Description of Aquillaria agallocha Aloe:
In the forest of Bhutan. Assam and Myanmar. A large evergreen tree about 21 m in height and 1.5-2.4 m in girth with somewhat straight and fluted stem; leaves linear-lanceolate to ovate-oblong, 5-9 cm long, silky glossy and faintly parallel nerved; flowers small, greenish on very slender pilose petioles in shortly peduncled umbels, on younger branchlets, perianth about 5 mm long, slightly outside, stapens alternate the perianth, filaments red at the apex, ovary tawny-tomentose; fruits slightly compressed, yellowish tomentose capsules. Commercially used fragrant-resinous agar wood is formed in the interior of the old tree. The tree contains plenty of oleoresin and has irregular dark patches. The wood burns with a bright flame giving off a pleasant smell.
Chemical Constituents:
The normal wood yields and essential oil which contains selinene, dihydroselinene, two unidentified sesquiterpene-hydrocarbons. agarol, a sesquiterpene alcohol, a hydroxy ketone. five isomeric decenes and rhombic as S-isopropyl-7-methyl- 5,5.5a, 6.7. 8-hexahydro-3H-naphtho. Agar wood, on distillation, yields an essential oil known as AGAR OIL.
Toxicology:
No toxic effect was seen on human body with aguruh consumption
Uses:
useful in chronic diarrhea, bad taste in the mouth, diseases of the liver and intestines, bronchitis, asthma, vomiting; strengthens the brain; helps to stabilize the fetus in uter (Yunani). The fragrant resinous substance is considered cordial. It has been prescribed in gout and rheumatism. It if a delightful perfume, serviceable in vertigo and palsy, and the powder is useful as a restrainer of the flaxes and vomiting. In decoction it is useful to allay thirst in fever. The wood is a preventive against fleas and lice, and in the form of a powder is rubbed into the skin and the clothes. In medicine, aloes wood is considered a stimulant and cordial in gout, rheumatism and paralysis, also as a stimulant astringent in diarrhea and vomiting. It is taken internally as a tonic in doses of ten to sixty grains.
