Abstract: [Objective] In view of the present status of agarwood market, it is difficult to distinguish and identify the real agarwood. This research used a variety of methods to identify 10 batches fake agarwood, analyzed the correlations and fungibilities among the various methods, and then explored the effective ways of agarwood authenticity. Preliminary establishing a method for the identification of agarwood will provide effective help for the healthy development of agarwood industry, and improve the quality standards of agarwood authenticity.[Method] Using specified agarwood identification methods in the pharmacopoeia, including alcohol soluble extract content, color reaction, thin layer chromatography(TLC) analysis methods, and the specificity method to distinguish 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromones named high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), 10 batches falsified agarwood were respectively identified, and the accuracy and correlation of each method were compared between 8 batches authentic and control agarwood.[Result] In 10 batches falsified samples, the soluble extract content were all suitable for the requirements, and the color reaction showed strong subjectively. TLC had specificity but it was affected by the diversity and content complexity of agarwood, which led to the discriminant fluorescence spots not clear. HPLC method was good at the separation of complex composition of agarwood. The identification results exhibited high precision by contrast fingerprint with six characteristic peaks and four secondary peaks.[Conclusion] Each method supplements and supports each other. Considering both the time and rare sample cost, and the advantage and accuracy of the above mentioned methods, the agarwood identification was given priority to choose the HPLC fingerprint combining with microscopic identification. The color reaction and the TCL could be complementary.

Key words: agarwood, identification method, color reaction, alcohol soluble extract content, TLC, HPLC