agarwood / oud - salvatore battaglia

©SalvatoreBattaglia2021 www.salvatorebattaglia.com.au PAGE1

The incense and perfume produced from oud otherwise known as agarwood have been highly valued for many centuries and used in many cultures for spiritual and perfumery purposes. It is highly revered in Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam.1

Agarwood is the resin-infused fragrant wood (also known as aloewood, eaglewood, guharu, oud, chén xiāng and jinkoh) derived from the valuable heartwood of the Aquilaria spp.1,2

B O TA N Y A N D O R I G I N SAgarwoodistheresinimpregnatedheartwoodoftheAquilarispecies.Theresinissecretedbythetreesasdefencereactionanddepositedaroundthewoundsoveryearsfollowingtheinjury,wherethevolatilecompoundseventuallyformagarwood.4

ThespeciesmostcommonlyusedfortheiressentialoilsareAqularia malaccensis, A. crassnaandA. sinensis.5 Todate,thereareatotalof21Aquilariaspecieswhichhavebeendocumentedand13ofthemarerecognisedastheagarwood-producingspecies.4

Akteretal.stateagarwoodcanbeproducedfromallmembersoftheAquilaria.6 Thetreesgrowinnaturalforestsatanaltitudeofafewhundredmetresabovesealeveltoabout1000metres.Itgrowsbestaround500metresinlocationswithaveragedailytemperaturesof20to22˚C.6

TheoriginoftheAquilariatreespeciesisthewiderIndo-Malayanregion.3

ThedestructiveexploitationofagarwoodhashadadevastatingeffectonwildpopulationofallAquilariaspecies.Asaconsequence,alloftheAquilariaspeciesarenowontheIUCNRedListascriticallyendangeredspecies.7,8,9

Laosistheonlycountrywhereharvestingofwildtreesisstillpermitted.8

ThetradedataindicatesthatA. malaccensis followedbyA. crassnaandA. filariaaretheagarwoodspeciesthathavedominatedtheinternationaltradeforthepast10years.2

Theageofthetreeisamajorfactorasinfectedtreesproducearesinfromtheageof15years,withtreesaged50yearsandmoreproducingthebestyieldsofagarwood.2

F O R M AT I O N O F A G A RW O O DNazizdescribestheuniquescentofagarwoodasthescentofstress,referringtothefactthattheformationofthefragrantagarwoodresinistheoutcomeofacomplexinteractionwithafungiandinducedphysicalstressontheAquilariatrees.2

Ashighdemandforqualityagarwoodcontinuestogrowanalternative,masscultivationandlargeplantationsofAquilariatreeshasbecomeasustainablesourceofagarwoodtoresolvetheshortageofagarwoodsupplyaroundtheworld.SincehealthyAquilariatreesdonotformagarwood,thelackofnaturallyoccurringagarwoodhaspromptedthedevelopmentofartificiallyagarwood-inducingmethods.4

B O TA N I C A L N A M EAqui lar ia crassna

FA M I LYThymelaeaceae

S Y N O N Y M SAgarwood is known as Gaharu in Malays ia , Eaglewood and Kr issana in Thai land, Oudh in the Middle East , Chen-x iang in China, J in-koh in Japan and Agar in India . 3

E S S E N T I A L O I L M O N O G R A P H :

B y S a l v a t o r e B a t t a g l i a

Agarwood / Oud

PAGE2www.salvatorebattaglia.com.au ©SalvatoreBattaglia2021

EffortstoartificiallyinduceagarwoodformationhavebeentracedbacktoasearlyasAD300inChina,whereitwasrecordedthatresinformationcanhappenwithinayearbyinjuringthetrees.Apartfrommechanicalwoundingapproach,theuseofchemical,insectandpathogen-inducingtechniquesisincreasinglycommonintheagarwoodindustry.Alltheseinductiontechniquesattempttomimicthenaturalprocessesforagarwoodformation.4

