Sandalwood
Parts Used & Where Grown
Sandalwood trees grow in India and other parts of Asia. The wood is renowned for carving and also yields the volatile oil used in herbal medicine.
How It Works
The volatile oil contains high amounts of alpha- and beta-santalol. According to a test tube study, these small molecules possess antibacterial properties.1 This makes it a potential topical treatment for skin infections. Synthetic sandalwood oil does not contain these active ingredients. Internal use of sandalwood is approved by the German Commission E for the supportive treatment of infections of the lower urinary tract (usually the urinary bladder).2 However, clinical trials are lacking to support this use.