Phytochemical Study of the Biologically Active Fractions of the Oleo-gum-resins of Boswellia carteri and Commiphora myrrha

The petroleum ether extract of the oleo-gum-resin of Boswellia carteri Bird., the chloroformic successive extract of the oleo-gum-resin of Commiphora myrrha Engl. as well as the prepared volatile contents from both resins showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in carragennan-induced edema in rats. Phytochemical investigation of the volatile fractions was carried out using GC/MS and revealed the presence of n-octyl acetate (45.41%) and sclarene (16.86 %) as major constituents in Boswellia carteri and γ-elemene (19.25 %) and Z-γbisabolene (18.22 %) as major constituents in Commiphora myrrha oleo-gum-resins. Investigation of the lipoidal matter from both oleo-gum-resins was done through GC/MS analysis of saponifiable and unsaponifiable matters prepared from both resins. The GC/MS analysis of the unsaponifiable matter (USM) of Boswellia carteri oleo-gum-resin resulted in the identification of 24-norursa-3,12-diene (24.45%) and incensole (22.55%) as major compounds whereas the GC/MS analysis of the unsaponifiable matter (USM) of the petroleum ether extract of the oleo-gum-resin of Commiphora myrrha resulted in the identification atractylone (20.26%) and 2O-methyl-8,12-epoxygermacra-1(10)-4,7,11-tetraene (9.23%) as major compounds. The GC/MS analysis of the saponifiable matter of the petroleum ether extract of both oleo-gum-resins resulted in the identification of a number of fatty acids. The bioactive petroleum ether and chloroformic successive extracts of B. carteri and C. myrrha respectively were phytochemically studied using TLC, PTLC, CC and HPLC which led to the isolation of 3-acetyl-β-boswellic acid (1), β-boswellic acid (2), α-boswellic acid (3) and 15-Methyl-4-hexadecenoic acid(4) from the oleo-gum-resin of B. c. and Guggulsterol-Y from the oleo-gum-resin of C.m. which were identified using H-NMR, CNMR, DEPT, COSY, HMQC ,HMBC ,ESI/MS and LC/MS. The bioactive petroleum ether and chloroformic successive extracts of B. carteri and C. myrrha respectively were also tested for acute lethal toxicity where the former showed high safety margin therefore it was tested for chronic toxicity. The results of the chronic toxicity study showed that the ingestion of the non-polar bioactive extract of B. carteri oleo-gum-resin for a period of two months exerted no effect on the metabolism, liver and kidney functions of white male albino rats.