Sandalwood is one of the most treasured aromatics by aromatherapy practitioners, and perhaps one of the most treasured by human civilization as well. Recorded use of the wood and its products date back over four millennium, more than any other aromatic plant. Yet while most practitioners make use of the oil for its unequaled scent, few are aware of some of its important science-proven medicinal effects.
First just a little background — sandalwood essential oil is steam distilled from the heartwood of the sandalwood tree. Sounds pretty straightforward, until you learn that sandalwood is actually a parasite; it grows only on certain other trees in tropical environments. One cannot simply put a sandalwood seedling in the grown and coax it to grow, it has to be planted next to the right host tree, already of a certain age, for it to climb up. When harvesting the wood, which is very slow to grow, both trees need to be cut down. Clearly this presents challenges for this important resource.
The harvesting of the wood in India, where the finest specimens are considered to be from, has been halted by the government in order to protect the tropical rainforests. Elsewhere in the world, harvesting is regulated to ensure the demise of the rainforests in India does not happen again for this purpose. In only a very few locales has viable cultivated (human-planted) sandalwood begun to produce essential oil in commercial quantities.
It is clear that for the reasons of rarity alone, the essential oil is something to be cherished. However, the oil has some very impressive and important medicinal qualities that make it even more valuable. One application is a direct derivation of the use of the wood’s paste for skin care: The essential oil has been shown to prevent the occurrence of skin cancer if applied before exposure to UVB light as well as chemo-toxins.
Scientific researchers have elucidated the source of this cancer-preventative action. It turns out that one of the major natural chemical constituents, called “santalols” (found only in sandalwood oil, and no other natural material yet discovered) reinforces the signal for cells to die as they normally should. A feature of cancer cells is that they do not live and die in a natural cycle as healthy cells do — they just go on living, growing and spreading. So application of sandalwood oil prior to exposure to a carcinogen essentially tells the cell to keep on going through its normal healthy life cycle. And despite the lack of availability of Indian sandalwood, santalols are found in all other popular species from which the oil is distilled.
The aroma is highly regarded for its calming, centering qualities, without being sedating. Researchers in Vienna, Austria published research indicating study participants were positively affected in the areas of alertness, attentiveness, calmness, mood, relaxation and vigor. This correlates to its long-time use as the first choice aromatic in aiding meditation. It is reputed to quiet mental chatter, again while bringing the awareness to a singular focus.
Interestingly, while the oil heightens awareness, it actually supports deeper, more restful sleep. Research on the inhalation of the aroma showed that study participants usually challenged to get a good rest spent much less time awake, and the total time spent in “rapid eye movement” sleep was also increased. The affect was attributed to the oil’s action in the bloodstream after inhalation, not on the sensing of the aroma. So a gentle massage with the oil may be just as effective as using a diffuser for improved sleep with the oil.
So you can see that sandalwood oil has some wonderful, valuable therapeutic activity — features that everyone can enjoy. When shopping for the essential oil, you’ll find several varieties available. The most common are Australian and South Pacific, though you may still find some Indian available through specialty sources. Chemically, they are fairly close in their profile; the key individual constituents are present in significant quantities in each variety. You will also find is they have subtly different aromas, and you may have a strong preference for one over another. The Indian has beautiful, soft character, whereas the South Pacific is bold and masculine, and the Australian can be somewhere in between. Once you find an oil you like, buy some to put away! Sandalwood gets better (and more costly) with age — you’ll have a wonderful oil for you and your family to enjoy now and on into the future.
The Ananda Apothecary is a fully-stocked source of therapeutic grade essential oils, including organic pure rose and wildcrafted Indian sandalwood oil.