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This study aims to investigate the sugar components which play an important role in the process of heartwood formation in young Swietania mahagoni. The methanol-water (70/30, v/v) extract was analyzed by GC-MS to determine sugar constituents. The content of methanol-water extract ranged from 3.7 to 7.8% based on dried wood. After a 4-5 year duration of heartwood formation in the sapwood, monosaccharide and alditol fractions doubly increased. This was followed by almost five times the content of cyclitols. In a radial variation, the content of major monosaccharides including fructose, glucose, mannose and xylose decreased from sapwood to heartwood, while arabinose, galactose, and sucrose in the age 5 years were only found in the sapwood. Meanwhile, the main content of cyclitols and alditols (arabitol) significantly decreased from sapwood to heartwood. The main monosaccharides and disaccharides represented by sucrose played a key role in the process of heartwood formation. Further studies are required to investigate the phenolic and lipophilic components as both are involved in heartwood formation. In addition, similar studies on alditol and cyclitol regarding their role in tropical wood are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]