NaturalagarwoodformationisoftenlinkedtothephysicalwoundingordamageofAquilariatreescausedbythunderstrikes,animalgrazing,pestanddiseaseinfestation.Naturalagarwoodformationinthenaturalenvironmentisalongprocesswhichcantakeupto10years.Therefore,thedevelopmentofaneffectiveinductiontechnologyhasreceivedmuchattentioninordertoensurethestabilityofagarwoodyieldfromthedomesticatedAquilariatrees.4

UnderstandinghowthefungalinteractionswiththeAquilaria treesleadstothepromotionofagarwoodformationhasledtothedevelopmentofnewinductionmethodsthatinvolvedeliberatewoundingcoupledwiththeapplicationofbiologicalinoculum.Manypre-culturestrainsoffungiisolatedfromnaturalagarwoodhavebeenfoundtobeeffectivebiologicalagentstoinduceagarwoodformationinhealthyAquilaria trees.4

ThewoodoftheAquilariaspeciesischaracterisedasodourless,even-grainedandoflowdensitywithayellowish-whitishcolour.Itisonlyunderspecificenvironmentalconditions,andwhenthetreehasbeeninfectedorwoundedthattheagarwoodforms.Researchsuggeststhatthefungicauseanimmunereactionassociatedwiththeproductionoftheoleo-resin.Thepartofthewoodinfectedgrowswithirregularpatchesofstreakswhichbecomeincreasinglydarkandheavy.3

Thespecificcharacteroftheagarwoodoilvariesaccordingtotheregionoforigin,thebotanicalspecies,itsageaswellasthesectionofthetreefromwhichthepieceofagarwoodcomesfromaswellastheamountoftimethewoodhasundergonethebiologicalprocess.3

E X T R A C T I O N

Theextractionoftheoilisbydistillationwherethesun-dried chipswithdarkresinaresoakedinwaterfor2-3monthsandthereafterboiledtorecovertheoil.2

Plantation Aquilaria trees in Vietnam

Artificially induced agarwood formation Removing the agarwood from the tree trunk

©SalvatoreBattaglia2021 www.salvatorebattaglia.com.auPAGE3

C H A R A C T E R I S T I C SThearomaisconsideredoneofthemostcomplexolfactoryaccordsknowninperfumerytoday.Itisoftendescribedasa‘oriental-woody’witha‘softfruity-floral’note.Thesmokefromtheincensemadewithhighqualityagarwoodisdescribedbyperfumersashavingasweet-balsamicnotewithahintofvanilla,muskandambergris.3

Lyengar’sdescriptionofouddescribesthequalitiesofoudperfectly:

What is most intriguing about this natural substance – which rightfully smells obnoxious to many – is that it is the most sought-after perfumery ingredient in the world and more expensive than gold.10

H I S T O R YAncientEgyptianswerebelievedtobethefirstusersofagarwoodindeathritualsmorethan3,000yearsago.Presentlyagarwoodoilisusedinperfumeryandcosmeticproductsandmedicinalproductsthroughouttheworld.Itisconsideredwithoutadoubtthemostexpensiveandpreciousessentialoilintheworld.2

T R A D I T I O N A L S A C R E D U S E SAgarwoodishighlyreveredinHinduism,Christianity,Buddhism,andIslam.1

Agarwoodisconsideredoneofthemostsoughtafterandexpensiveperfumeryrawmaterialsintheworld.Theincenseandperfumeproducedfromagarwoodhavebeenhighlyvaluedformanycenturiesandusedinmanyculturesforspiritualandperfumerypurposes.ItishighlyreveredinHinduism,Christianity,BuddhismandIslam.1

Agarwoodisoneofeightimportantaromaticingredientsinashtagandha,aholypowderusedinindeityworshippingandbathing.ItwassaidthatwhenBhagavanKrishnawasonearththesmellofashtagandhawasemanatingfromhim.Itisnotsurprisingthatotheraromaticingredientsincludedsandalwoodandspikenard.10

