None known

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Antiasthmatic  Antidiarrhoeal  Cancer  Diuretic  Hypoglycaemic  Kidney  Stomachic  Tonic


The root has medicinal uses[338]. Agarwood, or the resin contained in it, is stomachic and tranquillizing [310]. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat a wide range of mental illnesses, it is a remedy for nervous disorders such as neurosis, obsessive behaviour and exhaustion and is believed to drive evil spirits away[404]. It is also used to treat asthma, chest congestion, colic, diarrhoea, diuretic, kidney problems, nausea, thyroid cancer, and lung tumours[310, 404]. The wood of this species is one of the three ingredients of a popular Thai rejuvenation and blood tonic known as 'TriSuraPhon'. The other two ingredients are the wood of Cimmamomum parthenoxylon and the bark of Cinnamomum bejolghota. The tonic is said to have a wide range of beneficial effects upon the general health, the individual components having been credited with diverse beneficial properties including antioxidant, anti-ischemic, antimicrobial, anticancer, hypoglycaemic, and hypolipidemic[1377]. Trials have shown that this tonic can help to normalize lipid levels in overweight individuals, also reducing highly atherogenic LDLC levels and increasing beneficial HDL-C levels[1377].

Charcoal  Containers  Cosmetic  Fibre  Fuel  Furniture  Incense  Paper  Repellent  Resin  Weaving  Wood

Other uses rating: High (4/5). Agroforestry Uses: Initial trial results in Cambodia have shown that the tree is easy to plant and very suitable for planting under the canopies of mixed stands[ 404 ]. Other Uses Agarwood is the rare and famous, resin-containing heartwood that is produced mainly from old and diseased trees of several members of this genus[ 310 ]. In trade, a distinction between the wood and these species is rarely made[ 310 ]. The fragrance produced by the burning agarwood has been highly valued for thousands of years, and its use as incense for ceremonial purposes in Buddhism, Confucianism and Hinduism is widespread throughout eastern and southern Asia. In Thailand, it is put into funeral pyres, while in Japan, the incense is used in tea ceremonies[ 310 ]. Wood only partly saturated with resin but still fragrant, and occasionally also the wood remaining after distillation, is made into sticks called 'joss-sticks' or 'agarbattis' which are burnt as an incense[ 310 ]. The incense is also used as an insect repellent[ 310 ]. Agar-wood oil is an essential oil obtained by water and steam distillation of agarwood. It is used in luxury perfumery for application in e.g. oriental and woody-aldehydic bases, 'chypres' and 'fougères'. It produces interesting odour notes with clove oil, e.g. in carnation bases. The oil is so rare and expensive that it is only produced on request[ 310 ]. Agar-wood oil is a yellow to dark amber, viscous liquid with a characteristic balsamic and woody odour. Its aroma has some resemblance with vetiverol or styrax and has a sweetness similar to that of sandalwood oil. Its odour is long-lasting and exhibits a good tenacity in applications[ 310 ]. The roots are used for incense and cosmetics[ 338 ]. A fibre is obtained from the bark[ 338 ]. It is used for hammock making, clothing articles and paper pulp[ 404 ]. The wood is soft and very fragrant, consisting of irregular patches of dark wood in which heavily scented oleoresins are concentrated[ 404 ]. Undamaged wood that is only lightly fragrant is used for general furniture, round wood, plywood, posts, stakes, sawn or hewn building timbers, for light construction, carpentry/joinery, containers, crates, musical instruments etc[ 404 ]. The wood is sometimes used for fuel and charcoal[ 404 ].

Special Uses

Scented Plants