Perillyl alcohol is a natural monoterpenoid that has attracted significant attention in the pharmaceutical field.Modern phytochemical studies have shown that Chinese medicine active monomer perillyl alcohol is present in various Chinese medicinal herbs，including Perilla frutescens，Mentha haplocalyx，Lysimachia christinae，Patrinia scabiosaefolia，Evodia rutaecarpa，Periploca sepium，and Zingiber striolatum.This review summarizes the pharmacological effects and clinical research on perillyl alcohol based on literature in China and abroad.Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that perillyl alcohol exhibits significant therapeutic potential against various cancers，including glioblastoma，lung cancer，skin cancer，and breast cancer，as well as non-cancerous diseases.Additionally，it plays a role in modulating immune-inflammatory responses，possesses antioxidant properties，and exhibits antibacterial activity.