Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. (= P. patchouli Pellet.)

DeFilipps, Robert A. & Krupnick, Gary A., 2018, The medicinal plants of Myanmar, PhytoKeys 102, pp. 1-341 : 99

Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. (= P. patchouli Pellet.)

Names.

Myanmar: thanat-pyit-see. English: patchouli.

Range.

Native of southeastern Asia. Cultivated in Myanmar.

Uses.

Leaf: Used to treat kidney and bladder diseases. Used in making diuretics and medicines to cure shooting pains in the stomach. Juice taken with small amount of marijuana leaves when there is blood in the urine. Juice taken to relieve pain during menstruation.

Notes.

In India an infusion of the leaf is used for menstrual troubles ( Jain and DeFilipps 1991). In China the whole plant is used for abdominal pain, cold, diarrhea, halitosis, headache, and nausea ( Duke and Ayensu 1985). Medicinal uses of the species in China, on the Malay Peninsula, and in the Philippines are discussed in Perry (1980).

The species has been used in China for 100 years. The branches and leaves of P. cablin (introduced into China) are used as drug which is considered superior to the commercial drug consisting of dried aerial parts of Agastache rugosa (cultivated in China). The drug is considered carminative, stomachic, antivinous, antiemetic, and depurtive. It is useful in treating influenza and colds, headache, indigestion, fever, cholera, and the nausea of pregnancy ( Perry 1980).

The whole plant is antiseptic and the oil is bactericidal ( Duke and Ayensu 1985). The chemical constituents of its volatile oil include patchouli alcohol, cadinene, coerulein, benzaldehyde, and eugenal ( Perry 1980).

References.

Nordal (1963), Agricultural Corporation (1980).