IntheHolyBible,agarwoodwasusedwithmyrrhintheanointingofChristfollowinghiscrucifixion.ThespiritualimportanceofagarwoodinBuddhismwassimilarlydemonstratedwhenitwasusedamongotherfragrantproductsinthecremationofBuddha.1

Itwassuggestedthatthefivenaturalincenseproductsthatrepresentedthespeechofthefivebuddhasincludedsandalwood,agarwood,pineresinorjuniper,camphorandvetiverroot.1

AgarwoodiscitedthreetimesintheBibleasafragrantproductforintimacyandseduction.InIslamictexts,agarwoodwasaconspicuousfragranceusedintheritualburningofincense,

forspiritualpurification,andasoneoftherewardsinParadise.AgarwoodmixedwithcamphorwasthepreferredscentoftheProphetMuhammad.Theuseofagarwoodinmanyreligioustextsconfirmsitsreputationasanimportantscentsupportingspirituality.1

TheArabsarerenownedfortheirloveofoud.SincethebeginningofIslam,oudhasbeenapartofArabdailylife.Thereare‘hadith’orpropheticsayingsinIslamthatspeakofoudanditsbenefits.ProphetMuhammadnotonlyusedoudhimself,butrecommendeditsusetohisfollowersforitsspirituallyelevatingaromasandhealthbenefits.10

TheintroductionofBuddhismintoChinawouldhavemostlikelypromotedtheinterestinagarwood.TheuseofagarwoodinChinaasanincensebecameprominentamongthenobility.In1225AD,adetailedaccountisprovidedthatdistinguishesdifferenttypesofagarwoodbyconsideringtheirgeographiclocation(e.g.Tonkin,Annam,Cambodia,MalayPeninsula,Sumatra)aswellasthevaryingquality,appearanceandfragrance.3

U S E A S I N C E N S EArabicincenseiscalledbakhoor,whichisagarwoodchipsburntovercharcoalintraditionalincenseburners,calledmabkharah.BakhooristhequintessentialsymbolofcelebrationandisconsideredasignofArabhospitality.Duringsocialgatherings,themabkharahispassedamongtheguestswho,onreceivingitreciteprayersfortheProphetMuhammad.10

ThefirstJapanesewrittenrecordofagarwoodwasreportedinAD595,whenalargepieceofagarwooddriftedashoreontheislandofAwaji.Theislandersnoticedinwonderthatitproducedastringfragrancewhenusedasfirewood,andlaterpresentedanunburntpiecetoEmpressSuiko.EarlyaromaticsburnedinJapaneseBuddhistceremoniesincludedjinkoh(thebestagarwood),sandalwood,cloves,cinnamonandcamphor.1

Theconsumptionofagarwoodbecameincreasinglysophisticated.Inlinewiththerisingaestheticsensitivityandappreciationofthescent,agarwoodwasincreasinglyconsumedonitsown,withoutanyotheraromatic.Inordertoappreciateitsfragrance,asmallsilverplatewasusedtoprotectthewoodfromthefireduringincensation.Wen xiang or‘listeningtofragrance’becameaspecialpastimetofullyappreciatetheincensation,andpayattentiontotheagarwood’sdiverseolfactorynotes.3

TheJapanesedrewfromtheChineseperfumerycultureandadaptedsimilarpracticesfortheexclusiveuseofagarwood.TheJapanesetermmonko,literallymeaning‘listeningtofragrance’developedthesenotionsfurther.InJapan,thearistocraticpracticeofappreciatingincenseintheHeianperiodwasknownaskoh-doamongtheaffluent,educatedsocietyduringthecourseofthethirteenthtoseventeenthcenturies.TheincenseappreciationgamesweredeterminedbytheZenidealsofsimplicityandpurity.3

PA G E 4 www.salvatorebattaglia.com.au ©SalvatoreBattaglia2021

T R A D I T I O N A L M E D I C I N EAgarwoodhasbeenusedforitsmedicinalpropertiesinAyurveda,Chinese,TibetanandtraditionalEast-Asianmedicinalpracticesforthousandsofyears.11

