SANDALWOOD, CHANDAN, DRY HERB INFORMATION AND VARIETIES

Santalum album Linn., Sp. Pl. 349, 1753; Almeida, FM 4: 275, 200:3.
FAMILY : Santalaceae R.Br
AYURVED NAME : Shwet Chandan, Chandan (Bhavprakash Nighantu)
ESTD.By : Chatterjee & Pakrashi
DESCRIPTION : It is a small evergreen tree with slender drooping branches, the sapwood is white and odorless, the heartwood yellowish brown and strongly scented. Leaves elliptic lanceolate, sub-acute petioles 1-1.3 cm long slender. The flowers, 5-10 mm in diameter, are mildly fragrant and purple to brownish in colour. The fruit appears within about 3-4 weeks of flowering and ripens in another 6 to 8 weeks. The fruit is globose drupe, 3-5 mm in diameter, smooth, fleshy and purple to blackish in colour. These are acrid in taste and few birds or animals eat them. The seed inside the fleshy endocarp is tiny— 6000 of them make a kilogram. Chandan is a rare cultivated tree.
Phenology (Fl. & Frt.): Feb- Mar & again in Aug - Sept


USES DOCUMENTED AND EVALUATED

Dissipates heat from the body and acts as a cooling agent (refrigerant). A self prepared sherbet from Sandalwood acts as an General tonic and immunity booster. Soak fine grated
Sandalwood  pieces (200gms) in 700ml Rose Distillate (Gulab Ark) overnight. Next morning filter the mixture and add 300gms of crystal sugar and put it on a low flame till a syryp like consistency is obtained. Store this in a clean glass jar. Use 10gms diluted with water 2 times a day. The medicine taken on regular basis proves highly beneficial to alleviate following disorders : Hypertension/ Hypotension, Insomnia, Circulatory disorders, Cardiac arrhythmia, Psychosomatic disorders, Weakness after long illness (Typhoid, Tb). Apart from this the above medicines is an excellent remedy to alleviate chemotherapy related symptoms.
Throat infections (Tonsilitis , Horaseness etc): Aqueous paste pf Sandalwood consumed in a dose of 5gms with honey
Red colored urine :Consume tea prepared by boiling 10gms sandalwood in 200ml water and reduced to 50ml over a low flame. The urine normalizes within 4 days.
Pure Sandalwood oil  is an excellent remedy for all kinds of Urinary disorders mostly associated with infections characterized by burning sensation, retention of urine, incontinence and also infections due to sexual reasons. Sandalwood oil must be consumed in a dose of 2-3 drops with sugar pills and water  which gives good relief.

INFORMATION REGARDING DRY HERB QUALITY

1. Chandan for medicinal purposes is sought from the local herb shops. Interestingly healers inform that the inner latex of Chandan known as Ket must be used for medicine and not the powdered bark. What we use in normal life is sandalwood, which is effective but not as much compared to the latex.
    
2. Different varieties of Chandan are described in popular classical works like Dhanwantri Nighantu, Raaj Nighantu etc. Dhanwantari Nighantu (1000AD) which can be considered one of the oldest works in Dravyaguna gives description of 5 varieties viz Chandan, RaktChandan, Kaliyaka, Barbarika and Kuchandan. Raaj Nighantu (1700AD) mentions 7 varieties viz Shabarachandan, Peetchandan, Patrangachandan, Raktachandan, BarbarakChandan, Harichandan and Shrikhandam. Here Shrikhandam is described exhibiting two varieties; Yetta and Sukadi (sandalwood cut at premature stage is known as Yetta and when cut after drying and formation of inner latex is known as Sukadi) to make it 7 in number. The interesting point here is that BarbarakChandan variety described by both Raj and Dhanwantri Nighantu is described as "Nirgandha" (devoid of smell) by Dhanwantri Nighantu and "Sughandi" (aromatic) by Raaj Nighantu. Bhavaprakash Nighantu (1550 A.D) mentions 4 varieties as Chandan, Raktachandan, Kaliyak and Kuchandan.
    
3. Rakta Chandan is a separate species (Pterocarpus santalinus). Pitt Chandan is found as a variation in certain sandalwood plants. Its uses and properties are different to sheet chanson. The Yetta and Sukadi are differentiation of highest form of "Ket" as already mentioned by me.
    
4. The other varieties like Kuchandan etc requires investigation though i feel they must be intermediate stages of Shwet-chandan or completely different plant. Whenever we use Chandan we have to have a deep look at these synonyms

I am attaching picture of the 3 Chandan variations I have documented in my survey



ADULTERATION & QUALITY CHECK
S.album (East Indian sandalwood) has natural distribution over 9500 sqkm  covering the Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu and certain sections of Maharashtra. The global supply of this plant reached critical levels due to poaching and overharvest and in 2009 it was declared critically endangered (IUCN). The official production of S.album in India declined due to depletion of natural resources. Since sandalwood is an integral part of Indian culture being used from incense , soaps, oils , perfumes to paintings , to sustain internal demands (around 5000tones), India had to import sandalwood in susbtantial quantity with substitutes like Osyris lanceolata (Tanzania sandalwood) which affected the quality of oil and subsequently a ban was imposed on the import. However during this period many susbtitutes found their way to Indian market like Osyris wightiana Wall ex Wight (Nepal sandalwood) &  Erythroxylum monogynum Roxb (Indian bastard sandal). Of this it is very diffucult to distinguish between Nepal sandalwood and the East Indian sandalwood in grain and color , the only difference being the aroma.which also differs ever so slightly distinguished by an expert nose. Conversely the heartwood of E.monogynum is a bit reddish brown with faint aroma and can be distinguished. Taking this into account the only way to distinguish samples is by DNA barcoding technique. To prevent adulteration it is most logical to buy from direct source in entire form and use. 

Please note that sale and trade of Chandan is banned as per Forest Laws of India. It can only be purchased through registered cultivars. Please ensure that the laws are followed and illegal trade is brought to notice of the law. 

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