Essential Oil Compositions, Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Nigerian Members of the Burseraceae: Boswellia dalzielii and Canarium schweinfurthii

Abstract

The Burseraceae is an important family of resin-producing trees and shrubs, which have yielded biologically active essential oils. Boswellia dalzielii and Canarium schweinfurthii are members of the family that are used in West African traditional medicine for a variety of ailments. The leaf essential oils of B. dalzielii have been obtained from 2 different locations in north-central Nigeria, while the leaf and stem bark essential oils of C. schweinfurthii have been obtained from 3 locations. The chemical compositions of the essential oils have been determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and show wide variation, especially for the leaf essential oils. The leaf essential oils of B. dalzielii and C. schweinfurthii have been screened for antibacterial and antifungal activity; C. schweinfurthii leaf essential oil showed remarkable activity against Aspergillus niger with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 78.1 μg/mL.