InAyurveda,agarwoodwasusedforhealingwounds,skindiseases,coughsandcoldsandlongconsideredanaphrodisiac.10

Traditionally,theleaves,barkandrootofAquilaria agallocha havebeenusedfortheiraphrodisiac,aromatic,astringent,bitter,cardiotonic,carminativeandstimulantproperties.11

InMalaysiantraditionalmedicine,agarwoodismixedwithcoconutoiltomakeanointmenttotreatbodypain.12

Agarwoodpowderisusedforthelossofappetiteanddigestiveailments.Itimprovesbloodcirculation,reducescoughingandhelpssoothbronchitisandasthma.Becauseofitscoolingeffect,agarwoodisusedtoreducefevers.11

Aquilaria crassnaisthemajorsourceplantforagarwoodinVietnam.InVietnamthewoodofA. crassnaisusedintraditionalmedicinetoassistdigestionandasasedative.ItisprescribedinaVietnamesemedicineasapowder,aqueouspreparationortincturetotreatgastralgia(paininthestomachorepigastriumespeciallyofaneuralgictype),nausea,vomitingandanxiety.

Contemporary uses

Agarwoodisinhighdemandthroughouttheworldasarawmaterialforincense,perfumeandmedicinalpurposes.TheMiddleEastandEastAsiaarethetwomajorregionsofconsumption.Thecostoftheagarwoodcanbeashighas$10,000perkgandthevalueofagarwoodessentialoilcanbeashighasUS$30,000ormoreperkg.4

Theoilisinhighdemandduetoitsuseasanincenseforreligiousceremonies,inperfumesandtraditionalmedicinepreparations.IntheMiddleEastitisconsideredasymbolofwealthandcommonlyusedduringweddingceremonies.5

Agarwoodoilistradedglobally,howeverthemainimportersaretheUnitedArabEmirates,SaudiArabia,ChinaandJapan.5

C H E M I C A L C O M P O S I T I O NMorethan150compoundshavebeenidentifiedsofar.Mostofthemaresesquiterpenoidsandchromones.2

ThechemicalcompositionagarwoodessentialoilfromAustralianplantation-grownAquilariatreeswasreportedasfollows:4-phenyl-2-butonone(0.3%),(-)selina-3,11-dien-9-one(2.01%),α-guaiene(2.41%),guaia-1(10),11-diene-15-ol(1.41%),agarospirol(1.1%),eremorphila-9,11(13)dien-12-ol(6.10%),epi-10-Y-eudesmol(3.42%),vetispirane-2(11)6(14)diene-7-ol(n/d),valance-1(10)8-diene-11-ol(6.44%),vetispiranetypesesquiterpene(5.71%),2,14-epoxy-vetispir-6-ene(1.87%),aragofuran(1.59%),guaienetypesesquiterpene(1.74%),guaia1(10),11-diene-9-one(1.12%),selinenetypesesquiterpene(1.85%),selina-3,11-dien-9-ol(4.89%),2-2-phenylethylchromonederivative(1.27%).13

ThechemicalcompositionagarwoodessentialoilfromVietnamplantation-grownAquilaria crassnatreeswasreportedasfollows:Benzylacetone(1.05%),(-)selina-4,11-dien-14-al(3.88%),β-agarofuran(6.71%),α-agarofuran(0.35%),norketoagarofuran(2.15%),Y-eudesmol(1.02%),agarospirol(8.51%),hinesol(3.56%),jinkoheremol(1.78%),valerianol(3.81%),α-eudesmol(4.47%),β-eudesmol(5.16%),9,11-eremophiladien-8-one(2.28%),oxoagarospirol(2.38%).14

Thehighestqualityagarwoodoilisrichinoxygenatedsesquiterpenesandchromonederivatives.Threesesquiterpenecompoundsthatarecommonlydetectedinthehigh-qualityagarwoodoilsinclude(-)-guaia-1(10),11-dien-15-al,(-)-selina-3,11-dien,9-oneand(+)-selina-3,11-dien,9-ol.5

