Agar Wood, Pak Muk Heung, White Wood Incense

Aquilaria sinensis

Physical Characteristics

Aquilaria sinensis is an evergreen Tree growing to 15 m (49ft) by 12 m (39ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

E. Asia - tropical southern China.

Habitats

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Antiasthmatic Antidiarrhoeal Antirheumatic Aphrodisiac Astringent Cancer Carminative Febrifuge Stimulant Tonic Agar is an astringent, stimulant, tonic herb that relieves spasms, especially of the digestive and respiratory systems, and lowers fevers[ 238 ]. In Western, Chinese and Indian medicines the incense is used against cancer, especially of the thyroid gland. In China it is applied as a sedative against abdominal complaints, asthma, colic and diarrhoea, and as an aphrodisiac and carminative[ 310 ]. The grated wood enters into various preparations used especially during and after childbirth, and to treat rheumatism, smallpox and abdominal pains. Decoctions of the wood are said to have anti-microbial properties, e.g. Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Shigella flexneri[310

Known Hazards

None known