cis-beta-Santalol is one of the defining sesquiterpene alcohols of true sandalwood oil and a recurring co-major constituent alongside cis-alpha-santalol in multiple archive sandalwood records. The public evidence base is moderate rather than sparse: identity and occurrence are straightforward, a 2024 RIFM safety assessment covers the broader santalol mixture, and constituent-level preclinical studies report central-nervous-system, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral signals. Those findings remain preclinical, so AromaForge should frame cis-beta-santalol as a core sandalwood marker constituent with early mechanism data rather than a clinically established active.
Chemical identity and composition
PubChem lists beta-santalol as C15H24O and includes cis-beta-santalol, beta-(Z)-santalol, and related synonyms under the same record. NIST indexes beta-santalol under CAS 77-42-9, while a separate PubChem stereochemical record exists for (Z)-beta-santalol. In the archive, cis-beta-santalol is a major sandalwood marker at 21.73% in the base sandalwood and Mysore sandalwood records and about 11.0-16.2% across the Royal Hawaiian sandalwood comparison set.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded woody, sandalwood, soft, warm descriptors to explore a blend's scent character; perceived strength also depends on the other ingredients.
- Review the flagged use concerns across every contributing oil and the selected dilution.
- Read the route, preparation and experimental context before using a study finding to choose an oil.
Reported benefits and effects
Findings retain their study context. An animal or laboratory result describes that experiment.
A 1995 Phytomedicine paper identified beta-santalol as one of the major CNS-active constituents from sandalwood and reported sedative-like and neuroleptic-like effects in mice.
The abstract reports activity in assays including sleeping-time potentiation, body-temperature change, antinociception, and spontaneous motor-activity change, with beta-santalol active by both intragastric and intracerebroventricular routes.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
A 2014 skin-cell study reported that purified beta-santalol suppressed lipopolysaccharide-stimulated cytokines, chemokines, prostaglandin E2, and thromboxane B2.
The abstract describes beta-santalol performing comparably to purified alpha-santalol in the selected co-culture inflammatory readouts, supporting a constituent-level anti-inflammatory mechanism signal.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
A 2012 MDCK-cell paper reported 86% anti-influenza A/HK (H3N2) activity at 100 micrograms per milliliter with no cytotoxicity at that tested concentration.
The abstract attributes the signal to reduced visible cytopathic effect and inhibition of late viral RNA synthesis, but the work remains a single in-vitro system rather than translational efficacy evidence.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
Use concerns and concentration limits
Sensitization concernFlagged
Flagged in the constituent reference; assess the source, route and finished-product concentration.
Phototoxicity concernNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
Oxidation concernNot assessed
Not assessed in the available record.
Penetration enhancementNot assessed
Not assessed in the available record.
A recorded constituent reference, not a recommended oil dilution. Product category, source applicability and all contributing oils must be checked before use.
recorded reference · RIFM fragrance ingredient safety assessment, santalol, CAS 11031-45-1 (PMID 38184243); human maximization test showed no sensitization at 20%A 2024 RIFM fragrance ingredient safety assessment exists for the broader santalol material class, giving beta-santalol stronger fragrance-safety coverage than many niche sesquiterpenols.
The source assessment applies to its specified exposure and preparation; this entry is not an unrestricted-use clearance.
The Good Scents pages reviewed in this pass list beta-santalol and (Z)-beta-santalol under natural-substances-and-extractives style entries and do not provide a verified constituent-specific dermal limit for archive use.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
No constituent-specific human clinical tolerability study, IFRA category limit for isolated cis-beta-santalol, or phototoxicity warning was verified in this pass.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
Published diagnostic patch-test and human-maximization data for the santalol material class report positive-reaction incidences of 0.0071-1.53% when tested up to 10%, and no sensitization in a human maximization test at 20%, which corroborates the archive's existing 20% dermal ceiling for this sandalwood marker.
The source assessment applies to its specified exposure and preparation; this entry is not an unrestricted-use clearance.
Constituents it may interact with
These are research candidates recorded in the interaction matrix. They do not add a proven-amplification bonus to the score.
alpha-SantalolAmplification candidate
Candidate in the research matrix. A coefficient alone does not establish amplification at the dose, route or goal of your blend; no proven amplification is inferred from this row.
animal · effect
No source citation attached.
Read alpha-Santalol report →alpha-SantalolAmplification candidate
Candidate in the research matrix. A coefficient alone does not establish amplification at the dose, route or goal of your blend; no proven amplification is inferred from this row.
in vivo nonhuman · whole_oil
No source citation attached.
Read alpha-Santalol report →How the effects were investigated
suppression_of_lps_induced_inflammatory_mediators
Purified beta-santalol suppressed selected cytokines and chemokines plus prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane B2 in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated dermal fibroblast and keratinocyte co-cultures.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
late_stage_inhibition_of_influenza_viral_mrna_synthesis
An MDCK-cell influenza model reported inhibition of late viral RNA synthesis at the tested beta-santalol concentration, alongside reduced cytopathic effect.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
cns_active_sesquiterpenol_signal_in_mice
Mouse pharmacology work found beta-santalol active by intragastric and intracerebroventricular routes and associated with altered monoamine-metabolite readouts, supporting a CNS-active signal in animals.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
What this report cannot establish
- A reported constituent percentage does not establish an effective human therapeutic dose or the amount absorbed into the body.
- The presence of a constituent does not guarantee a clinical benefit, rash treatment or sleep improvement from a custom blend.
- An unflagged concern or missing use limit does not establish safety for ingestion, inhalation, skin exposure or a particular person.
- A candidate constituent interaction does not establish that two oils amplify one another at the selected proportions.
- Constituent descriptors alone do not establish a precise top, heart or base lifetime in a finished blend.
Known data gaps (5)
- No human clinical efficacy study specific to isolated cis-beta-santalol was verified in this pass.
- The accessible safety review is for santalol as a broader fragrance material class rather than a standalone cis-beta-santalol monograph.
- No verified constituent-specific dermal maximum or repeated-dose human tolerability dataset for isolated cis-beta-santalol was located.
- Some findings do not record an explicit exposure route; consult the linked study before applying them to a use.
- Interaction candidates lack an attached source citation and remain unqualified.