Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Boswellia serrata oleo-gum-resin essential oil extracted by superheated steam

Abstract

Oleo-gum-resin is a complex mixture of essential oils, polysaccharides, and resin acids. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the variation in chemical components and antimicrobial activity of essential oils extracted by superheated steam at various temperatures. The optimum essential oil yield was obtained at the highest superheated steam temperature (210 °C). In total, twenty-one compounds were quantified by GC-MS with α-pinene as the major compound, followed by α-thujene, trans-verbenol, β-thujone, p-cymene, m-cymene, and sabinene. Antimicrobial activity was performed by disc diffusion, resazurin microtitre-plate and micro-dilution broth susceptibility assays in which essential oil extracted at 150 °C and 180 °C revealed the highest antibacterial and antifungal activity, respectively. It is concluded that superheated steam is an effective method for the isolation of essential oil from oleo-gum-resin that improves the recovery of essential oil as well as antimicrobial activity.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Superheated steam
• GC-MS
• Boswellia serrata
• Oleo-gum-resin
• EO
• antimicrobial activity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work is a part of research project funded (Grant No. 20-15988/NRPU/R&D/HEC/2021 2021) by the higher education commission (HEC), Islamabad, Pakistan.