Evaluation of fungus-induced agilawood from Aquilaria sinensis in China

Agilawood is a rare and valuable traditional medicine used worldwide since ancient times. However, its formation in the tree Aquilaria sinensis under natural conditions takes a long time. Fungi with high levels of bioactivity for triggering agilawood formation could enable the establishment of plantations of A. sinensis for improved production of this traditional medicine in Hainan Province, China. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the chemical components of agilawood induced in A. sinensis by inoculation with the fungus Paraconiothyrium variabile. The results using by GC-MS and HPLC indicated that sesquiterpenoids, chromones and their analogues were produced when the fungus was inoculated for 8 months into the host tree. Dibutyl phthalate and Phenol,2,2'-methylenebis[6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)- 4-methyl]-, the main components of A. sinensis, wood were converted into components of agilawood. The data showed that the fungus-induced agilawood samples were similar to natural agilawood and could be used as an agilawood substitute. This is the first time that agilawood formation has been shown to result from inoculation of A. sinensis with the bioactive fungus P. variabile.