Perillyl alcohol (POH) is a naturally occurring monoterpene derived from the essential oils found in plants like cherries, lavender, and spearmint. Historically, POH has been a common ingredient in household products, cosmetics, and fragrances, and is permitted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a food flavoring agent.

Recent scientific and laboratory research has increasingly focused on POH’s ability to interfere with the replication of dividing cells. This has led to significant interest in its potential as an antitumor agent against various cancer types, including pancreatic, lung, colon, and liver cancers, observed in laboratory and animal studies. Research delves into POH’s impact on key pathways associated with cancer cell growth, such as apoptosis, the Ras pathway, growth factors channels, AP-1 activity, and overall cell differentiation and cycle, where it acts as an antitumor inhibitor. While promising in early stages, many of these broader studies have yet to demonstrate consistent benefits in humans through traditional delivery methods.

More recently and critically, the medical community has sharpened its focus on POH’s specific ability to regulate neurologic pathways associated with cancer tumor cell growth. While oral POH clinical trials for various cancers did not find widespread benefit and noted adverse side effects, an inhaled form of POH has shown preliminary evidence of safety and efficacy in patients with recurrent gliomas. Additionally, other purified forms are being actively studied as chemical modifiers for established cancer drugs, aiming to improve therapeutic outcomes.