sandalwood / Chandan/ Santalum album



Santalum album, or Indian sandalwood / Chandan









It is a small tropical tree, and is the most commonly known source of sandalwood. It is native to southern India and Southeast Asia. Certain cultures place great significance on its fragrant and medicinal qualities. It is also considered sacred in some religions and is used in different religious traditions. The high value of the species has caused its past exploitation, to the point where the wild population is vulnerable to extinction. Indian sandalwood still commands high prices for its essential oil, but due to lack of sizable trees it is no longer used for fine woodworking as before. The plant is widely cultivated and long lived, although harvest is only viable after many years. Etymologically it is derived from Sanskrit चन्दनं chandanam.

Botanical Name : Santalum album

Family : Santalaceae.

Synonyms

Sirium myrtifolium L.

Regional Name

English : Sandal Wood, Hindi :Chandan, Safed Chandan, Sanskrit :Srikhanda, Svetacandana, Marathi :Chandan,
Urdu : Sandal Safed, Punjabi :Chandan, Gujrati :Sukhad, Assamese :Sandale Avyaj, Bengali :Chandan, Kannada :Shrigandhamara, Shrigandha, Chand, Malayalam :Chandanam, Tamil :Chandanamaram, Sandanam, Ingam, Telgu :Gandhapu Chekka, ManchiGandham, Tella Chandanam, Sriga.

Part Used :

Heart Wood.


Description

The Chandan is an evergreen plant with a height of 10-12m and 2 to 4 m in girth, is found in in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Australia, Hawaiian and Pacific Islands and Malaysia. In India it is cultivated in the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It is cultivated for its aromatic wood and oil. Yellowish-brown to pale-reddish orange, heavy, dense, hard but split easily; transversely smooth surface shows alternating light and dark concentric zones with numerous pores, traversed by very fine medullary rays; odour, persistently aromatic; taste, slightly bitter.

Phytoconstituents


Volatile oil (α- and β-Santalol). It contains more than 90% sesquiterpenic  alcohols of which 50-60% is the tricyclic α-santalol, β-Santalol comprises 20-25%. It is also contains santalal, santene, santenone, teresantol, santalone and santalene.

What is it used for?

Traditional/Ethnobotanical uses

Sandalwood oil has a warm, woody odor and is commonly used as a fragrance in incense, cosmetics, perfumes, and soaps. It also is used as a flavor for foods and beverages. The wood has been valued in carving because of its dense character.

In traditional medicine, sandalwood oil has been used as an antiseptic and astringent, and for the treatment of headache, stomachache, and urinary and genital disorders. e.g. CHANDANASAVA

In India, the essential oil, emulsion, or paste of sandalwood is used in the treatment of inflammatory and eruptive skin diseases. The oil has been used in the traditional Ayurvedic medicinal system as a diuretic and mild stimulant, and for smoothing the skin.
The leaves and bark were used by early Hawaiians to treat dandruff, lice, skin inflammation, and sexually transmitted diseases. Sandalwood oil has also demonstrated repellency against the crop pest Tetranychus urticae (two-spotted spider mite).

General uses

Sandalwood oil has been reported to have diuretic and urinary antiseptic properties, but clinical trial data are lacking. The oil has mainly been used as a fragrance enhancer.


Here are some sandalwood benefits for your skin:

  • Helps in Removing Tan. It is imperative to save yourself from the harmful rays of the sun.
  • Has Anti-inflammatory Properties. Its anti-inflammatory properties help to any kind of burning sensation caused due to acne or sun burn.
  • Acts as an Astringent.
  • Used as an Antiseptic.




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