Sandalwood - western medicine

The active ingredients in sandalwood are santalols, which should make up about 90% of the oil. These compounds have anti-bacterial activity and recent research has shown that they might have some use in the treatment of skin cancer.

Extracts of sandalwood have also been used to treat urinary infections. However, the medicinal properties of sandalwood have not been fully studied and thus they should only be used under the supervision of a qualified doctor or herbalist.

Safety

In India there are case reports that sandalwood can cause allergic skin reactions. The quality of sandalwood can vary greatly and some of these reports could be associated with the use of adulterated or poor quality material. Breast-feeding mothers and young children should not use sandalwood.

This information is provided for general interest only. It is not intended as guidance for medicinal use. Further information on using herbal medicines is available.