Agarwood in ancient and traditional pharmacopoeias

Illustrated page from the Greek herbal "De Materia Medica" showing ancient botanical drawings and handwritten notes

In De materia medica-the Greek pharmacopoeia that spread widely throughout Antiquity and the Middle Ages, translated into Latin, Arabic, Persian, and European languages-Dioscorides records various virtues of agarwood, which he calls Agallocha. Agarwood is described as having an astringent, bitter taste, useful for refreshing the mouth and breath, either chewed or used as a mouthwash after being prepared as a decoction. An extract from the roots was said to help treat stomach ailments, dysentery, as well as lung and liver pain. While in Europe we seem to have lost much knowledge of these medicinal uses of oud-just as we have for many plants-it is still used today in numerous traditional-medicine recipes.

Ancient Chinese painting or woodcut depicting a physician studying medicinal herbs from the Bencao Gangmu — AI generated illustration image

In China, oud has stood at the heart of the pharmacopoeia for centuries. Under the Jin dynasty (265–420), oud was used to treat malaria. Under the Tang dynasty (618–907), agarwood, incense, clove, patchouli, elemi, and sweetgum resin were the six most-used essences by compounders. Oud is mentioned in the oldest known official pharmacopoeia, compiled in 659 CE, the Hsin Hsiu Pen Ts’ao (Xinxiu Bencao). It was prepared as an ointment for external application, and as a decoction in wine to treat various conditions-but also to expel evil spirits and purify the soul. In the Bencao Gangmu-the 16th-century pharmacopoeia by physician Li Shizhen, still the most complete and respected description of Traditional Chinese Medicine-oud appears in many forms: pills, decoctions, plasters. It is credited with a wide range of benefits: stimulant, carminative, aphrodisiac, analgesic, and anti-rheumatic.

Agarwood used with Ayurvedic ingredients: powders, herbs… — AI generated illustration image

In Ayurveda, agarwood-agaru in Sanskrit, literally “the heaviest wood”-has been used for centuries to treat numerous ailments. It is credited with benefits for asthma, skin diseases, and cough, and is said to have restorative properties for the whole body. It is also used, mixed with other aromatics, to aid digestion, and as an ointment applied to the skin during chills to warm body and mind. Traditionally, oud is also used to calm the mind, support meditation, and is considered a remedy for stress, anxiety, and insomnia.

Many scientific studies are currently underway in various countries to examine these long-standing traditional uses of agarwood as medicine. Rat studies have indicated anti-inflammatory properties-potentially useful against conditions such as eczema. It may also have antimicrobial effects and act as a neuroprotective. Taken together, current research seems to support many health benefits attributed to oud. Empirically, one might recall that this resin is produced by the tree to defend itself and boost its immunity-a reminder that this material may indeed have much to offer.