Almug

Pterocarpus santalinus

Pterocarpus santalinus is a tree species rooted in various traditional medicinal practices. It is traditionally employed as an astringent, depurative, and antidote, with uses reported for conditions such as fever, diarrhea, dysentery, hemoptysis, and arrhythmia. Scientific studies suggest the plant possesses diverse phytochemical properties that may support anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and neuroprotective activities, though much of this evidence remains preliminary and requires further validation. No major safety issues or notable drug interactions have been recorded in current literature.

At a glance
Traditionally for
astringent · depurative
Traditions
traditional · TCM
Best evidence
A
Cautions
—

Informational only. Traditional use does not mean proven effectiveness. Evidence and safety vary — check the cited sources.

Traditional use

  • astringent traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • depurative TCM T3 DRDUKE
  • antidote traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • arrhythmia traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • bilious traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • diaphoretic traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • diarrhea traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • diuretic traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • dysentery traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • emetic traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • fever traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • headache traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • hematochezia traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • hematuria traditional T3 DRDUKE
  • hemoptysis traditional T3 DRDUKE

What the science says

  • Pterocarpus santalinus-mediated molybdenum oxide nanoparticles showed significant antioxidant, antimicrobial, seed-priming, and nitrogen fixation activities. D PMID
  • The study found that Pterocarpus santalinus has traditional medicinal importance and diverse pharmacological activities, but scientific validation of its claimed bioactivities needs improvement. A PMID
  • P. santalinus exhibits broad pharmacological effects including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, antiviral, wound-healing, and neuroprotective activities due to its diverse phytochemical profile. D PMID
  • The tLW-NIR window with Savitzky-Golay filtering followed by mean centering and classified by LSTM achieved the highest accuracy (98.53%) in discriminating between eight rosewood species. D PMID

Frequently asked questions

What is Almug?

Almug (Pterocarpus santalinus) is a plant documented in FolkKB's traditional-medicine reference, drawn from sourced literature and cross-checked against the evidence.

What is Almug traditionally used for?

Traditional sources record Almug for: astringent, depurative, antidote, arrhythmia, bilious, diaphoretic. This reflects traditional use, not a proven medical treatment.

Which traditions use Almug?

Almug appears in these traditions in our sources: traditional, TCM.

What does the scientific evidence say about Almug?

4 sourced findings are recorded for Almug; the strongest carries evidence grade A. For example: Pterocarpus santalinus-mediated molybdenum oxide nanoparticles showed significant antioxidant, antimicrobial, seed-priming, and nitrogen fixation activities.

How strong is the evidence for Almug?

The strongest finding for Almug carries evidence grade A — strong evidence. Grades run A (strongest) to D (preliminary or traditional).

Is Almug safe? What are the side effects?

No major safety issues are recorded for Almug in our sources, but the data may be incomplete. Consult a qualified professional before use.

Does Almug interact with medications?

No drug interactions are recorded for Almug in our sources. This does not rule them out — check with a pharmacist.

What are the common names of Almug?

Almug is also known as: Сандаловое дерево.

Is Almug a proven treatment?

No. FolkKB is informational only. Traditional use and early findings are not proof of efficacy or safety — consult a qualified professional and never self-treat.

Sources

  1. T3 Dr. Duke's Ethnobotanical Database public domain (USDA ARS — attribute Dr. Duke's)
  2. T2 Ethnopharmacologically important highly subsidized Indian medicinal plants: Systematic review on their traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control, conservation status and future prospective. literature abstract metadata
  3. T2 Comparative analysis of discrimination accuracy across different near-infrared bands for rosewood species. literature abstract metadata
  4. T2 Phytogenic molybdenum nanoparticles using Pterocarpus santalinus: characterisation, antioxidant, antimicrobial, seed priming and nitrogen fixation activities. literature abstract metadata
  5. T2 Multifunctional Therapeutic Potential of Phytocomplexes from Pterocarpus santalinus: A Review. literature abstract metadata