Aquilaria yunnanensis

Aquilaria yunnanensis, commonly known as Yunnan agarwood, is a precious medicinal plant native to high-altitude forests. Renowned for its fragrant, resinous heartwood, it is highly valued in traditional medicine for its calming, analgesic, and antiseptic properties, serving as a cornerstone in holistic healing and aromatic wellness practices.

  • Scientific name: Aquilaria yunnanensis
  • Family: Thymelaeaceae
  • Native range: Asia-Temperate

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Aquilaria yunnanensis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Malvales. Ultimately, it is classified under the family Thymelaeaceae and the genus Aquilaria.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Malvales WCVP
Family Thymelaeaceae WCVP
Genus Aquilaria WCVP

Common Names

This plant, Aquilaria yunnanensis, is known by several distinct common names depending on the language and region. In Chinese, it is referred to as 云南沉香 (zh), 云南沉香 (zh-cn), 雲南沉香 (zh-tw), and 云南沉香 (zh-hans), all of which highlight its origin and its association with agarwood. Additionally, in Arabic, it is known as عود يوناني.
Language Common Name Source
zh 云南沉香 Wikidata
ar عود يوناني Wikidata
zh-cn 云南沉香 Wikidata
zh-tw 雲南沉香 Wikidata
zh-hans 云南沉香 Wikidata
zh 外弦顺 Wikidata

Distribution

This plant is primarily found in specific regions of East Asia. Its natural habitat is concentrated within the territory of China. Specifically, it is located throughout the South-Central part of the country. This localized range indicates that the species thrives under particular environmental conditions found in these provinces. Consequently, its geographical footprint remains relatively restricted to this particular area.

Region Area Source
China China South-Central WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, Aquilaria yunnanensis, is a species highly valued in traditional medicine, particularly for the substances it produces within its tissues. While various parts of the tree may be utilized, the stem bark serves as a critical component in its medicinal profile. When the tree becomes stressed or infected, it produces a fragrant, resinous substance that accumulates within the bark and wood, which is often harvested for its therapeutic properties. The stem bark is frequently processed to extract these essential compounds, which are used in various pharmacological applications to treat diverse ailments.
Total parts
1
Scientific sources
1
Plant Part Sources Confidence
stem bark 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Aquilaria yunnanensis has 15 reported phytochemicals identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (+) -episyringaresinol, (+) -syringaresinol, (-) -epicatechin, (-) -epicatechin gallate, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid.

Total chemicals
15
Scientific sources
15

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
(+) -episyringaresinol 1 ★☆☆☆☆
(+) -syringaresinol 1 ★☆☆☆☆
(-) -epicatechin 1 ★☆☆☆☆
(-) -epicatechin gallate 1 ★☆☆☆☆
3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
5-hydroxy-3',4',7-trimethoxyflavone 1 ★☆☆☆☆
barbatic acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
ergosterol peroxide 1 ★☆☆☆☆
genkwanin 1 ★☆☆☆☆
lecanoric acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Medicinal Uses

Aquilaria yunnanensis has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include asthma, cough.

Total uses
2
Scientific sources
2

Most Reported Uses

Use Sources Confidence
asthma 1 ★☆☆☆☆
cough 1 ★☆☆☆☆