Orient World

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) February 1, 2009 -- Occasionally other oil-yielding woods (from unrelated trees) are also indicated as "sandalwoods" such as Amyris balsamifera, also known as West Indian sandalwood. The tree is native to Central and South America and the Caribbean. Most commercially available amyris oil is distilled in Haiti.
Pterocarpus santalinus

A special case is red sandalwood, aka red sanders, (from Pterocarpus santalinus) which does not yield oil and is only fragrant when fresh. This is primarily known as a dye-wood, once of great importance but now only used locally in India (to mark Hindi-castes). This is an entirely different wood, red in color, although it too is used in carving. In addition it is used in musical instruments, and likely in furniture. It is CITES-listed.

Sandalwood essential oil provides perfumes with a striking wood base note. Sandalwood smells not unlike other wood scents, except it has a bright and fresh edge with few natural analogues. When used in smaller proportions in a perfume, it is an excellent fixative to enhance the head space of other fragrances. The oil from sandalwood is widely used in the cosmetic industry and is expensive. The true sandalwood is a protected species, and its demand cannot be met. Many species of plants are traded under the name of "sandalwood". Within the genus santalum alone, there are more than 19 varieties that can be called sandalwood. Traders will often accept oil from closely related species such as various species of santalum genus and the oil of West Indian sandalwood (Amyris balsamifera) from the family of Rutaceae.

chandan     natural medicine