Amazing Benefits of Agarwood – Uses and Side Effects

Benefits, Uses and Side Effects of Agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis)

Introduction

Plants rich in medicinal properties have been used traditionally for curing diseases since ancient times. These medicinal properties have been widely used in Ayurvedic treatment for their medicinal value. One of such beneficial plants is Agarwood. 

benefits of Agarwood

Agarwood is a precious perfumed plant. It is an evergreen tree belonging to the ‘Thymelaeaceae’ family. The scientific name of this plant is ‘Aquilaria malaccensis’. The aromatic oils of the Agarwood plant, incense are used to produce expensive herbal medicines. Agarwood trees are cultivated to meet the international demand. Wood from the Agarwood tree is the most expensive wood. These are found in India, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia and China. The previous tree is used in resin, oud oil Ayurvedic medicines and cosmetics.

Benefits and Uses of Agarwood

The Agarwood plant releases a thick aromatic resin as its natural defense system when the plant is hurt. This raisin is widely used as an incense element for cultural offerings or spiritual prayers. The heart of the Agarwood tree has economic and medicinal significance.

In present days, the Agarwood tree has been recognized as one of most precious natural resources. Valuable Agarwood oils, perfumes, incense etc. are produced from this plant. The oil of the Agarwood plant is also used in various medicines. The oil of the Agarwood plant has wide respect in countries like Middle East Europe etc. Agarwood plants are considered very sacred especially in Arab countries. Products made from Agarwood plants are sold at very high prices in these countries. Their rates depend on the plant’s quality. These products may reach the price of lakhs. 

This plant is found at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level. In India it is mainly found in eastern Himalayas, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Assam. The Agarwood tree is 40 meters long and 12 meters wide. The plant prefers heavy soil to grow. The Agarwood plant has pale, thin and smooth stem, white bark. The branches are thin, pale brown, pubescent, and glabesant. The leaves of the Agarwood tree are simple, the petiole is 4-6 mm long. The leaves are green, the flowers are white and fruits can be 3-5 cm long like a capsule.

The following article discusses the benefits and other related things about Agarwood.

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Various Regional Names of Agarwood 

  • Assamese : Agar
  • Hindi : Agar 
  • Telugu : Agar
  • Tamil : Aggalichandanam, Aggalichandanam
  • Gujarati : Agar
  • Malayalam : Akil

Chemical Substances of Agarwood

  • Agarospirol
  • Aquillochin
  • Holocellulose
  • Pentosans
  • Lignan
  • Essential oil viz
  • Agarol
  • a- and b- Agarofurans
  • Nor- keto- Agarofurans
  • Jinkohol
  • Jinkoheremol
  • Dihydrocarvone
  • Kusunol
  • Agaroterol

Scientific Classification of Agarwood

  • Kingdom : Plantae
  • Clade : Tracheophytes
  • Clade : Angiosperms
  • Clade : Eudicots
  • Order : Malvales
  • Family : Thymelaeaceae
  • Genus : Aquilaria
  • Species : A. Malaccensis
  • Scientific name : Aquilaria malaccensis

Benefits of Agarwood

1. Works as Antidepressants:

One of the benefits of Agarwood is that the plant acts as an anti-depression. The leaves are made up of Agarospirol that act as anti-depression. It helps in reducing the central nervous system which creates tension and restores physical fitness.

2. Anti-aging Property:

The leaves of the Agarwood plant are beneficial for the skin due to its rich anti-aging properties. Tea made from Agarwood plant leaves is used to remove body mercury, thus reducing the risk of mercury chemical disorders and can prevent skin aging. When the body’s toxic mercury can be removed by the tea of the Agarwood plant leaves, it is healthy and frees the skin from aging.

3. Helps to lose weight: 

The leaves of the Agarwood plant help in reducing the unwanted weight of the body. If you are overweight, you can have tea made from agarwood leaf. This has proved to help you lose weight. You can have six cups of pre-leaf tea every day to get a noticeable result.

4. Soothe sleep disorders:

Another benefit of the Agarwood is that this plant’s leaves can also soothe sleep disorder. The agarwood leaf tea has an effect that helps calm down and reduce stress symptoms, so that you can have a long good sleep.

5. Provides energy:

The leaves of the agarwood plant can also provide energy. You can have agarwood leaf tea regularly. This will help to increase the amount of urine. Agarwood leaf tea causes flushing when detoxifying which lubricates the stomach.

6. For bad breath and mouth odor:

An excellent benefit of the agarwood is that the plant is used to reduce bad breath and mouth odour. In about 80% of cases, oral diseases cause bad breath. In all these cases, the agarwood resin works amazingly well. If this problem is associated with gastric problems such as chronic gastric, acidity, heartburn, etc. then it may not work. So you can regularly take agarwood plants for better results in case of oral diseases.

