Perillyl Alcohol Drug Interactions, Uses, Side Effects & More

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Perillyl Alcohol

0 medications have a known interaction with Perillyl Alcohol, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

We don’t currently list any known drug interactions for Perillyl Alcohol. This doesn’t guarantee none exist — always confirm with your pharmacist before combining supplements with your medications.

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Perillyl Alcohol combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Monograph

Perillyl Alcohol: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Perillyl alcohol is a natural compound found in the essential oils of plants like mint, lavender, and citrus, and it has mainly been studied as an experimental anti-cancer agent rather than as an everyday supplement. The evidence in people is limited and still under investigation, so it should not be used to treat or prevent any disease without medical supervision. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before trying it.

Part used: Naturally found in the essential oils of plants such as lavender, peppermint, sage, cherries, and citrus fruits; often produced from limonene
Common forms: Capsules, oral liquid, and (in research settings) intranasal preparations

People commonly use it for

Cancer research (investigational)
Antioxidant interest
General wellness supplement
Aromatherapy-related products

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

It is mostly an investigational compound with limited human safety data outside clinical trials.

PregnancyInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Perillyl alcohol is a naturally occurring compound called a monoterpene. It is found in small amounts in the essential oils of many common plants, including lavender, peppermint, sage, spearmint, cherries, and citrus fruits. It is closely related to another plant compound called limonene, and it is often made from limonene in the laboratory.

Unlike many herbs that have a long history of traditional use, perillyl alcohol is best known as a research chemical. Scientists have studied it mainly as a possible anti-cancer agent. Because of this, it is not a typical everyday dietary supplement, and most of what is known about it comes from laboratory studies, animal studies, and early clinical trials.

How it works

Perillyl alcohol is a monoterpene, a type of compound that gives many plants their scent. In laboratory and animal studies, researchers have proposed several ways it might act. These include interfering with signals that tell cancer cells to grow, encouraging damaged cells to die in a controlled way (apoptosis), and affecting certain enzymes involved in cell growth.

It is worth stressing that most of these mechanisms come from cell and animal research. What happens in a laboratory dish does not always translate to the same effect in the human body. The exact way it works in people, and whether those effects are strong enough to be useful, is still being studied.

Effectiveness

Does Perillyl Alcohol work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 6 uses evaluated

6 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

For Perillyl Alcohol, current evidence isn’t strong enough to rate any specific use. The conditions it has been studied for are listed below.

Also studied for 6 conditions — evidence insufficient to rate

Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Actinic keratoses