Herbs & Supplements:
Sandalwood
Santalum album

Principal Proposed Uses
  • Bladder Infection
Other Proposed Uses
  • Herpes, Persistent Cough, Sore Throat, Bronchitis, Acne, Rashes, Dry Skin

Native to India, the sandalwood tree is used for many purposes—the wood for decorative carvings, the oil for fragrance in incense, perfumes, and soaps. Both its wood and oil have also been employed medicinally for a wide variety of conditions.

Unfortunately, harvesting of these trees is beginning to endanger the species. The Indian government has limited the amount of sandalwood that may be harvested each year, but has not restricted its export. Illegal harvesting of sandalwood has become very lucrative, as limits on legal harvesting have caused a price increase for sandalwood products.

In traditional Indian (Ayurvedic) medicine, sandalwood was used to treat gonorrhea and to decrease sex drive. Traditional Chinese medicine also lists sandalwood as a treatment for gonorrhea, as well as for stomachache and vomiting. In Europe, sandalwood was used to treat fever and pain, as we use aspirin today. However, no clinical evidence exists to support any of these applications.

What Is Sandalwood Used for Today?

Germany's Commission E has approved sandalwood for the treatment of bladder infections, not to be used alone, but along with other therapies.¹ Sandalwood is said to act as an antiseptic in the urinary system; if this is correct, it might help to rid the body of the bacteria that cause these infections,² but there is no evidence as yet to verify this belief.

In test tube studies, sandalwood was found to slow the growth of herpes virus.³ An intriguing animal study found that components isolated from sandalwood caused responses similar to those seen with antipsychotic medications.⁴ However, neither of these extremely preliminary investigations as yet provides evidence that can be applied to medicinal applications of sandalwood in humans.

Sandalwood is also advertised for other therapeutic uses, including bronchitis, sore throat, and persistent cough. External application of a sandalwood paste is sometimes suggested for acne, skin rashes, or dry skin. None of these treatments, however, have been scientifically studied.

Dosage

For urinary tract infections, the Commission E suggests 1 to 1.5 g of essential oil or 10 to 20 g of ground sandalwood daily, not to be taken for more than 6 weeks except on the advice of a physician. If the essential oil of sandalwood is used, an enteric-coated capsule is recommended (such capsules delay the release of a substance until it has passed through the stomach into the intestine, helping to avoid an upset stomach).

Safety Issues

The safety of sandalwood has not been formally evaluated. For this reason, it should not be used by pregnant or nursing women, young children, or individuals with severe kidney or liver disease.

Reported side effects include nausea and itching.⁵

Sandalwood paste applied externally has been reported to cause skin irritation on rare occasions. There is also one case report of a man developing a skin rash after burning large quantities of sandalwood incense.^6,7,8

Last reviewed March 2002 by Medical Review Board

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