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Red Sandalwood: Endangered Medicinal Plant
Red sandalwood is a tree. Listed as Endangered by the IUCN. The wood at the
center of the trunk (heartwood) is used as medicine. Red sandalwood is used for
treating digestive tract problems, fluid retention, and coughs; and for �blood
purification.� In manufacturing, red sandalwood is used as a flavoring in
alcoholic beverages. Don�t confuse red sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus) with
white sandalwood (Santalum album).
Red Sandalwood) is a species of Pterocarpus native to India. It is only found in
south India in Kadapa, Chittoor, mostly in the hilly region of Nepal, in
Pakistan and in Sri Lanka. In India sandalwood is one main and lucrative market
for smugglers as a high price is paid for this wood in China. Since, the
exporting of sandalwood in India, the underground market is growing and there
are a number of arrests every year of those trying to smuggle this wood to
China.
It is a light-demanding small tree growing to 8 m tall with a trunk 50�150 cm
diameter. It is fast-growing when young, reaching 5 m tall in three years even
on degraded soils. It is not frost tolerant, being killed by temperatures of -1
�C. The leaves are alternate, 3�9 cm long, trifoliate with three leaflets. The
flowers are produced in short racemes. The fruit is a pod 6�9 cm long containing
one or two seeds
The wood has historically been valued in China, particularly during the Ming and
Qing periods, referred to in Chinese as zitan and spelt tzu-t'an by earlier
western authors such Gustav Ecke, who introduced classical Chinese furniture to
the west. It has been one of the most prized woods for millennia. King Solomon
was given tribute logs of Almug in Sanskrit valgu, valgum by the Queen of Sheba
Due to its slow growth and rarity, furniture made from zitan is difficult to
find and can be expensive.
Between the 17th and 19th centuries in China the rarity of this wood led to the
reservation of zitan furniture for the Qing dynasty imperial household. Chandan,
the Indian word for Red Sandalwood which is Tzu-t�an, are linked by etymology.
The word tan in Chinese is a perfect homonym of �tan�, meaning cinnabar,
vermillion and the cognition is suggested by the interchange of chan for
oriflamme, the vermilion ensign of the ancients. Chinese traders would have been
familiar with Chandan. Tzu-t�an then is the ancient Chinese interpretation for
the Indian word chandan for red sandalwood.
In Hinduism, this wood has been traditionally used as a sacred wood. The priests
and higher class casts such as brahamin extensively use this wood on many of
their rituals.
The other form of zitan is from the species Dalbergia luovelii, Dalbergia
maritima, and Dalbergia normandi, all similar species named in trade as bois de
rose or violet rosewood which when cut are bright crimson purple changing to
dark purple again. It has a fragrant scent when worked.
It is observed that the red sanders grown on the shale type of subsoil, at an
altitude of 750 meters above mean sea level and in semi-arid climatic conditions
gives a distinctive wavy grain margin and the wood pieces with the wavy grain
margin are graded as "A" grade. Red sanders with wavy grain margin fetch a
higher price than the non-wavy wood.
This species is listed as Endangered by the IUCN, because of overexploitation
for its timber.
Uses of Red sandalwood Powder
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 Red sandalwood can be used to get glowing, even skin tone and flawless
complexion. When used with rose water as a face pack it can be beneficial to get
a flawless skin.
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Red sandalwood is also very beneficial for oily skin tone, it can help reduce
oiliness from skin. When used with lemon juice as a face pack it helps to control
oiliness and tighten skin pores.
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Red sandalwood can be used get wrinkle free skin.Red chandan posses
properties like detoxifying and anti ageing.When used with glycerin and rose
water as a face pack it can get u wrinkle free skin.
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Red sandalwood can also be used to treat acne/pimples.Because of its
antimicrobial properties it is an effective treatment for acne/pimples.When used
with turmeric powder and rose water as a face pack it can help diminish
acne/pimples.
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Red sandalwood is very effective in removing suntan from skin.Because of it
soothing and calming effect it is helpful in treating skin tan sun burn.When
used with curd or cucumber water as a pack it is an effective treatment for sun
tan and sun burn.
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Red sandalwood can also be used to nourish and soothe irritated skin.It can
be used with any body oil to nourish and soothe skin naturally.
Health benefits of Red sandalwood
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Digestive tract ailments.
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Fluid retention.
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Coughs.
Caution
Lithium interacts with Red sandalwood
Red sandalwood might have an effect like a water pill or "diuretic." Taking
red 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.
Dated 23 October 2013
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