Phytochemical profile using GC-FID and diverse in-vitro biological activities of essential oil extracted from Boswellia serrata

Abstract

Boswellia serrata is a tree native to India, and is known as Indian frankincense (Guggul). It has been used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic medicine to treat a wide range of health conditions, including arthritis, inflammation, and asthma. Apart from its importance, complete pharmacological and phytochemical studies are still in the early stages. In the current study, Guggul essential oil (GEO) was extracted from Boswellia serrata and evaluated for its GC-FID analysis, UV-VIS, FT-IR and Fluorescence analysis, phytochemicals, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic activities. Various antioxidant activities like DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid), Hydroxyl radical, iron chelating, iron-reducing activity were performed. GC-FID revealed the presence of limonene, octanol, and caryophyllene, major components of Boswellia serrata essential oil and other bioactive compounds. High concentrations of phytochemicals like Tannin (1.309mg AA/ml), Flavonoids (0.056mg RUE/ml), and Phenolics (0.653mg GAE/ml) were revealed through phytochemical analysis. The IC₅₀ value of this oil for various antioxidant assays was: DPPH (6.061), ABTS (36.14), Iron chelating (30.82), Hydroxy radical scavenging activity (41.5), α-Amylase inhibition (24.86). Boswellia serrata essential oil showed anti-inflammatory and inhibits the alpha-amylase in a competitive manner. Hence, from the results, it is confirmed that the GEO possesses a considerable amount of bioactive compounds and can be used as an antibacterial and anti-diabetic agent in the pharmaceutical, food, perfume, and cosmetic industries.