Ayurvedic Benefits of Agarwood

  • Body odor: Take a stick from the agarwood tree. Rub it into a smooth rock with milk or rose water. Apply this paste to the body before bathing.
  • Fever: Boil a small piece of the agarwood plant in 3 cups of water in a mud-pot until it is reduced to half. Let it cool. Take a spoon for 3 days daily.
  • Lice: Apply the agarwood powder to the affected area.
  • Heartburn: Burning the sticks of the agarwood tree and breathing the smoke will be beneficial in reducing heartburn.
  • Acid reflux: The agarwood tree sticks are burnt and smoke is inhaled.
  • Vomiting: Burn some sticks from the agarwood tree. Inhale the smoke or prepare the desacton of the agarwood plant. Take a cup once a day.
  • Nausea: Inhale the smoke by burning the stick of the agarwood.
  • Wrinkle: Mix milk with the roots of the agarwood plant. Apply this paste every day to the whole face and body.
  • For skin: Mix rose water and make pastes of the agarwood plant. Apply it to affected parts twice a day for half an hour. This will provide an effective result.
  • Scabies: Add a little water to the agarwood powder and make a paste. Apply to the affected portion twice a day for half an hour and then wash.
  • Elephantiasis: Mix the powder of the previous plant with water to make a paste. Apply to affected parts twice a day for 20 minutes.
  • Swelling: Apply agarwood plant paste to the affected part for half an hour.

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Medicinal Benefits of Agarwood

  • Agarwood plant’s wood is used to relieve compression and reduce fever.
  • Agarwood plants are beneficial in preventing loose defecation conditions such as dysentery and diarrhea. Agarwood plants are used as a resistant against stomach problems, asthma and diarrhea in China.
  • Agarwood plants are aphrodisiac and carminative. It can be beneficial in increasing sexual potency.
  • In Western Chinese and Indian medicines the incense made of Agarwood plants are used against cancer, especially for thyroid glands cancer.
  • Agarwood enters various preparations especially during and after childbirth, and in treatment of rheumatoid ism, small pox and abdominal pain. The Agarwood plant is effective in dealing with the difficulties before and after birth of a child.
  • The disectorians of the Agarwood plant are said to have antimicrobial properties, such as against mycobacterium tuberculosis and shigella flexneri.
  • Agarwood plant is a good herbal treatment for dealing with throat disorders such as- swollen throat disorders, due to its analgesic characteristics.
  • Agarwood plant is effective in strengthening and prolonging the functioning of the essential organ – heart.
  • Agarwood plants are also used to make creams, lotions and incense sticks.
  • The Agarwood is effective in muscle diseases such as- spasms, often seen in toes, hands, etc. It helps in controlling sudden expansion and contraction of muscles or organ groups.

Uses of Agarwood

Different parts of the Agarwood plant such as stem, roots, leaves, bark, wood, oil etc. are used in different diseases as medicines. The decoction of Agarwood plants, powder, oil, etc. are used in different ways to cure different diseases and tea made from these plants is suggested to be consumed regularly to fight many diseases.

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Side Effects of Agarwood 

As it slightly increases bile, people with bile body type need to be taken care of while consuming it. It is used in small quantities in children and during breastfeeding. It can be used in pregnancy, but only under the supervision of a doctor.

It should be used in the right way, noticing the benefits and disadvantages of the agarwood, as excessive use of any product can harm our health. Consult a doctor before using it as medicine.

Conclusion

The above article provides you a brief knowledge about the benefits and other related information of agarwood. We hope the information included here will benefit in various ways. Thank You! 

FAQ

1/ What are the benefits of an Agarwood plant?

Ans: In traditional Chinese medicine, the Agarwood plant is used to treat the digestive system, relieve contractions, control vital organs, relieve pain, treat halitosis and help kidneys. It is used to reduce chest cramps, reduce abdominal pain, stop vomiting, treat diarrhea and relieve asthma.

2/ What are the uses of the Agarwood tree?

Ans: Agarwood plants have been widely used as therapeutic perfumes, traditional medicines, religious purposes and aromatic food ingredients.

3/ Does the Agarwood plant help in weight loss?

Ans: The leaves of the Agarwood plant help in reducing the unwanted body weight. If you are overweight, you can have tea made from Agarwood leaf. This is a proven remedy for weight loss.

4/ Which countries produce previous wood?

Ans: Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Lao DPR and Papua New Guinea are the main previous wood producing countries of the present.

5/ What is the scientific name of the previous plant?

Ans: The scientific name of the previous plant is – Aquilaria malaccensis.

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