Published August 1, 2025 | Version v1
Journal article Open

PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION, ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY, ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL, AND ACUTE TOXICITY STUDIES OF PSIDIUM GUAJAVA (GUAVA) LEAF EXTRACT

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.
  • 2. Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.
  • 3. Department of Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.

Description

Plant species have been used in treatment of microbial infections as well as other health conditions due to their medicinal properties. The aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial activity, antioxidant potential, and acute toxicity studies on Psidium guajava leaf extract. Qualitative phytochemical composition was determined in accordance with reference experimental protocols. The antimicrobial assays were done using eleven bacterial strains and a fungal strain. The determination of minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were carried out by broth dilution method using 96 well plates. The extract was also evaluated for its antioxidant property by employing the DPPH radical scavenging method and the total antioxidant capacity test. The toxicity study of Psidium guajava extract was carried out in Sprague-Dawley rats (n= 6). The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of cardiac glycosides, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, reducing sugars, alkaloids, and terpenoids. The results of the antimicrobial study showed appreciable antimicrobial activity against the bacteria strains used, with the mean MIC values from 1.563 mg/mL to 12.50 mg/mL and MBC values ranged from 12.50 mg/mL to 50.00 mg/mL. For antioxidant potential of the extract, scavenging activity increases with increasing concentration. The antioxidant activity of the extract became comparable to ascorbic acid at the highest concentration tested (500 µg/mL), demonstrating concentration-dependent scavenging effectiveness. Acute toxicity study indicated no noticeable adverse effects on experimental animals. This suggests that the LD50 of the extract could exceed 5000 mg/kg. Psidium guajava leaf is a potential source of a novel antimicrobial and antioxidant agents.

Files

3 WJPSR 1458.pdf

Files (890.1 kB)

Name Size Download all
md5:dacfa069583d532ee28787c590efb44a
890.1 kB Preview Download

Additional details

References

  • 1. Valsalam S, Agastian P, Arasu MV, Al-Dhabi NA, Ghilan AKM, Kaviyarasu K, Ravindran B, Chang SW, Arokiyaraj S. Rapid biosynthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles from the leaf extract of Tropaeolum majus L. and its enhanced in-vitro antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and anticancer properties. Journal of Photochemistry & Photobiology, B: Biology, 2019; 191: 65–74.
  • 2. Naidu JR, Zandra Z, Anthony V. "Evaluation of antioxidant potential of zingerone against high fructose diet induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in rat model," International Research Journal of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences (IRJPMS), 2018; 1(4): 37-39.
  • 3. Tordzagla N, Ayensu I, Oppong-Kyekyeku J. Phytochemical constituents from corn silk and antimicrobial activity of the isolates. International Journal of Secondary Metabolite (IJSM), 2024; 11(4): 604-622. https://doi.org/10.21448/ijsm.1302694.
  • 4. Uddin TM, Chakraborty AJ, Khusro A, Zidan BMRM, Mitra S, Emran TB, Dhama K, Ripon MKH, Gajdács M, Sahibzada MUK, Hossain MJ, Koirala N. Antibiotic resistance in microbes: History, mechanisms, therapeutic strategies and future prospects. Journal of Infection and Public Health, 2021; 14(12): 1750-1766. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2021.10.020
  • 5. Sakkas H, Papadopoulou C. "Antimicrobial activity of basil, oregano, and thyme essential oils," Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2017; 27(3): 429–438.
  • 6. David M, Serban A, Radulescu C, Danet AF, Florescu M. "Bioelectrochemical evaluation of plant extracts and gold nanozyme-based sensors for total antioxidant capacity determination," Bioelectrochemistry, 2019; 129: 124–134.
  • 7. Anand V, Manikandan KV, Kumar S, Pushpa HA. Phytopharmacological overview of Psidium guajava Linn. Phcog J, 2026; 8: 314–320.
  • 8. Kuete V. Medicinal Plant Research in Africa: Pharmacology and Chemistry In: Pharmacology and Chemistry. Edited by Kuete V, 1 edn. Oxford: Elsevier, 2013.
  • 9. Andrews JM. Determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 2001; 48(1): 5-16. https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/48.suppl_1.5
  • 10. Cheok C, Chin N, Yusof Y, Talib R, Law C. Optimization of total monomeric anthocyanin (TMA) and total phenolic content extractions from mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana Linn.) hull using ultrasonic treatments. Industrial crops and Products, 2013; 50: 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2013.07.024
  • 11. Hatami T, Emami SA, Miraghaee SS, Mojarrab M. Total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of different extracts and fractions from the aerial parts of Artemisia biennis Willd. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2014; 13(2): 551. https://doi.org/10. 22037/ijpr.2014.1518
  • 12. Warsi, Sholichah AR. Phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction from basil leaf (Ocimum basilicum L.) by DPPH radical scavenging method. IOP Conf Ser Mater Sci Eng, 2017; 259(1).
  • 13. OECD. "Test no. 425: acute oral toxicity: up-and-down procedure," OECD Guidelines for Testing of Chemicals (Section 4), OECD Publishing Ltd, Paris, France, 2008.
  • 14. El Aziz MMA, Said Ashour A, Melad ASG. "A review on saponins from medicinal plants: chemistry, isolation, and determination." J. Nanomed. Res, 2019; 8(1): 282-288.
  • 15. Jing W, Chen X, Chen Y, Qin F, Haifeng Y. "Pharmacological effects and mechanisms of tannic acid." Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 2022; 154: 113561.
  • 16. Jahangeer M, Rameen F, Mehvish A, Aneela B, Sarmad AQ, Muhammad B. Therapeutic and Biomedical Potentialities of Terpenoids-A Review. Journal of Pure & Applied Microbiology, 2021; 15(2).
  • 17. Gnawali GR, Acharya P, Rajbhandari M. Isolation of Gallic Acid and Estimation of Total Phenolic Content in Some Medicinal Plants and Their Antioxidant Activity. Nepal Journal of Science and Technology, 2013; 14: 10.3126/njst.v14i1.8928.
  • 18. Lee WC, Mahmud R, Pillai S, Perumal S, Ismail S. Antioxidant activities of essential oil of Psidium guajava L leaves. APCBEE Procedia, 2012; 2: 86-91.
  • 19. Naseer S, Hussain S, Naeem N, Pervaiz M, Rahman M. The phytochemistry and medicinal value of Psidium guajava (guava); Clinical Phytoscience, 2018; 4: 32. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40816-018-0093-8
  • 20. Igwe JO, Abone HO, Ezea MC, Ejikeugwu CP, Esimone CO. Acute and chronic toxicity evaluation of methanol leaf extract of Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae). GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2021; 16(3): 120–128. https://doi.org/10.30574/gscbps.2021.16.3.0270.