Anti-Herpes Activity of Isolated Compounds from Frankincense

F. A. Badria¹*, M. Abu-Karam², B. R. Mikhaeil¹, G. T. Maatooq¹ and M. M. Amer¹

¹Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516 (Egypt).

²Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, MN 55455 (USA).

ABSTRACT: The antiviral and cytotoxicity bioassay-guided fractionation of the oleogum resin of frankincense (Boswellia carterii Bird wood) resulted in the isolation and identification of 9 compounds; palmitic acid and eight triterpenoids belonging to lupane, ursane, oleanane, and tirucallane skeleta were isolated form the resin. These triterpenoids are lupeol, ?-boswellic acid, 11-keto-?-boswellic acid, acetyl ?-boswellic acid, acetyl 11-keto-?-boswellic acid, acetyl-?-boswellic acid, 3-oxotirucallic acid, and 3-hydroxy-tirucallic acid. The structures of the isolated compounds were deduced based on spectroscopic evidences. The total acid mixture showed the highest activity among all compounds against Herpes simplex type I virus and was able to reduce the number of the plaques by 100 % with a minimum antiviral concentration at 20 µg/ml and followed by acetyl-11- keto-?- Boswellic acid (75% inhibition at 20 µg/ml), ?-Boswellic and total alcoholic extract (50% inhibition at 40 µg/ml), acetyl-?-Boswellic and 11- keto-?-Boswellic (75% inhibition at 80 µg/ml), 3-hydroxytirucallic acid, 3-oxo-tirucallic acid, acetyl-?- boswellic acid, and total volatile oil (50% inhibition at 80 µg/ml). On the other hand, gum, palmitic acid and lupeol reduced the number of plaques by 25% at relatively high concentrations. The antiviral and cytotoxicity assay of the isolated compounds proved that the total extract retained more activity than that of any of the purified compounds.

KEYWORDS: Anti-Herpes activity; Frankincense oleogum resin; triterpenoids

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