Sandalwood is a medicinal plant, of the species white sandalwood Widely used as a home remedy to help treat urinary tract infections, coughs, colds or anxiety, for example.
The normally used part of this medicinal plant is the bark of the stem from which sandalwood essential oil is extracted, to be used in the form of inhalation, sitz bath, aromatherapy or for application to the skin.
Sandalwood can be found in health food stores, and should be used under the guidance of a doctor or other healthcare professional who has experience using medicinal plants.
What is it for
Sandalwood is indicated to help in the treatment of:
- Colds;
- Cough or bronchitis;
- Fever;
- Sore throat;
- Urinary infections, cystitis or vaginitis;
- Headache;
- Liver disease or gallbladder problems;
- Dry, irritated or acne-prone skin.
Furthermore, sandalwood essential oil has calming and sedative properties, as well as a woody and sweet fragrance, and is widely used in aromatherapy to help treat depression or anxiety.
The benefits of sandalwood are due to the substances present in its composition, such as alpha-santalol and beta-santalol, which give it anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, diuretic, antimicrobial and antiseptic properties.
Although it has many benefits, sandalwood does not replace medical treatment and should be used under the advice of a doctor or herbalist.
How to use
O Sandalwood should be used in the form of essential oil for external use and should never be taken orallyand its use should not exceed 6 weeks.
Some ways to use sandalwood essential oil are:
1. Sitz bath
A sitz bath with sandalwood essential oil is indicated to help treat urinary tract infections or vaginitis, for example.
Ingredients
- 10 drops of sandalwood essential oil;
- 2 liters of warm water.
Preparation mode
Add the drops of sandalwood essential oil to a bowl of warm water and mix. Sit in this water for approximately 20 minutes. Repeat this procedure daily until symptoms subside.
2. Inhalation with sandalwood vapor
Inhalation with sandalwood can be done to alleviate the symptoms of colds, coughs or bronchitis and must be prepared with the essential oil of this medicinal plant.
Ingredients
- 10 drops of sandalwood essential oil;
- 1 liter of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Place boiling water in a basin and add drops of sandalwood essential oil. Then cover your head and pelvis, inhaling the sandalwood vapor carefully so as not to burn your face. It is important to breathe the steam as deeply as possible for up to 10 minutes, once a day.
3. Aromatherapy with sandalwood
Sandalwood aromatherapy is a technique that uses the aroma and particles released by sandalwood essential oil to stimulate different parts of the brain, helping to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, emotional tension or depression, as it has calming properties.
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 drops of sandalwood essential oil;
- electric air freshener or room diffuser.
Preparation mode
Place the drops of sandalwood essential oil with water inside an electric air freshener or in a room diffuser. The amount of water used varies according to the capacity of the electric air freshener or room diffuser. The cloud of vapor formed allows the aroma to be released throughout the room.
Another more economical way to use the aromatizer is to place drops of sandalwood essential oil in a cup of boiling water, for example, as the water evaporates, the aroma is released into the air. See other ways to do aromatherapy.
4. Application to the skin
Sandalwood essential oil can also be used to apply to the skin in case of infections or acne.
Ingredients
- 3 drops of sandalwood essential oil;
- 180 mL of water.
Preparation mode
In a clean, dry container mix the ingredients. Then, soak a cotton ball or compress in this mixture, and apply it to the affected area of the skin, up to 3 times a day.
Another option is to mix 3 drops of sandalwood essential oil in 10 mL of a carrier oil, such as coconut or almond oil, for example, and apply a little of the mixture to the area of skin to be treated, massaging gently until there is complete absorption of the oil.
Care when using sandalwood essential oil
Before using sandalwood essential oil, an allergy test must be carried out, preparing a mixture containing 1 drop of the essential oil in 1 teaspoon of the carrier oil, and applying it to the back of the hand or the crook of the elbow. .
Wait 24 hours and, if during this period the skin becomes red or irritated, it is not recommended to use sandalwood essential oil.
Possible side effects
The side effects of sandalwood essential oil for external use are not yet known, therefore, its use should only be done with medical advice or from a health professional with experience in medicinal plants.
Who shouldn’t use
Sandalwood should not be used by pregnant women or children, or by people with kidney problems.
Furthermore, sandalwood essential oil should not be ingested orally, and its use should not exceed 6 weeks.
Bibliography
- BOMMAREDDY, A.; et al. Medicinal properties of alpha-santalol, a naturally occurring constituent of sandalwood oil: review. Nat Prod Res. 33. 4; 527-543, 2019
- RAJSMITA, B.; KESHAVAMURTHY, V. Re-discovering Sandalwood: Beyond Beauty and Fragrance. Indian Dermatol Online J. 10. 3; 296-297, 2019
- MOURA, M. F. Secrets and virtues of healing plants. 1.ed. Lisbon: Seleções, 2011. 176.
- KIM, TH; et al. Antifungal and Ichthyotoxic Sesquiterpenoids from Santalum album Heartwood. Molecules. 22. 7; 1139, 2017
- DE GROOT, AC; et al. Essential Oils, Part VI: Sandalwood Oil, Ylang-Ylang Oil, and Jasmine Absolute. Dermatitis. 28. 1; 14-21, 2017
- MOY, R. L.; LEVENSON, C. Sandalwood Album Oil as a Botanical Therapeutic in Dermatology. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 10. 10; 34-39, 2017
- RANI, A.; et al. Molecular regulation of santalol biosynthesis in Santalum album L. Gene. 527. 2; 642-8, 2013
- SRIVASTAVA, PL; et al. Functional Characterization of Novel Sesquiterpene Synthases from Indian Sandalwood, Santalum album. Sci Rep. 5. 10095; 1-12, 2015
