RESUMO
Objective To evaluate the quality of different parts of agarwood formed by stimulation with biological induction method, thus to provide evidence for agarwood quality control. Methods The identification of agarwood and the determination of alcohol extracts from agarwood were achieved by the methods of Chinese Pharmacopeia. The determination of total chromones from agarwood was achieved by ultraviolet spectrophotometry(UVS), with aquilarone E as reference substance and 760 nm as the detective wavelength. Results The UVS method was stable within 5 h and the recovery rate was 95.71%(sR=2.09%). The average alcohol extract content of the outside part of the xylem of Aquilaria sinensis(Lour.) Gilg(part B) was 109.4 mg/g,which was higher than that (100 mg/g) of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia standard. The average content of total chromones was 15.73 mg/g. The rest identification results were accorded with the requirements of Chinese Pharmacopeia. The average alcohol extract content of the inside part of the xylem(part Z) was 47.6 mg/g, and the average content of total chromones was 2.66 mg/g. The rest identification results did not reach the requirements of Chinese Pharmacopeia. Conclusion The obtained part B of the agarwood meets the requirements of Chinese Pharmacopeia, while part Z has color changed and its quality has not yet reached the requirements. The results indicated that the biological induction method impacts Aquilaria sinensis xylem from outside to inside, and then the xylem grows into agarwood gradually.