Palo Santo Benefits: What the Research Shows

Palo santo is the aromatic wood of a tree that grows in dry forests from Mexico to Peru, and it is sold as sticks to burn. This guide covers what it is traditionally used for, what the research actually tested, and where the wood comes from.

We sell palo santo sticks, so read this with that in mind. Where the evidence is thin, or where our own listing says more than the sources support, this guide says so. For the ceremony side of burning plants, see our smudging guide; for the smoke itself, see whether incense is bad for you.

What Is Palo Santo?

Palo santo, Spanish for "holy stick", is the common name of the tree Bursera graveolens. The wood is burned as incense and its oil is distilled for fragrance.

• The tree: The encyclopedia entry says it is native to Mexico, Central America, northwestern South America and the Galápagos, and belongs to the same family as frankincense and myrrh. It adds that the aged heartwood is rich in terpenes such as limonene and α-terpineol.
• Traditional use: The same entry lists ritual cleansing and folk uses for stomach aches and rheumatism. A field botanist writes that people in Ecuador and Peru have used it for thousands of years for traditional medicine, mosquito repellent and spiritual cleansing.
• Not the same as sage: White sage is a leafy herb, Salvia apiana; palo santo is wood from a different plant family. The ceremony and sourcing questions around sage are in our smudging guide.

Does Palo Santo Have Proven Health Benefits?

No. We found no human study that tested burning palo santo on mood, stress, sleep or health. Claims in those areas are traditional or anecdotal.

• What we searched: A PubMed search on 1 October 2026 for "palo santo" or "Bursera graveolens" returned 28 records. They cover essential-oil lab work, insect tests, plant biology and unrelated papers. None tested the smoke in people.
• What that means: Feelings of calm or focus that people report from burning it may be real to them, and we do not dispute the meaning the ritual has. But no source we found measures it, so we do not claim it.

What Did the Lab Research Actually Find?

The research tested the distilled essential oil, not the smoke. In mice and lab dishes it showed some activity, but none of it shows a benefit from burning the wood.

• What is in the oil: A 2023 study in Molecules of Ecuadorian plant oils found palo santo oil was mostly limonene, about 49%, and α-phellandrene, about 36%.
• Mouse result: In a mouse ear model, applying the oil reduced ear swelling by 25% and lowered the expression of three inflammatory signalling proteins, IL-8, IL-17A and IL-23.
• Lab dish result: All four oils tested, palo santo among them, showed activity against three Candida yeast strains in lab dishes. The authors say more in-depth studies are needed to learn how.
• The limit: Distilled oil on a mouse ear is not smoke in a room. The paper tested skin tolerance in volunteers, but not whether the oil benefits people.

Is Palo Santo Smoke Safe to Breathe?

We found no study that measured the smoke from burning palo santo, so we cannot call it safe or unsafe. Burning anything indoors adds fine particles to the air.

• Fine particles: Health Canada lists smoke from burning candles and incense, especially when the flame is put out, among indoor sources of fine particulate matter, and advises reducing their use. It does not name palo santo.
• Our reading: Treat it like any incense: a little, in a ventilated room, and not around anyone with asthma or a breathing condition. Our guide on incense and indoor air covers the evidence.

Is Palo Santo Endangered?

The tree usually sold as palo santo, Bursera graveolens, is rated Least Concern by the IUCN, assessed in 2019. Local pressure on wild trees is still documented.

• The IUCN view: The Red List entry names habitat loss from farming, cattle ranching and urban growth as the main threat. It lists extraction of wood for handicrafts as another potential risk.
• The field view: The botanist’s field notes say populations have declined in many areas from habitat loss and local over-harvesting in Ecuador and Peru, and that local extinction in many areas is "a very real possibility". She also reports live trees being cut to make fruit-packing boxes in parts of Peru.
• The law: The encyclopedia entry says collecting naturally fallen or dead wood is allowed, with a ban on cutting live trees in Peru.

Is There Another Palo Santo That Is Endangered?

Yes. Bulnesia sarmientoi, from the Gran Chaco region, shares the common name palo santo. The IUCN rates it Endangered, assessed in 2018.

• The threat: The Red List entry, filed under the name Plectrocarpa sarmientoi, says the tree is also threatened by its use for timber, and that wild harvest has risen.
• Trade controls: The encyclopedia entry says it has been listed in CITES Appendix II since 2010.
• What to check: The two trees are only distantly related. Ask the seller for the botanical name, which should be Bursera graveolens.

Where Should Palo Santo Come From?

Ideally from dead, fallen wood collected by a producer you can name. That is what the one field source we read describes as the responsible method.

• The method: The botanist writes that responsible producers never cut a living tree and harvest only dead, fallen wood. She describes a Peruvian community protecting 1,700 hectares of dry forest this way.
• The gap: She also writes that, logically, either a lot of fake palo santo or some questionable sourcing must exist, and that she has no data to say how much. We have no better data.
• What to ask: Ask the seller for the botanical name, the country, who collected it and whether it was dead, fallen wood. If they cannot say, treat that as your answer.

What Does Our Own Palo Santo Page Claim?

Our product page body is a short generic description with no sourcing detail. Its search-result description includes a sourcing claim that we cannot back with supplier records.

We are reviewing that wording. Until the page names a source, treat our sourcing description as the seller's statement, not as evidence, and ask us the questions above.

How Can You Burn Palo Santo More Safely?

Use a small piece, open a window and keep it in a heatproof dish. These steps are ordinary household sense, not findings from a palo santo study.

1. Use a small piece. A short stick is enough; more smoke means more fine particles.
2. Ventilate the room. Open a window or run a fan.
3. Use a heatproof dish and stay in the room. Never leave a lit stick unattended, and keep it away from curtains and paper.
4. Put it out fully. Press it into the dish until the smoke stops, away from your face.
5. Skip it if anyone is sensitive. Do not burn it around people with asthma or breathing conditions.

When Should You Talk to a Doctor About Smoke?

Talk to a doctor if burning wood or incense leaves you coughing, wheezing or short of breath, or if you have asthma, COPD or a heart condition. This guide is information, not medical advice.

Stop using it if symptoms appear, and ventilate the room.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does palo santo have health benefits?

Not proven. We found no human study of burning the wood. Published work covers the distilled oil in lab dishes, mice and insects, and cannot be applied to smoke.

What is palo santo traditionally used for?

Ritual cleansing and folk uses, including stomach aches and rheumatism, according to the encyclopedia entry. A botanist adds mosquito repellent use in Ecuador and Peru.

Is palo santo endangered?

The tree usually sold, Bursera graveolens, is rated Least Concern by the IUCN. A different tree sharing the name, Bulnesia sarmientoi, is rated Endangered.

Is palo santo the same as sage?

No. Palo santo is wood from Bursera graveolens, while white sage is a leafy herb, Salvia apiana. Sage's sourcing questions are covered in our smudging guide.

Is palo santo smoke safe to breathe?

We found no study measuring it. Health Canada lists incense smoke as a source of indoor fine particles and advises reducing use, so burn a little with a window open.

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