Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Western · Unani
Red sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus), of the Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family. Small deciduous tree with dark, blood-red heartwood; native range: Endemic to the dry hills of the southern Eastern Ghats of peninsular India. Globally recognized as raktachandana in Sanskrit, lal chandan in Hindi, sandal ahmar (صندل أحمر) in Arabic, and red sanders, ruby wood in English. The part used is heartwood. Dense, deep garnet-red wood, scentless (unlike true white sandalwood), rasped to a fine powder or ground with water to a cool crimson paste.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
RED SANDALWOOD
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Red sandalwood
- Scientific name
- Pterocarpus santalinus L.f.
- Family
- Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Form
- Part used
- heartwood
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- bitter · astringent (tikta, kashaya)
- Western
- astringent · bitter
- Unani
- astringent
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- cooling (sheeta — decidedly cold)
- Western
- cool
- Unani
- cold (cold & dry, 2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- blood · heart · skin
- Unani
- heart · liver · stomach
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- raktaprasadana (blood-purifier), varnya (complexion-giving), dahahara (relieves burning), stambhana (styptic), sheetala (refrigerant)
- Western
- astringent, cooling, cordial and tonic; chiefly valued as a colouring and mildly styptic agent
- Unani
- habis-ud-dam (styptic), muqawwi-e-qalb (cardiac tonic), mubarrid (refrigerant), muqawwi-e-meda (stomach tonic)
Cautions
- Contraindications
- cold and depleted states; little else in ordinary use
- Toxicity
- essentially non-toxic in customary doses
- Sourcing status
- cites-ii
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