Abstract

Boswellia dalzielii Hutch (Burseraceae) is a tree species of the genus Boswellia found in Africa commonly called “frankincense tree”. The use of the leaf extract by traditional healers for the management of both skin and breast cancer was strongly supported by traditional healers in northern Nigeria. Phytochemical screening, antioxidant assay and cytotoxicity of the methanolic leaf extract was conducted and results showed the presence of terpenoids, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, tannins, carbohydrates and saponins. Antioxidant assay showed that the extract even at concentration as low as 62.5 μg/ml inhibited the activity of DPPH for 43.84%. Similarly, cytotoxity of the extract against Brine shrimp larvae was so acute that even at 1.0 μg/ml, mortality rate was 68.42%. These findings suggest that the crude methanolic extract of B. dalzielii is good for the isolation or preparation of anticancer drug and, this could be the reason why the plant has earlier been reported to be used traditionally in northern Nigeria for the treatment of skin and breast cancer among other ailments.