White Sandalwood: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

White sandalwood (Santalum album) is an evergreen tree native to India. Its wood and wood oil are used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.

White sandalwood contains chemicals that might help prevent the growth of fungus and bacteria. It might also reduce spasms and have relaxation effects.

People sometimes use white sandalwood for anxiety, common cold, bronchitis, memory, stress, vaginal infections, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Don't confuse white sandalwood with red sandalwood. These are not the same.

Uses & Effectiveness

We currently have no information for White Sandalwood overview.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: White sandalwood is commonly consumed in foods. But it is possibly unsafe when used in larger amounts as medicine for longer than 6 weeks. Kidney damage is possible when used longer-term. Side effects might also include itching and nausea.

When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if white sandalwood is safe when used in amounts larger than those found in cosmetics. It might cause allergic skin reactions in some people.

When inhaled: There isn't enough reliable information to know if white sandalwood is safe or what the side effects might be.

Special Precautions and Warnings

Pregnancy: White sandalwood is likely unsafe when taken by mouth in amounts larger than those found in food while pregnant. It has effects that might lead to miscarriage. Avoid use.

Breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if white sandalwood is safe to use when breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Kidney disease: Don't use white sandalwood if you have kidney problems. It might make kidney disease worse.

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

Lithium interacts with White Sandalwood
White sandalwood might have an effect like a water pill or "diuretic." Taking white sandalwood might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium. This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before using this product if you are taking lithium. Your lithium dose might need to be changed.

Dosing

There isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of white sandalwood might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.

View References

REFERENCES:

Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.

Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.

McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.

Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 1998.

Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=182

Hongratanaworakit, T., Heuberger, E., and Buchbauer, G. Evaluation of the effects of East Indian sandalwood oil and alpha-santalol on humans after transdermal absorption. Planta Med 2004;70(1):3-7.

Kyle, G. Evaluating the effectiveness of aromatherapy in reducing levels of anxiety in palliative care patients: results of a pilot study. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2006;12(2):148-155.

Heuberger, E., Hongratanaworakit, T., and Buchbauer, G. East Indian Sandalwood and alpha-santalol odor increase physiological and self-rated arousal in humans. Planta Med 2006;72(9):792-800.

Sharma, R., Bajaj, A. K., and Singh, K. G. Sandalwood dermatitis. Int J Dermatol 1987;26(9):597.

Hayakawa, R., Matsunaga, K., and Arima, Y. Depigmented contact dermatitis due to incense. Contact Dermatitis 1987;16(5):272-274.

Misra BB, Dey S. Comparative phytochemical analysis and antibacterial efficacy of in vitro and in vivo extracts from East Indian sandalwood tree (Santalum album L.). Lett Appl Microbiol. 2012;55(6):476-86.

Bhat TA, Begum W. Efficacy of Tamarindus indicus, Melia azadirach and Santalum album in syndromic management of abnormal vaginal discharge: A single-blind randomised controlled trial. J Complement Integr Med. 2017;15(2).

Höferl M, Hütter C, Buchbauer G. A pilot study on the physiological effects of three essential oils in humans. Nat Prod Commun. 2016;11(10):1561-1564.

Warshaw EM, Zug KA, Belsito DV, et al. Positive patch-test reactions to essential oils in consecutive patients from North America and Central Europe. Dermatitis. 2017;28(4):246-252.

Kucharska M, Frydrych B, Wesolowski W, Szymanska JA, Kilanowicz A. A comparison of the composition of selected commercial sandalwood oils with the international standard. Molecules. 2021 Apr 13;26(8):2249.

Ueda K, Horita T, Suzuki T. Effects of inhaling essential oils of Citrus limonum L., Santalum album, and Cinnamomum camphora on human brain activity. Brain Behav 2023;13(2):e2889.

Huang M, Du H, Lai J, et al. Clinical efficacy of Kuanxiong aerosol for patients with prehospital chest pain: A randomized controlled trial. Phytomedicine 2024;123:155206.

CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is licensed from Therapeutic Research Center, LLC. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
Licensed from Therapeutic Research Center, LLC
Copyright © 1995-2025 by Therapeutic Research Center, LLC. All Rights Reserved.