Botanical Name: Santalum Album
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Santalales
Family: Santalaceae
Genus: Santalum
Species: S. album
Popular Names: Sandalwood, Chandana, White sandalwood, Yellow Sandalwood, Chandan, Chandanam, Srigandha
Parts Used: Wood and Oil
Habitat: Grown primarily in India
Description
Sandalwood can be described as the fragrant woods yielded by trees in the genus Santalum. The stem grows 20 to 30 feet high, is heavy and straight-grained and varies in colour. It is white when young, and yellow and orange in colour when old. Its oval leaves are covered with a whitish bloom; its small flowers are varying in colour. The plant species is normally found in the dry peninsular areas of India, right from the peaks of the Vindhya to the southern zones of Tamil Nadu and Mysore. Apart from this, the plant is also found in some other states within the country, like Madhya Pradesh, Utter Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan. The species have been utilized since ancient times for curing a number of ailments and diseases. It is very popular as an essential oil and its fragrance is also of great significance. For such reasons, cultivation and trading of this plant species have been done throughout the ages and the species has been exploited to such an extent that the plant is almost on the verge of getting extinct.
Plant Chemicals
- Santalol (a-santalol, b-santalol)
- Hydrocarbons (santene, aand b santenes and nor-tricycloekasantalene)
- Alcohols (teresantalol and santenol)
- Aldehydes (nor-tricycloekasantalal and isovaleraldehyde)
- Ketones (santalone and l-santenone)
- Acids (teresantalic acid and a-and ß-santalic acids)
Uses and Benefits of Sandalwood
- Sandalwood is very beneficial for treating gastric irritability and any other kind of gastric ailments. A mixture of about 22 grams of a watery emulsion of the wood with rice water, sugar and honey is used for treating this condition. The wood is also used in the treatment of dysentery.
- Since ancient times, sandalwood paste has been used to relieve headache and control the body temperature during fever.
- The paste is also used as a remedy for prickly heat and prevents excessive sweating during adverse environmental conditions. To control profuse sweating, a mixture of dry sandalwood powder and rose water can be applied over the area.
- Sandalwood paste is also used for healing inflamed skin.
- Certain eruptive and inflammatory skin conditions like erysipelas, itchy eruptions like prurigo and certain other inflammatory diseases of the face can be healed by using an emulsion or a paste of the wood.
- Sandalwood oil is very helpful in curing scabies and even for the removal of pimples.
- The oil of sandalwood is useful in the treatment of gonorrhoea and is also used for treating dysuria and cystitis.
- The wood as well as the oil of the plant has been employed since ages as an expectorant, diuretic and a diaphoretic. The oil of the plant is particularly beneficial against infections by Eberthella typhosa and Escherichia coli.
- Sandalwood essential oil helps to moisturize and hydrate ageing, dry or flaky skin as well as to relieve itching and inflammation. Its astringent action balances oily skin conditions.
- The oil also helps to clear up a dry cough and boosts the digestive system, especially helpful in diarrhoea. It is used to treat general chest complaints as well.
Caution
Excessive use of sandalwood can result in allergic reactions, photoallergy, dermatitis, itchy skin, and depigmented macules, in some individuals.
