Ethnobotanical Survey and Phytochemical Analysis of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Leaves in Some Communities of Mubi North, Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the ethnobotany and Phytochemical constituents of Psidium guajava (guava) leaves in some communities of Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria.  The guava leaves were collected from Botany research garden of Adamawa State University, Mubi. The ethnobotanical survey was carried out by administering an interview using structured questionnaires to the householders of the four selected communities (Tsamiya, Gipalma, Vimtim and Muchala) of the study area. Standard procedures were used in determining the qualitative and quantitative bioactive constituents of the leaves aqueous and ethanolic extracts. The ethnobotanical survey revealed that the vegetative parts (leave, stem and root) of the plant were used for the treatment of typhoid, fever, diarrhea, malaria and some other diseases; with the leaves having highest usage with 82% and the stem and root the lowest with 4% each. The qualitative phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, glycosides, steroids, terpenoids, phenols, anthraquinones, flavonoids and phobatanins in both the aqueous and ethanolic leaves extracts. The quantitative analysis showed that the ethanolic extract had the highest content of virtually all the compounds analyzed as revealed by the qualitative screening. In conclusion, the leaves, root and stem of guava plant are used in the treatment of typhoid, malaria, diarrhea, hypertension and many other diseases by the people of Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria with most of them (50%) using it as a remedy for typhoid and very few of them (19%) using it to treat diseases other than typhoid, malaria and dysentery. The leaf of the plant is very rich in the phytochemicals such as alkaloids, tannins, saponins, glycosides, steroids, terpenoids, phenols, anthraquinones, flavonoids and phobatanins with ethanolic extract having the highest concentration of the compounds than aqueous extract.