Santalum album
Santalum album, commonly known as Indian sandalwood, is a highly revered evergreen tree prized for its aromatic heartwood. Renowned in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, it possesses potent anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and cooling properties. Today, it remains a cornerstone of holistic wellness, widely used in skincare, aromatherapy, and calming spiritual rituals.
- Scientific name: Santalum album
- Family: Santalaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Santalales, it is classified under the family Santalaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Santalum, specifically the species Santalum album.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Santalales | WCVP |
| Family | Santalaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Santalum | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Santalum album, is widely recognized by its various common names across different Chinese-speaking regions. In Simplified Chinese, it is referred to as 檀香 (zh-hans), and this same nomenclature is used in mainland China (zh-cn), Singapore (zh-sg), and Hong Kong (zh-hk). Similarly, in Traditional Chinese, the plant is known as 檀香 (zh-hant).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 檀香 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 檀香 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 檀香 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 檀香 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 檀香 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 檀香 | Wikidata |
| pl | Sandałowiec | Wikidata |
| gd | Fiodh almhaig | Wikidata |
| ms | Cendana | Wikidata |
| hu | fehér szantálfa | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning across several distinct regions. Within the Western Indian Ocean, it can be found growing in Mauritius, Réunion, and Rodrigues. Its presence extends into East Asia, specifically located in Taiwan. Additionally, it is documented to inhabit the area known as China Southeast. These diverse locations highlight the wide-ranging environmental adaptability of Santalum album.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Western Indian Ocean | Mauritius | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Réunion | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Rodrigues | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Nepal | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Sri Lanka | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Santalum album, commonly known as Indian sandalwood, derives its profound medicinal and aromatic value primarily from its heartwood. Unlike the softer sapwood, the dense, inner core of the tree is highly prized for its therapeutic properties and rich fragrance. Contained within this woody tissue are concentrated essential oils, which serve as the plant's primary bioactive components. These oils are extracted through distillation and are widely utilized in traditional medicine for their anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and calming effects on the skin and nervous system.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| heartwood | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| essential oils | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Santalum album has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include alpha-santalol, sandalwood oil, santalol, alpha-trans-bergamotenol, putrescine.
- Total chemicals
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 12
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| alpha-santalol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sandalwood oil | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| santalol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| alpha-trans-bergamotenol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| putrescine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| santalene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| starch | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sym-homospermidine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| volatile oil | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Santalum album has 7 reported activities identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Anthelmintic, Antifungal, Antimicrobial.
- Total activities
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anthelmintic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cancer-Preventive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Santalum album has 11 reported medicinal uses identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include wounds, Alzheimer's disease, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori.
- Total uses
- 11
- Scientific sources
- 12
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| wounds | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Alzheimer's disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Bacillus subtilis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Escherichia coli | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Helicobacter pylori | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Proteus vulgaris | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |