Agarwood’s use as a medicinal product has been recorded in the Sahih Muslim, which dates back to approximately the eighth century, and in the Ayurvedic medicinal text the Susruta Samhita. Its use as a perfume has been recorded in the Old Testament. These and other uses continue today. Agarwood is used in Ayurvedic, Tibetan and traditional East Asian medical practices. Both agarwood oil and incense are used for their fragrant properties, notably in the Middle East. Agarwood incense is used in religious ceremonies by Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims, while a revival of the ‘Koh doh’ incense ceremony in Japan has rekindled interest in agarwood in that country. In Taiwan, agarwood is an aromatic ingredient in Chu-yeh Chingand Vo Ka Py wine. Although less common, agarwood may also be carved into sculptures, beads and boxes, these sometimes also being used for religious purposes.

Agarwood is the most expensive wood in the world and its supply only meets 40% of demand. Since there are no obvious external signs that a tree may contain it, the quantity can only be fully determined after the tree has been felled and cut open. Consequently, trees of relevant species are indiscriminately cut down in the hope of finding the wood. This has resulted in depletion of wild trees and degradation of habitats, causing a loss for Agarwood producing species with a dramatic decline in wild Aquilaria in the last few decades. In an attempt to save the Aquilaria, trading in all species require CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) certification where companies buying and selling Agarwood internationally must issue export permits or re-export certificates.

Aquilaria trees are now protected in most countries and the collection of agarwood is illegal from natural forests. International agreements, such as CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), accepted by 169 countries, is designed to ensure trade in agarwood products from wild trees does not threaten the survival of Aquilaria. Despite these efforts agarwood products from illegally cut trees continues to be sold and unknowing consumers create a demand that helps to destroy the last old growth Aquilaria trees in existence.

Our Oud comes from the species Aquillaria Crassna, Aquilaria Malaccensis and Aquilaria Sub Integra and all the plantation grown in Thailand, Malaysia and expanding to Vietnam, an area originally known to have an abundance of naturally occurring agarwood trees. While there are still wild agarwood trees to be found in inaccessible forest regions, they are extremely rare and very difficult to obtain. Medioud Essential oil consist agarwood oil from cultivated trees, and it is to help reduce damage to the last remaining wild agarwood trees, and to the forests in which the precious agarwood trees grown. Our source of oud oil came from the study of the formation of resin in Aquilaria and Gyrinops trees and using our own method to produce the resin in plantation grown young trees. This technique consists of wounding trees in a specific manner and applying treatments to accelerate the natural defense responses of the tree. The technique allows a sustainable yield of resin to be produced in relatively young trees instead of the wild trees in the jungle. The sustainable production of agarwood in plantation grown trees eliminates the need to cut old growth forest trees for the resin and will help save this endangered tree from possible extinction. This work also provides a source of cultivated agarwood so this magnificent aromatic resin can be enjoyed by people throughout the world.