Research findings on a quantitative analysis method for eudesmol developed by Kwangdong Pharmaceutical to objectively evaluate agarwood quality have been published in the SCIE-indexed international journal 'Food Science and Biotechnology.'
Agarwood is formed when resin produced by agarwood trees in response to external stimuli accumulates in the wood over a long period. Its components and quality can vary depending on its origin and the conditions under which it forms, prompting continued calls for objective quality evaluation standards.
The joint study by researchers from Kwangdong Pharmaceutical and Dongguk University proposed a method for objectively evaluating the quality of agarwood raw materials by analyzing the content of eudesmol, one of agarwood's key components.
The researchers established a quantitative analysis method to measure the content of three types of eudesmol—alpha-, beta-, and gamma-eudesmol—in nine samples of agarwood resin from Indonesia. The total eudesmol content varied by sample, from below the limit of detection to as high as 16.9 mg/g. Based on these findings, the researchers suggested that alpha-, beta-, and gamma-eudesmol could be used as chemical marker compounds to objectively evaluate agarwood quality. Safety analyses for heavy metals and 514 types of pesticide residues also found that all results were within acceptable levels.
Park Il-beom, head of Kwangdong Pharmaceutical's Natural Product Convergence R&BD Division, said, "This study is significant in that it demonstrated the possibility of objectively evaluating agarwood quality through chemical marker compounds. We will continue our research to enhance the reliability and quality competitiveness of natural product ingredients."
Reporter Kim So-hyeong compact@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
