Detecting rare substances in frankincense by hydrolysis method

Two rare compounds Vetispirane and Guaiane sesquiterpenes in frankincense essential oil have medicinal uses and high economic value.

For the first time, Vietnamese scientists used mercury method to determine the compound of agarwood oil has just published in international scientific journal Processes of MDPI. The study was conducted by Vietnamese scientists from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and Nguyen Tat Thanh University.

Many localities in Vietnam cultivate agarwood.(Photo: ST).

Scientists sampled A.Crassna frankincense grown in three provinces of Bac Giang, Khanh Hoa and Phu Quoc (Kien Giang) to conduct hydrolysis. The hydrolysis of these frankincense samples results in 0.32% oil yield; 0.27% and 0.25% (w / w). By gas chromatographic mass spectrometry (GC-MS), scientists have found 44 volatile compounds in deep oil.

In addition to the common compounds found in frankincense, they found a small amount of two rare compounds, Vetispirane and Guaiane sesquiterpenes . Vetispirane usually occurs in diuretics, which helps lower blood potassium. This compound has only recently been found in agarwood in China. Guaiane sesquiterpenes are compounds that work against fungal cells that cause disease and inhibit cancer-causing cells.

Previously, conventional methods such as pressing and extracting could only find fatty acid groups and aromatics. Two compounds Vetispirane and Guaiane sesquiterpenes in frankincense essential oil play an important role in contributing to the discovery of new drugs, with high medical and economic value.

In addition, the control of large amounts of neopetasane compounds (7.47–8.29%), dihydrokaranone (2.63–3.59%), β-agarofuran (3.04–6.18%) and agarospirol (2.98–3.42%) also open the future. Agarwood essential oil will be used as a highly commercialized flavoring.

Agarwood is a rare and precious wood species, however, the process of preparing essential oils in Vietnam is still rudimentary, most of them are sold in raw, unprocessed forms, losing the economic and medical value of agarwood. Therefore, scientists are studying the feasibility of the method in wide application in local essential oil production sites.