Quercetin glycosides in Psidium guajava L. leaves and determination of a spasmolytic principle

The traditional herbal remedy from Psidium guajava leaves has been medically proposed in Mexico as effective treatment of acute diarrhea. A methanolic leaf extract was subjected to a bioassay-guided isolation of spasmolytic constituents. Six fractions were separated on a polyvinylpolypyrrolidine (PVPP) column using a water methanol-gradient. The fraction containing flavonols inhibited peristalsis of guinea pig ileum in vitro. A trace of quercetin aglycone together with five glycosides was isolated from this active fraction and identified as quercetin 3-O-alpha-L-arabinoside (guajavarin); quercetin 3-O-beta-D-glucoside (isoquercetin); quercetin 3-O-beta-D-galactoside (hyperin); quercetin 3-O-beta-L-rhamnoside (quercitrin) and quercetin 3-O-gentobioside. Biological activity of each pure compound was studied in the same bioassay. Obtained results suggest that the spasmolytic activity of the Psidium guajava leaf remedy is mainly due to the aglycone quercetin, present in the leaf and in the extract mainly in the form of five flavonols, and whose effect is produced when these products are hydrolyzed by gastrointestinal fluid.