P H A R M A C O L O G Y A N D C L I N I C A L S T U D I E SPharmacologicalstudiesusingagarwoodoilhavereportedanti-cancer,analgesic,anti-inflammatoryandantidepressantproperties.2

Onestudyreportedsedativeactivityofvapouradministrationofagarwoodoilonmice.15

Guaia-1(10),11-dien-15-al

Agarospirol

©SalvatoreBattaglia2021 www.salvatorebattaglia.com.auPA G E 5

Arecentstudyreportedthatboththeethanolextractandessentialoilofagarwood,hadasedative-hypnoticeffect,whereitspotentialmechanismisrelatingtoregulatinggeneexpressionofGABAAreceptorsandpotentiatingtheGABAAreceptorfunction.16

Agarofuran,aconstituentfoundinagarwoodessentialoilwasreportedtohaveanxiolyticandanti-depressantactivityinmice.Itwasreportedthatthepotentialmechanismmightbethroughmodulatingcentralneurotransmitterssuchasdopamine.16

Agarwoodoilwasalsoreportedtohaveanti-inflammatoryactivityinastudyinvolvingmice.16

Invitroandinvivostudiesreportedthatagarwoodoilpossessesanticanceractivitytowardsbreastcancercellsandcolorectalcarcinomacells.12,16

P R O P E R T I E SOudoilisnotmentionedinmanyaromatherapybooks.However,thechemicalcompositionandaromaofoudindicatethatithassimilarpropertiestospikenardorvalerianessentialoil.Basedonthepharmacologicalstudies,Iwouldsuggestthatthepropertiesofoudoilareanxiolytic,sedativeandnervine.

A R O M A T H E R A P Y Theratherprohibitivepriceandthedifficultysourcingagarwoodmeansthatitisnotcommonlyusedinaromatherapy.

Aromatherapy usesTheanxiolyticandsedativepropertiesofoudindicatethatit wouldbebeneficialforalleviating,anxiety,nervoustensionandrestlessness.

EnergeticsThecoolingnatureoftheoilsuggeststhattheoilcalmstheHeartandsoothesanagitatedShen.Itwouldbeidealwheneveroneexperiencesnervoustension,anxietyandinsomnia.

SubtleIrecommendusingoudoilinsubtlearomatherapy.Covingtonrecommendsusingoudoiltoamplifycommunication,effectivelisteningskillsandexpression.Shealsorecommendsusingtheoiltopurifyemotionaldisharmonyandtogainaccesstotimelesswisdomandforthesupportinartisticexpression.17

UnlikespikenardandvetiverwhichIfindspiritualitygrounding,thescentofoudisspirituallyelevating.Ibelievethatthefragranceofoudcarrieswithitadeepconnectionwithallofhumanitythathasexistedsinceitwasfirstused.Itremindsusthatwearenotaloneonourjourneyandwheneverwefeeldespondent,oudgivesusthecourageandstrengthtobedevotedtoourchosenpath.

B L E N D I N GIloveworkingwithoud.Itisamagicaloiltoblendwith;however,onehastobeverydiscerningasanymistakeswillbecostly.

Oudoilblendswithessentialoilssuchasbenzoin,atlascedarwood,cinnamonbark,cistus,clovebud,frankincense,galbanum,ginger,lavender,myrrh,oakmossabsolute,patchouli,roseabsolute,saffron,spikenard,sandalwood,vetiverandyakusugi.

Someideasforblendingwithoudinclude:

• Soothing and relaxing blend–considerblendingoudwithlavender,patchouli,spikenard,sandalwoodorvetiver.

• Connecting with the divine blend–considerblendingoudwithfrankincense,myrrh,spikenardorsandalwood

• Promoting spiritual sensuality blend–considerblendingoudwithbenzoin,cistus,patchouli,roseabsoluteorsandalwood.

• Connecting with nature blend-considerblendingoudwithgalbanum,lavender,oakmossabsolute,patchouliorvetiver.

