What Is Palo Santo, and How Is It Used Medicinally?

Palo santo is a traditional natural remedy you can apply to your skin or burn as incense to ease pain, inflammation, and stress.

Palo santo (Bursera graveolens) is a tree native to Peru, Ecuador, and other parts of South America. It thrives in dry tropical woodlands and produces a highly fragrant resin. In Spanish, palo santo translates to “holy wood.”

For millennia, the wood, resin, and oil have been utilized for healing purposes. It’s primarily used to address pain and stress, and it’s also believed to dispel negative energy.

Scientific evidence for these benefits is limited. Still, palo santo has a long history of use among indigenous communities.

Below we’ll review the proposed benefits of palo santo, its various forms, and how it’s used.

Forms of palo santo

Palo santo is sold in several formats. Common forms include:

• Wood. The tree’s wood is offered as sticks, chips, or powder. These products typically come from branches, making them pure wood.
• Resin. The wood contains an aromatic resin that can be extracted and used separately.
• Oil. Essential oil from palo santo can be distilled from the wood and fruit.

Palo santo benefits

Palo santo is linked to a variety of therapeutic and medicinal claims. Reportedly, it may do the following.

Repel mosquitos

Traditionally, palo santo has been used to keep mosquitos away. It’s also said to deter ants, termites, and flies.

There could be some validity to this. According to a , palo santo essential oil is largely composed of limonene. Limonene has insecticidal properties and is used in natural insect repellents.

However, solid scientific proof is lacking. More research is required to confirm how effectively palo santo repels mosquitos.

Reduce pain

Another claimed benefit is pain relief. People use palo santo to address various kinds of pain, including:

• arthritis
• headache
• throat pain

This effect may again be linked to limonene. A notes that limonene exhibits analgesic (pain-relieving) and anti-inflammatory actions.

Animal research suggests limonene can relieve pain by affecting certain neuronal pathways.

Still, there’s no definitive proof that palo santo provides these effects in humans; the evidence remains theoretical and anecdotal, so more studies are needed.

Improve stress response

Many people find palo santo’s scent calming, so it’s commonly used to reduce stress. It’s believed to have a cleansing, purifying impact on the mind and body.

This calming effect might also be due to limonene. In a , inhaled limonene demonstrated anti-stress and anti-anxiety properties.

Another found that ingested limonene lowered stress markers in rats.

Despite these findings, research in humans is necessary to determine palo santo’s true effects on stress.

Palo santo uses

The way you use palo santo depends on its form.

Palo santo oil uses

Typically, palo santo oil is inhaled during aromatherapy, often while practicing yoga, meditating, or engaging in other relaxation practices.

The oil can also be applied topically, which is a common approach for treating pain.

Palo santo wood uses

Wood is commonly burned as incense. As it burns, it releases fragrant smoke. Wood chips and powders are used similarly.

Palo santo resin uses

Like the wood, the resin is burned as incense. It’s placed on a heated charcoal disc in a resin burner, releasing the resin’s aroma.

Are there any side effects?

Palo santo is not linked to major side effects.

However, exercise caution in these situations:

• First time using the oil. Perform a patch test. If your skin reacts, discontinue use immediately.
• Existing lung or breathing conditions. Avoid burning palo santo, as the smoke may aggravate respiratory issues.
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding. It’s generally recommended to avoid palo santo oil and incense during pregnancy and while nursing.

Is the palo santo tree endangered?

Despite the growing popularity of palo santo, the tree is not classified as endangered. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists it as “Least Concern,” indicating the population is stable.

Nonetheless, purchasing ethically and sustainably sourced palo santo remains important.

Historically, palo santo was harvested via deforestation, which harms ecosystems and can reduce local livelihoods.

Fortunately, palo santo can be harvested without cutting trees down. Wood can be collected from fallen branches, and oil can be extracted from fruit—methods that preserve the forest.

Before buying, verify that your palo santo was responsibly produced. That supports species conservation and the welfare of native communities.

How to use palo santo

Here are instructions for using the various forms of palo santo.

Palo santo essential oil

Palo santo oil may be used in these ways:

• Add it to a diffuser or essential oil burner.
• Pour a few drops into a pot of hot water to create aromatic steam.
• Inhale directly from the bottle.
• Mix with a carrier oil, like castor oil, and apply to the skin (dilute appropriately).

Always follow the directions on the product label.

Palo santo wood

To burn palo santo sticks:

1. Light a palo santo stick with a candle, lighter, or match.
2. Hold the stick at a downward 45-degree angle.
3. Allow it to burn for about 30 seconds.
4. Blow out the flame and set the stick in a heatproof dish to smolder.

For chips or powder, place them in a heatproof dish, light with a match or lighter, and blow them out after 30 seconds.

Never leave burning incense unattended.

Palo santo resin

For resin burning, you’ll need a resin burner, a charcoal disc, and sand (or gravel/a noncombustible substitute).

1. Fill the resin burner with sand.
2. Pick up the charcoal disc with tongs and heat one side with a lighter or match. Repeat for the other side.
3. Set the charcoal on the sand and wait until a thin layer of ash forms on top.
4. Place the resin on the hot charcoal; as it melts it will emit its scent.
5. When finished, extinguish the charcoal by submerging it in water.

You can also combine resin and a carrier oil in an essential oil burner.

Where to get palo santo

Palo santo is commonly sold at:

• traditional medicine shops
• metaphysical stores
• plant nurseries
• gift boutiques
• apothecaries
• health food markets

You can also purchase palo santo online.

Takeaway

Palo santo is a traditional remedy used for pain, inflammation, and stress, and is also burned to clear negative energy. You can use it as incense or apply its oil topically.

Always purchase from reputable sources to ensure your palo santo is sustainably and ethically sourced.