Antioxidant, Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Santalum album Linn.

Santalum album Linn. [Family: Santalaceae] is commonly known as White sandalwood (English), Safed Chandan (Hindi) and Srigandha (Sanskrit). It is found wildly and cultivated in southern states of India. Traditionally, this plant is used in headache, fever and inflammation. The wood oil is used as diuretic, stimulant and disinfective. Sandalwood contains a volatile oil 2.5–6%. The main constituents of volatile oil are santalol, isovaleric aldehyde, santanone, santalone and tannic acid. Based upon its traditional use and chemical constituents, the wood of the plant was selected and evaluated for antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. The methanolic wood extract was screened for antioxidant and free radical scavenging effects at various doses (100–500 µg/ml) by different specific in vitro methods and compared with L-Ascorbic acid and BHA. It was found that extract showed maximum antioxidant effect at 500 µg/ml. The methanolic extract of wood was also screened for analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities at various doses (100, 250 & 500 mg/kg) and compared with Diclofenac sodium (7 mg/kg) taken as standard. The extract showed maximum effect at 500 mg/kg. The statistical analysis of all the results was carried out using one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnet's t-test and all the results obtained in the study were compared with the vehicle control group. P values < 0.001 were considered statistically significant. Acknowledgement: The authors are highly thankful to Director, I.P.S., Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra for carrying out research activities. References: [1] Joshi SG. Medicinal Plants, Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 2003, 157–158. [2] Nadkarni AK, Nadkarni KM, Indian Materia Medica, Vol. I, Popular Prakashan, Bombay, 2005, 403–404. [3] The Wealth of India: A dictionary of raw materials & Industrial products, Ist supplement series (Raw Materials), Vol. 2: Cl-Cy, NISCAIR, CSIR, New Delhi, 2004 255.