Sandalwood
Santalum album
Indian sandalwood, whose fragrant heartwood oil is prized in perfume and valued in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. Much oil sold as sandalwood is fake.
Safety at a glance
- PregnancyNothing recorded
- BreastfeedingNothing recorded
- MedicinesNothing recorded
- Who should avoid itNothing recorded
- AllergiesNothing recorded
- ToxicityNothing recorded
Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.
What is Sandalwood?
- Plant family
- Santalaceae, the sandalwood family, which includes mistletoe
- Parts used
- The heartwood and its oil
- Where it grows
- India and Southeast Asia
- Genus
- Santalum
- Species
- album
Also called
Indian Sandalwood
Traditionally used for
- Perfume
- Aromatherapy
- Traditional medicine
Traditionally described as
- Oil rich in santalols
Traditions that use it
- Ayurveda
Valued for its healing properties since ancient times.
- Traditional Chinese Medicine
Valued for its healing properties since ancient times.
Natural compounds
Safety
Depends on how it's prepared
Much sandalwood oil sold in shops is fake. In a 2021 test of six oils labeled sandalwood, none met the international standard, only one contained real Indian sandalwood, and two were synthetic mixtures.[1]Study
What does the research say?
Traditional use
These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.
Sandalwood has been valued for its healing properties since ancient times in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. Its oil, pressed from the heartwood, is prized in perfume and aromatherapy.[1]Study
Laboratory & animal research
Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.
Sandalwood oil's main compounds, alpha- and beta-santalol, give it its scent. In lab and animal studies the oil fought microbes, calmed inflammation and slowed cancer cells.[2]Study
In short
Much commercial sandalwood oil is fake or synthetic.
Sources
- [1] A Comparison of the Composition of Selected Commercial Sandalwood Oils with the International Standard · DOI: 10.3390/molecules26082249Peer-reviewed study
- [2] Biological Properties of Sandalwood Oil and Microbial Synthesis of Its Major Sesquiterpenoids · DOI: 10.3390/biom14080971Peer-reviewed study
This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.