This tree is threatened due to over-exploitation and degradation of habitat.On account of its intrinsic worth, money value and importance in the forest economy; sandal is governed and protected by special laws and regulations. Santalum album has been categorized as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN.

Vernacular name: State Tree of Karnataka

English: Sandalwood, Indian sandalwood, Fragrant sandalwood, White Sandalwood

Hindi: Chandan, Sandal

Manipuri: Chandan

Marathi: Chandan, gandhachakoda

Tamil: Anukkam, Asam, Chandanam

Malayalam: Chandanam, chandana-mutti

Telugu: Bhadrasri, Chandanamu

Kannada: Agarugandha, bavanna, bhadrasri, Chandala

Bengali: Chandan, Shwetchandan

Oriya: valgaka

Urdu: Sandal safaid

Sanskrit: Anindita, Arishta-phalam, Bhadrasara, Chandanam

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Plantae – plantes, Planta, Vegetal, plants

Subkingdom: Viridiplantae

Infrakingdom: Streptophyta– land plants

Superdivision: Embryophyta

Division: Tracheophyta– vascular plants, tracheophytes

Subdivision: Spermatophytina– spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames

Class: Magnoliopsida

Superorder: Santalanae

Order: Santalales

Family: Santalaceae – sandalwood

Genus: Santalum L. – sandalwood

Species: Santalum album L. – Sandalwood, Indian sandalwood, Fragrant sandalwood, White Sandalwood

Phytogeography:Sandal wood tree is probably native to peninsular India. It isdistributed in India, parts of Malesia, Australia, New Zealand and Polynesia, extending to the Hawaiian Archipelago and Juan Fernonduos Islands (Chile). In India, it is found in the peninsular region. The tree occurs mainly in the open scrub forests. The principal naturaltracts of sandal trees are confined to parts of Mysore in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Plant description: Sandalwood is an evergreen tree, growing up to 4-9 m tall. The trees have a long life, and may live up to one hundred years of age. The tree is variable in habit, usually upright to sprawling, and may intertwine with other species. The plant parasitises the roots of other tree species, but without major detriment to its hosts. The reddish or brown bark can be almost black and is smooth in young trees, becoming cracked with a red reveal. The heartwood is pale green to white as the common name indicates. The oval leaves are thin, oppositely arranged. Smooth surface is shiny and bright green, with a glaucous pale underside. Fruit is produced after three years, viable seeds after five. These seeds are distributed by birds. Sandalwood oil was used traditionally to treat skin diseases, acne, dysentery, gonorrhea, and a number of other conditions.1 In traditional Chinese medicine, sandalwood oil is considered an excellent sedating agent.

Leaves: Leaves elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, cuneate at base, entire atmargins, acute at apex, 2-4 × 1-1.5 cm, glabrous.

Flowers: Flowers borne in terminal or axillarycymes, ca 5 mm across. Perianth-tube campanulate; tepals 4, reflexed, hairy inside,maroon-red.

Fruits or seeds: Fruits subglobose, ca 5 mm across, purplish to black when dry with hard,ribbed endocarp; seeds globose or obovoid.

Flowering season: March-September; Fruiting: June-February.

Propagation: Seeds

Parts used: Bark, leaves, stem, wood

Phytochemical Constituents: a-curcumine; a-santalal; b-santalal; b-santalene; a-santalene; b-santalene; a-santalene; a-santalenoic acid; a-santalic acid; b-santalic acid; a-santalol; b-santalol; a-santalol; b-santalol; Chrysin-6-C-beta-D-glucopyranoside; Chrysin-8-C-beta-D-glucopyranoside; Gamma–L–glutamyl-S-(trans-1-propenyl)-L-cysteine sulfoxide; Isoorientin; Isorhamnetin; Isovitexin; Ketosantalic; Nor-tricyclo-ekasantalene; Nor-tricyclo-kasantalal; Nuciferol; Orientin; Resins; Tannins; Teresantalicacid; Teresantalol; Terpenes; Trans-b-bergamotene; Tricyclosantalal; Vanillic acid; Vitexin; Waxes;

Pharmacological actions: Anthelmintic; Antibacterial; Anticancer; Anticarcinogenic; Antidote; Antifungal; Anti-inflammatory; Antimalarial; Antimitotic; Antioxidant; Antipyretic; Antiremorogenic; Antiscabietic; Antiseptic; Antitumour; Anti-ulcerogenic; Antiviral; Astringent; Blood purifier; Cardiotonic; Carminative; Chemo preventive; Coolant; Cosmetic; Digestive tonic; Disinfectant; Diuretic; Expectorant; Gastric tonic; Heptatonic; Hypotensive; Immunomodulatory; Insecticide; Muscle relaxant; Sedative; Stimulant;

