Abstract
Frankincense essential oils from Boswellia sacra have been commonly used to treat microbial infections from as early as the 11th century. The main feature of the plant is its gum resin, from which it is possible to obtain essential oils. In the present study, we focused on the comparative study of the oils extracted from the resins of three different Boswellia sacra cultivars (Najdi, Sahli and Houjri). From each of frankincense resin three successive essential oil samples (Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3) were obtained. Houjri gum resin gave the lowest percentage (5%) of total essential oil content but showed the maximum number of volatile components in all three grades. Najdi Grade 2 essential oil showed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 52 mg/mL toward relevant pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and samples from Grade 2 of Sahily and Houjiri were particularly active against a dermatological strain Propionibacterium acnes, displaying MIC values of 0.264 and 0.66 mg/mL, respectively. Data obtained from in vitro studies showed that all essential oils had a significant antifungal effect against Candida albicans and Malassezia furfur, showing MIC values ranging from 54.56 to 0.246 mg/mL. This work aims to increase the number of substances available in the fight against pathogens and to combat the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance, encouraging the use of alternative resources, especially in non-clinical settings (farms, food processing, etc.).
Highlights
The Boswellia genus of plants includes about twenty species distributed in northeastern coastal areas of Africa, the Arabic peninsula and the Indian subcontinent
We report on the comparative study of the constituents of frankincense essential oil from three different cultivars grown in various agro-climatic conditions in the Dhofar
Theantibiotic-resistant samples were subjected to three successive hydrodistillations
Summary
The Boswellia genus of plants includes about twenty species distributed in northeastern coastal areas of Africa, the Arabic peninsula and the Indian subcontinent. A small tree of up to 5 m of height with papery peeling bark and densely tangled branches with leaves clustered at the ends, is indigenous to the southern parts of Oman in the Dhofar region, and is cultivated in other parts of Oman. Boswellia sacra is well known for its oleo-gum resin named frankincense or olibanum, which is usually harvested from deep incisions made into the tree trunk. In almost all of the cultures where frankincense is traded, it is used for fragrance and fumigating objects used for a religious purpose. Antibiotics 2020, 9, 195; doi:10.3390/antibiotics9040195 www.mdpi.com/journal/antibiotics religious purpose. Frankincense has a unique place amongst remedies for the treatment of many disorders (dermatological, gastric, hepatic, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.) [1]
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