Drug & supplement interaction

Patchouli Oil + Cobicistat

Cobicistat brand name: Tybost.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Patchouli Oil and Cobicistat in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the label for Cobicistat states a food rule worth keeping to.

Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Patchouli Oil and Cobicistat

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Cobicistat and Patchouli Oil in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Patchouli Oil at all — not against Cobicistat, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Patchouli Oil safety at a glance

Patchouli Oil overall Use caution Generally considered safe for topical and aromatherapy use when diluted, but can irritate skin and should not be swallowed.
Pregnancy Avoid Safety is not established, so avoid use during pregnancy unless cleared by your doctor.
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety information exists, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Cobicistat and Patchouli Oil? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Cobicistat’s Own FDA Label Lists

This is not an interaction — none of it involves Patchouli Oil. These are the most notable effects listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of Cobicistat’s own FDA label, for the medication by itself. Knowing the drug’s own list makes it easier to work out the likely cause if something new turns up while you take both. 7 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney problems Worth acting on mentioned in 44.9% of FDA reports for Cobicistat
  • Kidney stones Worth acting on
  • Severe muscle breakdown Worth acting on
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes Worth acting on
  • Low mood Worth acting on
  • Hives Worth acting on
  • An allergic reaction Worth acting on
  • Vivid dreams or nightmares
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Itching

Showing the 10 most notable of 17 label-listed effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

From the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Cobicistat. Read the label on DailyMed › Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 20,779 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Cobicistat that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Patchouli Oil’s licensed record lists no adverse effects our clinical vocabulary could match, so there is no Patchouli Oil side to compare — that is a limit of the record, not a statement that Patchouli Oil has no side effects.

How to take them

Some Cobicistat Products Have a Food Rule — Patchouli Oil Should Not Break It

At least one FDA label for a product containing Cobicistat says to take it with food. If you take Patchouli Oil on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate — and take Cobicistat with a meal where the label says to.

This may not be true of your version. Food instructions belong to the product, not the ingredient: two Cobicistat products can carry different directions, and extended-release forms often differ from immediate-release ones. The label we read is quoted below — check the directions on your own box or bottle, or ask your pharmacist, for how to take the exact product you were given.

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION TYBOST must be coadministered with atazanavir or darunavir at the same time, with food, and in combination with other HIV-1 antiretroviral agents.

From the Dosage and Administration section of the FDA label we read for Cobicistat — where that label names a specific product, the instruction is that product's. Read the label on DailyMed ›

A food rule is not an interaction — it is about how much of the medicine you absorb. The directions that came with your own product, and your pharmacist, outrank anything on this page.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cobicistat

This page covers Patchouli Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cobicistat page lists 30 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Adrafinil (moderate), Cannabidiol (cbd) (moderate), Cannabinol (cbn) (moderate) and Cannabis (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 19 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cobicistat page

“Activated charcoal is the one entry to understand first if you take cobicistat (Tybost). Charcoal soaks up drugs in the gut, and since cobicistat's entire job is boosting an HIV medicine to protective levels, blunting its absorption can put the whole regimen at risk.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cobicistat interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Patchouli Oil and Cobicistat Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Patchouli Oil
Steady interest

#1,384 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Cobicistat
Steady interest

#1,597 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Patchouli Oil reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Patchouli Oil and Cobicistat records this page draws on were last updated June 22, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Patchouli Oil

What is Patchouli Oil?

  • Aromatherapy and relaxation
  • Skin care
  • Insect repellent
  • Fragrance and perfume
  • Antimicrobial use
  • Mood support

Patchouli oil is an essential oil pressed from the leaves of the patchouli plant, used mainly for its strong, earthy scent in aromatherapy, skin products, and perfumes. Most claimed health benefits come from laboratory studies rather than solid human trials, so its real-world value remains unproven. Like all essential oils, it should be diluted before skin use and never swallowed unless directed by a qualified professional.

Pogostemon cablin · Lamiaceae · Leaves (dried and steam-distilled essential oil) · Essential oil, diluted oil blends, soaps, lotions, perfumes, incense

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Patchouli Oil is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Patchouli Oil record says about it on its own.

Patchouli Oil: dosing

There is no established standard dose for patchouli oil, and it is not meant to be taken by mouth. For topical use, it is typically diluted to a small percentage in a carrier oil before being applied to the skin.For aromatherapy, a few drops may be added to a diffuser according to the product directions.

From our Patchouli Oil monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Patchouli Oil monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cobicistat

What Is Cobicistat Used For?

Brand name: Tybost

Tybost (cobicistat) is not itself an HIV treatment — it works by slowing the breakdown of certain HIV medicines so they stay active in your body long enough to work. Specifically, Tybost is used to boost the HIV medicines atazanavir or darunavir (once-daily dosing) as part of a complete HIV-1 treatment regimen in adults and in children weighing at least 14 kg (about 31 lbs).

Tybost is not interchangeable with ritonavir (another booster) for all HIV medicines. It is not recommended with darunavir twice-daily, fosamprenavir, saquinavir, or tipranavir.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Cobicistat

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (20,779 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Bone density decreased 8,112 reports
Chronic kidney disease 4,754 reports
Renal injury 4,577 reports
Tooth loss 4,186 reports
Bone loss 4,107 reports
See full Cobicistat drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Patchouli Oil

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Patchouli Oil — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Patchouli Oil References

The 2 references that drive our Patchouli Oil monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Das NG, Dhiman S, Talukdar PK, Rabha B, Goswami D, Veer V. Synergistic mosquito-repellent activity of Curcuma longa, Pogostemon heyneanus and Zanthoxylum limonella essential oils. J Infect Public Health. 2015 Jul-Aug;8(4):323-8. PubMed
  2. Shin YK, Lee SY, Lee JM, Kang P, Seol GH. Effects of short-term inhalation of patchouli oil on professional quality of life and stress levels in emergency nurses: A randomized controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2020 Nov;26(11):1032-1038. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Patchouli Oil and Cobicistat Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Patchouli Oil with Cobicistat?
We do not list a known interaction between Patchouli Oil and Cobicistat. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Should I take Patchouli Oil and Cobicistat at the same time of day?
At least one FDA label for a product containing Cobicistat says to take it with food. If you take Patchouli Oil on an empty stomach out of habit, keep them separate and take Cobicistat with a meal where the label says to. Food instructions belong to the product rather than the ingredient — two Cobicistat products can differ — so check the directions on your own box. This is about absorption, not an interaction.
Does Cobicistat interact with any supplements?
Yes. Cobicistat has documented interactions with 30 supplements in our database — Patchouli Oil is not one of them. The Cobicistat interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Cobicistat and Patchouli Oil?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.