Medicinal uses: Boils; Bronchitis; Colds; Diarrhea; Dysentery; Dysuria; Fever; Genitourinary tract infections; Gonorrhoea; Haemorrhages; Herpes simplex viruses; Inflammation; Malaria; Migraine; Piles; Pimples; Scabies; Skin cancer; Sun burn;  Urinary infection;

Sandal wood and the oil have long been employed in medicine. The sandalwood paste is used in treating inflammation, boils, pimples, sun-burnt skin or a patchy tanand also applied on forehead in fever. Sandal wood decoction is given to cure defects ofgenitourinary tract. In migraine, sandal paste or oil (in dilute form) maybe applied in nostrils for relief and cure. The oil is used in Ayurveda, Chinese and Tibetan medicinal systems, forits therapeutic effects. It is used in the treatment of common colds, bronchitis, fever, dysentery, piles, scabies and infection of the urinary tract, inflammation of the mouth and pharynx, liver and gall-bladder complaints and as an expectorant, stimulant, carminative, digestive and as a muscle relaxant. Sandalwood oil also has anti-carcinogenic activity.

Sandal wood is one of the oldest known perfumery materials and it hasover 2,000 years back history. It is a valuable tree associated with Indian culture. There arereferences to sandalwood usage in the Indian mythology, folklore and scripture.Sandalwood is considered sacred and is used in religious ceremonies and is an important ingredient in ‘homa’ (consecrated fire). Among the Buddhists, sandalwood is burnt duringprayers and meditation. Many Ayurvedic, as well as other natural products use sandalwoodas a key beauty ingredient.

Other uses: Sandal wood is the second most expensive wood in the world. Thearomatic heartwood is one of the finest natural materials for carving. Sandal wood oil isused in perfumes, cosmetics, aromatherapy and pharmaceuticals. The wood is converted into chips and steam-distilled to produce oil containing santanol, a polythenol that givesaroma. The sapwood which is also called “white wood” is used for producing ‘agarbattis’(incense sticks). Seasoned sapwood maybe carved into curios, toys, carom coins and lacquerware. The perfumery preparations called attars are also prepared by hydro-distillation ofthe volatile essence into sandal oil. The oil is used as a flavouring substance in foodproducts, such as frozen dairy desserts, candy, pan masala, baked food, gelatin, puddingsand also in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The oil is approved for use by the U.S.Food and Drug Administration, Flavour and Extract Manufacturers Association, Council ofEurope and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.

References

Benencia F. and Courreges M.C., 1999, “Antiviral activity of sandalwood oil against herpes simplex viruses-1 and-2,” Phytomedicine; 6(2): 119-123. [Web Reference]

Dandge P.B., et al., 2016, “PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILING AND ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIAL OF SANTALUM ALBUM L., MORINDA CITRIFOLIA L. AND MUCUNA PRURIENS L.,” Research Journal of Life Sciences, Bioinformatics, Pharmaceuticals and Chemical Sciences; 1(5): 265-272. [Web Reference]

Gupta A, and Chaphalkar S., 2016, “Immunopharmacological screening of aqueous root extract of Santalum album,” J HerbMedPharmacol; 5(1): 7-11. [Web Reference]

ITIS, 2017, “Santalum album L.,” Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database, March 13, 2017. [Web Reference]

Jayanthi J., “KARNATAKA,” Botanical Survey of India, Western Regional Centre, Pune. [Web Reference]

Kim T.H., et al., 2006, “New antitumor sesquiterpenoids from Santalum album of Indian origin,” Tetrahedron; 62(29): 6981-6989. [Web reference]

Misra B.B. and Dey S., 2012, “Comparative phytochemical analysis and antibacterial efficacy of in vitro and in vivo extracts from East Indian sandalwood tree (Santalum album L.),” Letters in applied microbiology; 55(6): 476-486. [Web Reference]

Park I-K., et al., 2008, “In vivo fungicidal activity of medicinal plant extracts against six phytopathogenic fungi,” International Journal of Pest Management; 54(1): 63-68. [Web Reference]

Simonsen H.T., et al., 2001, “In vitro screening of Indian medicinal plants for antiplasmodial activity,” Journal of ethnopharmacology; 74(2): 195-204. [Web Reference]

Sindhu R.K., Upma A.K. and Arora S., 2010, “Santalum album Linn: a review on morphology, phytochemistry and pharmacological aspects,” Intl J PharmTech Res; 2(1): 914-919. [Web Reference]

Tu X., et al., 2013, “Anthelmintic efficacy of Santalum album (Santalaceae) against monogenean infections in goldfish,” Parasitology research; 112(8): 2839-2845. [Web Reference]

Yan C., et al., 2011, “Study of flavonoids from leaves of Santalum album,” ZhongguoZhongyaozazhi= Zhongguozhongyaozazhi- China journal of Chinese materiamedica; 36(22): 3130-3133. [Web Reference]