In vitro Antimicrobial and Antifungal Efficacy of Ethanol Crude Stem Bark Extract of Boswella dalzielle

The efficacy of Boswellia dalzielii (Frankincense) stem bark extract on some bacterial and fungal organisms was evaluated for its in-vitro antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella gallinarium, Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans. The research work was carried out in Biochemistry and Microbiology Laboratories of Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom. Well diffusion method was carried out on nutrient agar. MIC, MBC and MFC of the test organisms were carried out on nutrient broth. The phytochemistry revealed the presence of saponin, tannin, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, steroids, terpens and phenol in ethanol extracts while resin, alkaloid and glycosides were absent in hot water extracts. Alkaloid was also absent in ethanolic extract. The aqueous extract of the plant exhibited neither antibacterial nor antifungal effects against all test organisms used in the study while the ethanolic extract of the plant showed both antibacterial and antifungal effects on the study organisms. The results of this study also showed that the ethanolic extract of Boswellia dalzielii stem bark has activity against all bacteria species used in the study (broad spectrum activity). For gram-negative and positive bacteria, Salmonella gallinarium and Staphylococcus aureus were the most sensitive while Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pyogenes were the least respectively. Candida albicans was more sensitive than Aspergillus fumigatus. It was concluded that the test organisms were susceptible to ethanol extracts of the plant and may be good source of antibiotics.