Chandana (Sandalwood): Traditional Uses, Evidence & Safety

TL;DR

Chandana is the heartwood of Santalum album, the Indian sandalwood tree, listed in the Ayurvedic, Chinese, and British pharmacopoeias. Ayurveda uses it as a cooling remedy for skin, urinary, and heat-related complaints. A small human study found relaxing effects from sandalwood oil on skin; clinical trials for Ayurvedic uses are lacking.

(51 words. Sources: sandalwood review; Asian medicinal-plant database; Hongratanaworakit et al. 2004.)

What it is

Chandana is the heartwood of Santalum album L., a small to medium-sized evergreen tree in the family Santalaceae, native to southern India and parts of Indonesia (sandalwood review). The fragrant heartwood and its steam-distilled essential oil (East Indian sandalwood oil) have been traded for millennia. The drug is listed in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and the British Pharmacopoeia (sandalwood review). The oil's characteristic aroma and much-studied chemistry come from sesquiterpene alcohols, chiefly α-santalol (about 41–55% of the oil) and β-santalol (about 16–24%), alongside santalenes and related compounds (sandalwood review).

Traditional use

In Ayurveda, chandana is classified as a cooling (sheeta) drug. Traditional records describe the heartwood powder and paste for skin disorders, burning sensations, and inflammatory skin conditions; as a diuretic and demulcent for urinary complaints. And for fever, excessive sweating, bleeding conditions, and anxiety or "nervous tension." It is also described as a calming aromatic used traditionally to settle the mind, and the paste is applied to cleanse wounds, sunburn, and acne (Ayurveda-pharma review; sandalwood review). These are traditional claims, not clinical proof: the research record is examined separately below.

What modern research says

Relaxation (small human study)

In a small human study, East Indian sandalwood oil and isolated α-santalol applied to the skin (transdermal absorption) produced measurable sedative and relaxing physiological effects (Hongratanaworakit et al., Planta Medica 2004). This is a small experimental study of the oil on skin: not a clinical trial of chandana for anxiety or any Ayurvedic indication.

Antiviral activity (laboratory study)

Sandalwood wood oil showed antiviral activity against herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 in cell culture (Benencia & Courreghes, Phytomedicine 1999). In-vitro only; no human antiviral trials exist.

Skin-tumor chemoprevention (animal study)

α-Santalol reduced UVB-radiation-induced skin tumor development in mice (Bommareddy et al., Anticancer Research 2007). This is a mouse chemoprevention finding, far from any human skin-cancer claim.

What the evidence does not support (yet)

No randomized clinical trials were identified testing chandana heartwood or its preparations for the Ayurvedic indications: skin disorders, urinary complaints, fever, or anxiety. The existing human data are limited to the small transdermal relaxation experiment described above.

Safety & contraindications

No dedicated human safety trials of chandana were identified. Sandalwood oil is widely used in perfumery, cosmetics, and aromatherapy (sandalwood review), but that commercial history is not safety evidence for medicinal use. People with known allergy to sandalwood or its oil should avoid topical preparations. There are no data on use in pregnancy or breastfeeding, or on interactions with medications: consult a qualified practitioner before medicinal use.

FAQs

What is chandana?

Chandana is the heartwood of Santalum album L., the Indian sandalwood tree. It is a pharmacopoeial drug (Ayurvedic, Chinese, and British pharmacopoeias) whose essential oil is rich in α- and β-santalol (sandalwood review).

What is chandana used for in Ayurveda?

Ayurveda classifies it as a cooling drug, traditionally used for skin disorders, burning sensations, urinary complaints, fever, excessive sweating, and anxiety-like nervous tension (Ayurveda-pharma review). These are traditional uses, not clinically proven effects.

Is sandalwood oil the same as chandana?

Sandalwood oil is distilled from chandana heartwood: it is a preparation of the drug, not the drug itself. Most modern research (relaxation, antiviral, chemoprevention studies) tested the oil or isolated α-santalol, not traditional heartwood powder or paste.

Does sandalwood help with anxiety or stress?

Only very preliminary evidence exists: a small human experiment found relaxing physiological effects when sandalwood oil was applied to the skin (Hongratanaworakit et al., 2004). There are no clinical trials of chandana for anxiety.

Is chandana safe?

No dedicated human safety trials were identified. Avoid topical use if you are allergic to sandalwood; there are no data for pregnancy, breastfeeding, or drug interactions.

No established human dose exists. Without pharmacopoeial or clinical-trial dosing, no recommendation can be made.

Sources

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Herbal products can interact with medications and are not suitable for everyone. Talk to a qualified healthcare practitioner before use — especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a medical condition, or taking prescription medicines.