Of all the simples in the Unani cabinet, sandalwood is the coolest. The hakeems classed it as a mubarrid — a cooler of the blood and the passages — and reached for it whenever heat needed drawing out of the body. Laraib distils it from heartwood and bottles it in ten millilitres, because a proper sandalwood oil is measured in drops, not spoons.
What it is traditionally used for
- Taken in the Unani tradition as a cooling agent for the urinary passage during the hot months
- Long used to ease burning, stinging and discomfort on passing water
- Recorded in the classical texts as supportive care in sozak, alongside and never instead of a physician’s treatment
- Used to calm soreness and irritation of the urinary tract
- Rubbed on the temples and forehead as a traditional cooling and settling application
How it is made
Seasoned sandalwood heartwood is chipped fine and steam distilled at low pressure over many hours, a slow method that protects the santalol fraction responsible for the wood’s cooling character and its scent. The distillate is separated, rested and filtered clear. No carrier oil, no synthetic sandalwood fragrance and no extenders are added.
How to take it
Five to ten drops on a sugar cube or stirred into two tablespoons of milk, morning and evening, ideally after food. Drink plenty of water alongside it — sandalwood is traditionally taken as part of a cooling regimen, not on its own. It may also be applied externally to the temples and forehead on a hot afternoon.
Good to know
- 10 ml bottle, DRAP registration number 0803108031
- 100% pure sandalwood oil with no carrier or diluent
- A concentrated preparation — do not exceed the stated number of drops
- Keep tightly capped; the oil is volatile and its aroma escapes an open bottle
Saad Haider (verified owner) –
I keep a bottle at home in Quetta for my mother, who uses a drop on her forehead when she cannot sleep in the heat. Very calming smell, nothing like the synthetic sandal attars in the bazaar.
Yusra Lodhi (verified owner) –
Genuine sandalwood, the fragrance alone tells you that. The only thing is ten millilitres finishes quickly at ten drops twice daily, so budget for two bottles. Islamabad delivery took four days.
Taimoor Rehman (verified owner) –
Hyderabad in June is punishing and I get burning every summer. My hakeem told me to take this with milk twice a day along with plenty of water. Noticeable relief within four or five days.