Pterocarpus Santalinus (Rakta chandan, Red sandalwood)

Biological Name

Pterocarpus santalinus

Family:

Papilionoideae

Other Names:

Red sandalwood, Rakta-chandana, Sivappu chandanam, Lal chandan, Ratanili, Raktagandhamu, Shen-chandanam, Chan-chandanam, Rachandana, Sandale surkh.

Habitat: 

Red sandalwood is a dwarf tree indigenous mainly to India. It is mainly restricted to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamilnadu.

Additional Info:

It is extremely sheeta (sheetaveerya) tikta (bitter), beneficial in ophtalmia, dyscrasia, mental diseases, deranged pitta, kapha, cough, fever, vertigo, worms, vomiting and thirst.

Elements Applied:

Wood is applied in herbal medicine

Active Components:

The volatile oil found in Red sandalwood is rich in santalin A, santalin B, santalic acid, isopterocarpolone, Santal pterocarpin, homopterocarpin.

History:

Sandalwood oil has been conventionally applied to cure skin conditions, gonorrhea, dysentery, acne, and a range of other diseases. Chinese herbalists believed sandalwood oil is beneficial for nervous conditions.

Used For:

• The herb is mildly astringent, cooling, tonic, beneficial in fever, dysentery and haemorrhage.
• It is Digestive, and used in Bowel and Bilious affections.
• It strengthens Eyesight.
• It is applied externally in the form of paste in headache, inflammations, boils, piles and in ophthalmia.

Safety:

Exercise care. In Ayurvedic medicine herbs are commonly mixed with each other to reduce the negative effect one of them may produce on the organism. Use the herb only under medical control.