and promotes appetite. Treats cholera vomiting and diarrhea, heart and abdominal colic, lung deficiency in cold, and upper energizer stagnation heat. Can regulate the qi of the spleen and lungs. Ancient prescriptions include Huoxiang Healthy Qi Powder; when healthy qi flows smoothly, pathogenic qi is naturally eliminated.
Benjing Fengyuan: Patchouli enters the hand and foot Taiyin meridians. Its fragrant aroma aids the spleen and awakens the stomach, thus stopping vomiting, opening the stomach to promote appetite, warming the middle to speed up qi, removing miasma, stopping cholera, and treating heart and abdominal pain. For seasonal epidemic pestilence and mountain miasmic malaria, using this to awaken the spleen and strengthen the stomach will naturally eliminate pathogenic qi. However, it should not be used for yin deficiency with effulgent fire, stomach deficiency causing vomiting, or when there is no internal stagnation, as it may harm healthy qi and lead pathogenic qi inward. The locally produced variety in Jiangsu and Zhejiang can damage middle consumptive thirst; its stem can consume qi, so use with caution.
Bencao Qiuzhen: [Comment] Awakens the spleen and stops nausea, opens the chest and stops vomiting.
Patchouli specifically enters the spleen, stomach, and lungs. Pungent, fragrant, and slightly warm, with a strong aroma. Its pure fragrance can aid the spleen and awaken the stomach to ward off various evils. Therefore, when external malign qi invades and causes persistent cholera vomiting, this herb should be used. For example, Patchouli Qi-Righting Powder uses this to regulate the qi of the lungs and spleen, allowing healthy qi to flow and pathogenic qi to be eliminated. It opens the chest and widens the qi, promoting appetite. Cold is expelled and health is restored. Therefore, when combined with Lindera Qi-Regulating Powder, it can benefit the lungs; when combined with Four Gentlemen Decoction, it can strengthen the spleen and eliminate bad breath. However, it should not be taken for vomiting caused by heat.
Depei Bencao: Pungent, sweet, slightly warm. Enters the foot Taiyin and Yangming meridians' qi and blood. Warms the middle and speeds up qi, regulates the spleen and harmonizes the stomach. It is a key medicine for vomiting and nausea, treating pathogenic qi stagnation in the upper and middle burners, cholera vomiting and diarrhea. Heart and abdominal colic, removes malign qi, treats water toxin, and eliminates alcohol-induced bad breath.
When combined with Talc, it treats summer vomiting and diarrhea. Adding Clove is especially effective. When paired with bean kernels, it treats alcohol-induced bad breath.
The leaves primarily disperse, the stems primarily unblock.
Contraindicated for those with weak stomach, stomach heat causing vomiting, and yin deficiency with effulgent fire.
Benjing Shuzheng: Huo means protection, as the taiyang is in charge, protecting and nurturing all things. Huo refers to the flourishing growth of all things, with branches hanging and leaves spreading, suddenly becoming large, and the scent of the earth. From this, it can be said that Huoxiang (Patchouli) benefits from the fire's expansive and flourishing nature, and the earth's nurturing and fostering qualities. Since it can expand and flourish, it can eliminate malignant and yin toxins upon encounter. Since it can nurture and foster, it can transform malignant and yin toxins upon encounter. It grows in spring, flourishes in summer, and by autumn, it bears spikes and blooms, embodying the correct commands of heaven and earth. Its body is square and jointed, dense and hollow-hearted, also possessing the strict order of heaven and earth. Because its qi and taste do not remain internally but move outward, it ultimately serves as an excellent agent for dispersion, capable of quelling chaos and supporting the endangered, but not able to sit and govern the refined and the vulgar to dissolve stubborn obstinacy. Otherwise, its capabilities would not be limited to removing toxic swellings in wind edema and malign qi heart pain in cholera. Although wind edema and cholera are described and differentiated very thoroughly and clearly by Zhongjing, as seen in the Jingui Yaolue, why is there no mention of toxic swellings in the pattern of wind and water, or heart pain in cholera? The malignant qi and the predominance of the six excesses are indeed different, but the original qi of the human body is often harmed by them, all of a sudden obstructing its mechanisms. Not due to a momentary cause, but ultimately, there cannot be a slight differentiation among them. Therefore, wind edema is fundamentally a wind disease, but if there are swollen and immovable parts, it should be understood as toxic. Cholera is fundamentally a cold disease, but if accompanied by heart pain, it should be known as malign qi. Malign qi and toxins cannot deeply penetrate without the guidance of wind-cold. The zang-fu organs' wind-cold, without malign qi and toxins, can only cause wind edema and cholera, but cannot cause swelling and heart pain. Therefore, Zhongjing only spoke of the norm, and as for the accompanying changes and transformations, it requires deep thought and lateral understanding to respond to them. This is why ancient books are sparse yet comprehensive. If the chapters on cholera and water qi had to include such minutiae, even a hundredfold increase in their volumes would not suffice, and the use of Huoxiang can also be understood from this. For cholera with cold extremities and no pulse, and wind edema with heavy sweating and aversion to wind, it is not used for treatment.
Bencao Xinbian: Patchouli, pungent and sweet in taste, slightly warm in nature, can ascend or descend, yang in nature, non-toxic. Enters the lung and spleen meridians. Remarkably effective in treating cholera, especially effective in stopping vomiting, alleviates middle consumptive thirst, removes foul odor, and benefits edema. However, it can only be used as an adjuvant and not as a principal or secondary ingredient. This is because Patchouli expels pathogens very quickly, which inevitably consumes a lot of qi, thus it often works well when combined with qi and blood tonics, otherwise, it is ineffective.
Some may ask why I did not mention that Patchouli disperses summerheat qi. It is not that Patchouli does not disperse summerheat qi, but it also disperses vital qi. Using Patchouli to disperse summerheat is like using heat to stop heat, which is why I did not mention it. Although cholera is also a type of summerheat syndrome, using Patchouli to treat cholera actually takes advantage of its descending and reporting properties, not its ability to disperse summerheat, which is also important to know.
Some may ask why I did not mention that Patchouli is used in odd-ingredient formulas to stop wheezing. The wheezing that Patchouli stops is caused by the invasion of summerheat qi, not that Patchouli has an additional effect of stopping wheezing beyond treating summerheat. That is why I only mentioned its use in treating cholera and expelling pathogens, and not its use in stopping wheezing. Wheezing is often caused by deficiency, and mistaking deficiency-type dyspnea for excess-type dyspnea can be fatal upon ingestion. Therefore, I dare not mention Patchouli's use in stopping wheezing, as there is a subtle meaning behind it.
Bencao Fenjing: Pungent and sweet, slightly warm, clear and harmonizing, fragrant and strong. Enters the spleen and lung. Promotes qi and harmonizes the middle, opens the stomach and stops vomiting, removes malign qi and pathogenic stagnation in the upper and middle burners.
bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology
- Patchouli extract can dilate microvessels and has a slight diaphoretic effect.
- Patchouli volatile oil can promote gastric juice secretion and enhance digestive power; it has the effect of relieving gastrointestinal smooth muscle spasms and astringent antidiarrheal.
- Patchouli decoction and ethanol extract have significant inhibitory effects on various trichomonads and fungi; its decoction has an inhibitory effect on leptospira at small doses and a killing effect at large doses. The flavonoids in Patchouli have significant inhibitory effects on respiratory pathogens.
- Patchouli volatile oil has antiseptic properties.