Sandalwood

The sandalwood tree is evergreen and can grow up to almost 10 m in size. Yellow, red or even pink flowers grow on it during the blossoming period. Growing area: India; South Sea Islands, China, Indonesia.

Under the name sandalwood, two different types of trees are listed:

• the red sandalwood, a coloured wood
• the white and yellow sandalwood, an intensely smelling wood, which is used for furniture wood and for perfumery purposes

The common red powder (containing the dye santalin) is used to make red incense and to dye wool fabrics.

Sandalwood is mainly used as an incense and for perfume production.

In Indian Ayurvedic medicine the smoke of sandalwood has been used for many centuries (soothing effect).

Preparations: Fugacid® bladder tea

Sandalwood oil has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal and antiproliferative effects. It suppresses cytokines such as IL 1b and IL 17, prostaglandin E 2 and cyclooxygenase 8 and has been shown to inhibit tyrosinase in vitro.

Clinical studies on the treatment of acne, psoriasis, eczema, warts and molluscum contagiosum are very promising.

Sandalwood oil is yellowish white, viscous, with a strong, peculiarly exotic, sweet smell. It is obtained by steam distillation from finely rasped wood (heartwood and root wood). About 500g of essential oil can be obtained from 10 kg of wood. Sandalwood oil is used for handkerchief perfumes and for perfuming soaps.

In Indian Ayurvedic medicine, the smoke of sandalwood has been used for many centuries (calming effect). It has been used as a local anti-inflammatory for decades.

Type IV sensitizations are frequently found in corresponding collectives. Epicutaneous test with 10 % sandalwood oil. Apparently sandalwood oil also acts as a photosensitizer.

1. An S et al. (2005) Fragrance contact dermatitis in Korea: a joint study. Contact Dermatitis 53, 320-323
2. Palatty PL et al. (2014) Topical application of a sandal wood oil and turmeric based cream prevents radiodermatitis in head and neck cancer patients undergoing external beam radiotherapy: a pilot study. BrJ Radiol 87 doi: 10.1259/bjr.20130490
3. Wharry R. III (1885). On the Treatment of Epydidymitis by Oil of Yellow Sandal Wood, and on the Mode of Action of that Oil. Ann Surg 2:386-388
4. Moy RL et al. (2017) Sandalwood Album Oil as a Botanical Therapeutic in Dermatology. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 10:34-39. Epub 2017 Oct 1. PMID: 29344319; PMCID: PMC5749697.
5. Sharma M et al. (2017) East Indian Sandalwood Oil (EISO) Alleviates Inflammatory and Proliferative Pathologies of Psoriasis. Front Pharmacol. 16;8:125. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00125. PMID: 28360856; PMCID: PMC5352686.
6. Santha S et al. (2015) Anticancer Effects of Sandalwood (Santalum album). Anticancer 35:3137-3145. PMID: 26026073.