Psidium guajava leaf extract improves gastrointestinal functions in rats and rabbits: an implication for ulcer and...

Psidium guajava L. (Family, Myrtaceae) is reportedly used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of diarrhoea, inflammation, and gastroenteritis.

This study evaluated the gastrointestinal function of Psidium guajava leaf extract (PGLE) in rats and rabbits.

Crude ethanolic PGLE was subjected to phytochemical and toxicity tests (acute and sub-acute). Standard analytical procedures were employed to evaluate the in vivo gastrointestinal motility, and gastroprotective effect of PGLE against aspirin-induced ulcers.

In the phytochemical analysis, phenols were the highest (48.32 mg) followed by flavonoids (32.74 mg) and least in tannins (7.31 mg). The acute toxicity of PGLE was >6000 mg/kg. Administration of PGLE decreased significantly (p < 0.05) the body weight, while the liver biomarkers were not significantly altered (p > 0.05) when compared to the control. PGLE significantly increased extractible mucus weight and lowered gastric acid secretion in rats (p < 0.05). PGLE decreased significantly (p < 0.05) ulcer scores and indexes, and increased percentage ulcer inhibition in a dose-dependent manner compared to the negative and omeprazole-treated groups. PGLE dose-dependently inhibited basal amplitudes of contractions, and significantly inhibited acetylcholine-induced contractions, terminating them completely at higher doses.

PGLE may be a good anti-ulcer and anti-diarrhoeal agent, raising the prospect of novel drug development for such applications.