Boswellia dalzielii
Boswellia dalzielii, commonly known as the African frankincense tree, is a significant medicinal plant native to West Africa. Renowned for its aromatic resin, it is traditionally utilized in various cultures to treat inflammatory conditions, skin ailments, and respiratory issues, offering potent bioactive compounds with diverse therapeutic potential.
- Scientific name: Boswellia dalzielii
- Family: Burseraceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Sapindales, it is a member of the family Burseraceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Boswellia, specifically identified as the species Boswellia dalzielii.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Sapindales | WCVP |
| Family | Burseraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Boswellia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Boswellia dalzielii, is recognized by several different common names across various languages and regions. In Chinese, it is referred to as 西非乳香樹, 西非乳香树, 西非乳香树, or 達氏乳香, while in the Dagbani language, it is called Kpiiŋŋoɣu.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 西非乳香樹 | Wikidata |
| dag | Kpiiŋŋoɣu | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 西非乳香树 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 西非乳香树 | Wikidata |
| zh | 達氏乳香 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily located within the West Tropical Africa region. Specifically, its presence is documented across several distinct nations in this part of the continent. Within this zone, the species can be found growing in Benin and Burkina. It also maintains a distribution throughout Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Finally, its geographical range extends into the country of Mali.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Niger | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Senegal | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Togo | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Central African Republic | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Boswellia dalzielii, is valued for several of its components which contribute to its medicinal profile. The most significant part harvested is the oleo-gum resin, which is obtained by making incisions in the stem bark to allow the substance to exude. This exudate is often referred to as the oleoresin, a viscous substance that contains the plant's bioactive compounds. Additionally, the root bark can be utilized for various traditional purposes, while the leaves are also recognized as a functional part of the plant's anatomy.- Total parts
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| stem bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oleoresin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oleo-gum resin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gum resin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Boswellia dalzielii has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (-)-limonene, 2,5-Dihydroxy acetophenone, 3-carene, flavonoids, limonene.
- Total chemicals
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| (-)-limonene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 2,5-Dihydroxy acetophenone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3-carene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| limonene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| myrcene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| p-cymene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sugar | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Boswellia dalzielii has 2 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Boswellia dalzielii has 9 reported medicinal uses identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antioxidant, antihyperuricemic, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, infectious diseases.
- Total uses
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 10
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antihyperuricemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hyperglycemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hyperlipidemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| infectious diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| malaria | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| trypanosomiasis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |