Patchouli oil: an overview on extraction method, composition and biological activities

Aromatic plants are known for the production of phytochemicals like essential oils which have several biological activities and have convincing fragrances. A frequent growth in the worldwide market of essential oil has been observed as it holds various beneficial therapeutic properties, which make them useful in food, fragrances, and medicinal sectors. The source of the patchouli oil isPogostemon cablin Benth, belonging to Lamiaceae family. Due to its lifelong and preserving properties, the oil has huge importance in aromatherapy and perfumery. Patchouli oil is the blend of various sesquiterpenes in which patchoulol (tricyclic sesquiterpenes) is the major constituent and the primary reason for the traditional aroma of the oil. This review article gives an overview on the importance of patchouli oil, major components of the oil, techniques employed to extract oil, its biological activities, the methods to isolate patchoulol from oil, and utilization of waste generated after the extraction.