Drug & supplement interaction

Patchouli Oil + Paroxetine

Paroxetine brand names: Paxil CR, Paxil, Brisdelle.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated June 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Patchouli Oil and Paroxetine 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.

Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Patchouli Oil and Paroxetine

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 Paroxetine 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 Paroxetine, 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 Paroxetine and Patchouli Oil? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

What Paroxetine’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 Paroxetine’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. 10 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Mania or an unusually elevated mood Worth acting on
  • Serotonin syndrome Worth acting on
  • Thoughts of self-harm Worth acting on
  • Bone thinning Worth acting on
  • Muscle weakness Worth acting on
  • Memory problems Worth acting on
  • Low sodium Worth acting on
  • Confusion Worth acting on
  • Seizures Worth acting on
  • Chest pain Worth acting on

Showing the 10 most notable of 42 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 Paroxetine. Read the label on DailyMed › 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.

Overlapping uses

What Paroxetine Is Prescribed For, and What Patchouli Oil Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Paroxetine is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Patchouli Oil is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Paroxetine is prescribed for: Paroxetine tablets, film-coated tablets, and oral suspensions are approved in adults for major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The extended-release tablet forms (Paxil CR, paroxetine HCL CR, and paroxetine extended-release tablets) are approved in adults for MDD, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Brisdelle (paroxetine 7.5 mg capsule) and generic paroxetine capsules are approved specifically for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) associated with menopause — not for any psychiatric condition. Paroxetine tablets are not approved for use in children.

Patchouli Oil has been studied for:

  • Stress studied, not established Patchouli Oil has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Patchouli Oil for stress

    Preliminary clinical research in nurses shows that inhalation of patchouli oil for 20 minutes once daily for 2 doses reduces self-reported stress scores and increases compassion satisfaction scores when compared with placebo inhalation. Inhalation of patchouli oil did not appear to affect self-reported burnout or markers of stress such as blood pressure and heart rate.

    1 source cited
    1. 104776. 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

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Paroxetine on your own; if you are taking Patchouli Oil for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Patchouli Oil or Paroxetine

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Patchouli Oil or Paroxetine, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Paroxetine

This page covers Patchouli Oil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Paroxetine page lists 134 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Iboga (major), Lithium (major), 1,3-dmaa (moderate) and 5-htp (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 105 moderate · 26 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Paroxetine page

“I treat paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Brisdelle) as a medication where supplement choices genuinely matter, not one to wave through. This antidepressant raises serotonin, so about twenty of the ingredients listed here, lithium among them, can push serotonin too high and risk serotonin syndrome, a dangerous reaction.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Paroxetine interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Patchouli Oil and Paroxetine 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

#1,065 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Paroxetine
Top half

#824 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 20, 2026. The Patchouli Oil and Paroxetine 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 Paroxetine

What Is Paroxetine Used For?

Brand names: Paxil CR, Paxil, Brisdelle

Paroxetine tablets, film-coated tablets, and oral suspensions are approved in adults for major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The extended-release tablet forms (Paxil CR, paroxetine HCL CR, and paroxetine extended-release tablets) are approved in adults for MDD, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

Brisdelle (paroxetine 7.5 mg capsule) and generic paroxetine capsules are approved specifically for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) associated with menopause — not for any psychiatric condition. Paroxetine tablets are not approved for use in children.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Paroxetine

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (91,207 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Drug withdrawal syndrome 6,210 reports
Nausea 6,139 reports
Dizziness 5,469 reports
Fatigue 5,430 reports
Anxiety 5,396 reports
See full Paroxetine 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
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Patchouli Oil against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Patchouli Oil list.

See the full Patchouli Oil interactions page
See every supplement checked against Paroxetine, ranked by severity
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 Paroxetine Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Patchouli Oil with Paroxetine?
We do not list a known interaction between Patchouli Oil and Paroxetine. 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.
Are Patchouli Oil and Paroxetine used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Patchouli Oil in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Paroxetine is being adjusted to a target.
Does Paroxetine interact with any supplements?
Yes. Paroxetine has documented interactions with 134 supplements in our database — Patchouli Oil is not one of them. The Paroxetine interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Patchouli Oil monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Paroxetine drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Paroxetine supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Paroxetine, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 2 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Paroxetine 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.