• Promoting courage and resilience blend–considerblendingoudwithatlascedarwood,ginger,sandalwoodoryakusugi.

• Grounding and nurturing blend-considerblendingoudwithatlascedarwood,myrrh,patchouli,spikenardorvetiver.

Perfumer,KrishnarajIyenarexplainsthatArabattarsaregenerallyknowntobeaudacious,woody,spicyandwarmwithadistinctoudnote.Hestatesusingotheraromaticingredientssuchasrose,saffronandambercomplimenttheoutstandinglongevityofoud.10

S A F E T YNoknownhazardsorcontraindications.

PA G E 6 www.salvatorebattaglia.com.au ©SalvatoreBattaglia2021

R E F E R E N C E S1. Lopez-SampsonA,PageT.Historyofuseandtradeofagarwood.

EconomicBotany,2018;72(1):107-129.

2. NazizPSetal.Thescentofstress:evidencefromtheuniquefragranceofagarwoodFrontiersinPlantScience.2019;10:840.doi:10.3389/fpls.2019.00840.

3. JungD.Theculturalbiography–perfumeryinEasternAsiaandintheAsianneighbourhood.JournaloftheRoyalAsiaticSociety,2013;23(1):103-125.doi:10.1017/s135618313000047

4. TanCSetal.Agarwoodinduction:Currentdevelopmentsandfutureperspectives.FrontiersinPlantScience,2019;10:122.doi:10.3389/fpls.2019.00122

5. IsmailNetal.Areviewstudyofagarwoodoilanditsqualityanalysis.JurnalTeknologi.2014;68(1):37-42.eISSN2180-3722

6. AkterSetal.Agarwoodproduction–amultidisciplinaryfieldtobeexploredinBangladesh.InternationalJournalofPharmaceuticalandLifeSciences.2013;2(1):22-32.

7. Harvey-BrownY.Aquilariacrassna,Agarwood.TheIUCNRedListofThreatenedSpecies2018:e.T32814A2824513.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T32814A2824513.en

8. Harvey-BrownY.Aquilariamalaccensis,Agarwood.TheIUCNRedListofThreatenedSpecies2018:T32056A2810130.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T32056A2810130.en

9. Harvey-BrownY.Aquilariasinensis,ChineseAgarwood.TheIUCNRedListofThreatenedSpecies2018:T32382A2817115.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T32382A2817115.en

10. IyengarK.ExploringoudthroughtwoEasterntraditions.Downloadedon17July2019fromhttps://www.perfumerflavorist.com/fragrance/applicaiton/finefrag/exploring-Oud--through-Two-Eastern-tradtions-465741663.html

11. AlamJetal.AninsightofpharmacognosticstudyandphytopharmacologyofAquilariaagallocha.JournalofAppliedPharmaceuticalScience.2015;5(8):173-181.Doi:10.7324/JAPS.2015.50827.

12. DahhamSSetal.Invivotoxicityandantitumoractivityofessentialoilsextractfromagarwood(Aquilariacrassna).BMCComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine,2016;16:236.doi:10.1186/s12906-016-1210-1

13.Agarwoodessentialoil-Certificateofanalysis.WestcorpSandalwood,2019.

14. SouthernCrossUniversityPlant.CertificateofAnalysis–Agarwood(Aquilariacrassna)Oil,Lismore,2015.

15. TakemotoHetal.Sedativeeffectsofvaporinhalationofagarwoodandspikenardextractandidentificationoftheiractivecomponents.JournalofNaturalMedicines.2008;62(1):41-46.doi:10.1007/s11418-007-0177-0.

16.WangSetal.ChemicalconstituentsandpharmacologicalactivityofagarwoodandAquilariaplants.Molecules.2018;23:324.doi:10.3390/molecules23020342

17.CovingtonC.Essentialoilsinspiritualpractice.HealingArtsPress.Rochester,2017.

18. TisserandR,YoungR.Essentialoilsafety.2ndedn,ChurchillLivingstone.Edinburgh,2014.