Tan Xiang (檀香) — Sandalwood
Tan Xiang — sandalwood — is a fragrant, warming Chinese herb that moves Qi in the chest and Middle Burner, relieving chest and epigastric fullness with a cold constitutional background. Familiar to Western readers as incense wood, it is a specific for cold-type angina in classical formulae.
On this page
- Overview
- Properties
- Actions and indications
- Dosage
- Cautions and incompatibilities
- Key formulas
- Treatment at my clinic
1. Overview
Tan Xiang (檀香) — Sandalwood (Santalum album (sandalwood)) — is a Chinese herb in the Regulate Qi category. I prescribe it as part of bespoke pharmaceutical-grade granule formulas from Sun Ten in Taiwan at my clinic in Wokingham, Berkshire and via online herbal consultations.
2. Properties
| Pinyin name | Tan Xiang |
|---|---|
| Chinese characters | 檀香 |
| Latin name | Santalum album (sandalwood) |
| English name | Sandalwood |
| Nature | Warm |
| Flavour | Acrid |
| Channels entered | Spleen, Stomach, Lung |
| Category | Regulate Qi |
3. Actions and indications
Principal actions
- Regulates Qi and disperses cold
- Relieves chest and epigastric pain
- Aids digestion
Indications
- Cold-type angina and chest pain
- Epigastric fullness and vomiting
- Belching from Cold-Qi stagnation
4. Dosage
1.5–3g
5. Cautions and incompatibilities
- Reduce in Yin-deficient dry patterns
- Not for Yin-deficient Heat
- Note: Santalum album is CITES-protected — source from certified sustainable stock only
6. Key formulas
7. Treatment at my clinic
I prescribe Tan Xiang where its indications and TCM pattern match the patient’s presentation, always as part of a tailored formula. Return to the Chinese herbs directory or the Chinese herbal medicine main page.
