WHAT IS PATCHOULI? ALSO KNOWN AS TEFÂRİK

Patchouli, one of the plants whose mystical scent is utilized, is well known among the general public and is known by the name Patchouli, also referred to as 'Pogostemon Cablin' from the Lamiaceae family. The name Patchouli derives from India. It is derived from the words "patch" meaning leaf and "ilia" meaning green. It is known as 'Patchouli' in English and German. Patchouli was defined by botanists in the Philippines, a Southeast Asian country, in 1845. Today, due to increasing interest in its fragrance, it has begun to be widely cultivated in regions where tropical climates of Asia are dominant; primarily in China, the Indonesian Islands, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and areas around South America [3]. The famous Indian ink also derives its scent from this plant. Its first arrival to the Western world dates back to the 1800s. In the past, the Chinese, Japanese and Arabs believed that this scent prevented the spread of contagious diseases. Patchouli leaves were used to protect produced goods from harmful insects during long shipping times. The health benefits of patchouli essential oil stem from the oil's antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, hemostatic, wound-healing, diuretic, fever-reducing, antifungal, insecticidal and calming properties. Patchouli essential oil is used as a topical treatment for skin problems such as acne, eczema, inflammation, cracks, chapped and irritated skin. It is known as a cell-regenerating agent and assists in the healing of wounds and scars. Patchouli oil has a balancing effect on emotions and helps relieve low mood. It sharpens mental acuity. Another application area for patchouli oil is the fragrance sector. Patchouli oil is used as a complementary note and fixative in the composition of many famous perfume designs. It balances the evaporation of volatile molecules contained in the design, ensuring it lasts longer [4]. Due to these properties, it is preferred by perfumers today in most known perfume designs. Some well-known perfumes in which patchouli oil is used are Patchouli Absolue (Tom Ford), Rush (Gucci), Patchouli Impérial (Christian Dior), Euphoria Women (Calvin Klein), Portrait of a Lady (Frederic Malle), Angel (Thierry Mugler). Patchouli oil is obtained by collecting the oils that accumulate on water following steam distillation after the plant leaves are dried. The resulting patchouli oil has a rich musky-sweet, strongly spiced and herbal scent. The yield is typically around 2% and the high-viscosity oil obtained typically has colors ranging from light yellow to dark brown [1]. Its main chemical components are β-patchoulene, guaiene, caryophyllene, patchoulene, seychellene, bulnesene, norpatchoulenol, patchouli alcohol and pogostol.   When a perfumer creates a fragrance composition, just as a maestro selects instruments in an orchestra, we understand that they create a mixture from raw materials and construct this composition with precise calculations. In recent years, the sector, which invites customers in and does not shy away from exposing the kitchen of fragrances, benefits from both natural oils offered by nature such as patchouli and synthetic alternatives. The perfumer's main task becomes using these notes in their own composition. As Gülçiçek R&D Center, to increase the number of instruments (raw materials) in a perfumer's hands, we modify the distillation systems and methods of natural oils, thereby changing the fragrance properties of the resulting substances and bringing a different perspective to the compositions of perfumes. On this path we have taken, we began with patchouli oil, which we thought would give us the experience we needed, possessing unique properties. The most important component that makes patchouli oil unique is undoubtedly patchouli alcohol, which takes its name from patchouli oil. The patchouli alcohol content in patchouli oil varies between 26-44% depending on the region where it grows and seasonal changes. The notes reached in fragrances in formulas using patchouli oil with a high patchouli alcohol ratio were observed, and as Gülçiçek R&D Center, work was begun to create differences in the fragrance properties that would be produced last. As MG Gülçiçek, we have succeeded in creating our own special notes by modifying the patchouli notes offered by nature and the ratios of the raw materials contained within them. We take the patchouli alcohol between 26-44% found in patchouli oil up to the 70% level of maximum saturation using the fractional distillation method developed at Gülçiçek R&D Center, thereby obtaining a different type of patchouli oil. Taking this even further by achieving 95% and 99.9% purity, we developed our own raw material portfolio. At increasing purities, this unique raw material, standing out a step ahead with its color, scent and other physical properties, achieves a unique note in the formulations where it is used, distinctly conveying the MG Gülçiçek signature. Aydın Alemdar - R&D Center Director / MG Gülçiçek References 1. Bhatti GR, Ingrouille M. (1997) Systematics of Pogostemon (Labiatae). Bulletin of the Natural History Museum London (Botany), 27, 77-147. 2. Heng H. (1978) Labiatae. In Flora Malesiana. Van Steenis CGGJ (Ed.). Sijthoff & Noordhoff, the Netherlands, Series-1, 8, 351-356. 3. Heri Septya Kusuma and Mahfud Mahfud 'The extraction of essential oils from patchouli leaves (Pogostemon cablin Benth) using a microwave air-hydrodistillation method as a new green technique' RSC Adv., 2017, 7, 1336 4. Van Beek TA, Joulain D. The essential oil of patchouli, Pogostemon cablin: A review. Flavour Fragr J. 2017;1–45. https://doi.org/10.1002/ffj.3418