ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Med.
Sec. Dermatology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1664265
This article is part of the Research TopicInnovations in Cosmetic Dermatology: Advancing Non-Surgical Aesthetic ProceduresView all 3 articles
Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties of Boswellia sacra Resin: Extraction, Evaluation, and Formulation into a Topical Cream for Dermatological Applications"
Provisionally accepted
- Ibb University, Ibb, Yemen
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Background: Frankincense (Boswellia sacra) Resin has been used in traditional medicine for millennia because of its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and wound-healing characteristics.Recent research has proved its medicinal promise, particularly against resistant bacterial strains and oxidative stress.Objective: This study seeks to assess the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of Boswellia sacra resin, extracted with ethanol, and to formulate a topical cream for dermatological use, specifically targeting skin infections and inflammatory conditions such as acne.Methods: Two techniques were used to extract frankincense resin: maceration and Soxhlet.The well diffusion method was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. The DPPH radical scavenging test was used to determine antioxidant activity. We produced and assessed the physical characteristics of a cream formulation containing Boswellia sacra extract, such as texture, homogeneity, and spreadability.The ethanol extract of Boswellia sacra demonstrated notable antibacterial efficacy, especially against Staphylococcus aureus, with an inhibition zone measuring 15 mm at a dosage of 100 mg/mL. The antioxidant activity exhibited a dose-dependent relationship, with Soxhlet extraction demonstrating superior radical scavenging activity (84.66%) relative to maceration. The developed cream exhibited superior organoleptic characteristics, such as homogeneity, smoothness, and spreadability, suggesting its suitability for topical use.The results validate the notable antibacterial and antioxidant characteristics of Boswellia sacra resin. The formulated cream is a viable option for addressing skin infections and inflammatory illnesses, integrating traditional applications with contemporary pharmacological compositions.
Keywords: Frankincense resin, Antibacterial activity, Cream formulation, Anti-oxidant, medicnal plants
Received: 23 Jul 2025; Accepted: 11 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Alsaban, Salman Al-shami and Maad. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Abdulhakim Alsaban, Ibb University, Ibb, Yemen
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.