Patchouli oil has been used around the world for several centuries thanks to its chemical composition. It is one of those versatile oils that can turn tired and aging skin into a thing of beauty, as well as heal wounds by helping the cells regenerate faster. The grounding and balancing effect the oil has on the body odor gave it the distinct title of oil for the hippie generation back in the 1960s. When patchouli is inhaled the mind seems to expand and a feeling tickles the senses with an amorous thoughts.
Why patchouli oil acts as a moth repellant as well as a mid-century love potion is still being studied, but most researchers say it’s the combination of chemicals in just the right proportions that give it aphrodisiac, antiseptic, antidepressant, deodorant, diuretic, antiphlogistic, astringent, cicatrisant, cytophylactic, sedative fungicide, insecticide, tonic and febrifuge properties.
The chemicals in the oil are not the typical chemicals found in the plants around the home. They are a unique group that’s not found in other plant oils. The group includes: caryophyllene, patchouli alcohol, b-patchoulene a-patchoulene, seychellene, a-bulnesene, norpatchoulenol, pogostol and a-guaiene.
The interesting point to note about these compounds is the fact that they produce oil with an unmistakable aroma as well as oil that protects the body from infections. Patchouli is also used to treat sexual issues like impotency and erectile function. The chemicals reduce inflammation, plus they induce contractions in muscles, the skin, and the nerves. The chemicals can also contract blood vessels to stop hemorrhaging. Scar tissues fades, blood pressure is lowered, and the body burns fat to produce energy, which means the chemicals in the oil also help the weight loss process.
Patchouli Oil’s Chemical Properties Help The Immune System
Fungus infections disappear when patchouli oil is used so it is a common ingredient in athlete’s foot products. The chemicals also help the body absorb nutrients faster, and they tone the liver, stomach, and the intestines. The oil’s compounds interact with endocrine system, which means hormone and enzyme secretion is regulated so the nervous system doesn’t short circuit. The chemicals also help relieve constipation, and they are instrumental in treating eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and skin sores.
The hippies of the 1960s didn’t really know the power of the chemicals in patchouli oil. They thought it was a mild mindbender that could take them to another world and fill the libido with the energy it needed to sow musky love. But, all the medicinal properties of this ancient oil weren’t wasted on this group of baby boomers. They got a healthy dose of energy in several ways, and they used different names to describe the feelings that manifested.
Patchouli oil was the love potion that every long haired, weed smoking, essential oil inhaling hippie, depended on for extra energy and better body odor. It gave them the musky smell of non-conforming success, and that made this emerging generation a cultural anomaly.
