ABSTRACT
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 fumigatusand Candida albicans. The research work was carried out in Biochemistry andMicrobiology 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 outon 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 extractof the plant exhibited neither antibacterial nor antifungal effects against all test organisms usedin the study while the ethanolic extract of the plant showed both antibacterialand antifungal effectson the study organisms. The results of this study alsoshowed that the ethanolic extract of Boswellia dalzieliistem bark has activity against allbacteria species used in the study (broad spectrum activity). For gram-negative and positivebacteria, Salmonella gallinariumand Staphylococcus aureuswere the most sensitive whileEscherichia coli and Streptococcus pyogeneswere the least respectively. Candida albicanswas more sensitive than Aspergillus fumigatus. It was concluded that the test organisms weresusceptible to ethanol extracts of the plant and may be good source of antibiotics