PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF N-HEXANE GUAVA LEAVES EXTRACTS

Inflammation and oxidative stress have been implicated in various diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular, and other inflammatory diseases. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been reported to have significant side effects such as gastrointestinal issues. Guava (Psidium guajava), leaves are utilized in traditional medicine to address inflammation, fever, and digestive ailments. They contain diverse phytochemicals, including flavonoids, terpenoids, coumarins, alkaloids, and tannins, which exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The crude n-hexane extract of guava leaves were evaluated for phytochemical composition, antioxidant potential and anti-inflammatory effects using qualitative and quantitative tests, DPPH radical scavenging assay and egg albumin-induced edema methods, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative analyses revealed significant amounts of phenolics (12.02±0.02mg/g), alkaloids (11.70±0.02mg/g), and tannins (11.48±0.02mg/g). The result of the DPPH radical scavenging assay of the extract revealed a concentration-dependent antioxidant activity, with 80.22% inhibition at 500mg/ml, comparable to ascorbic acid (93.85%). In the in vivo model comprising of six groups (four rats in each group), the extract reduced paw edema significantly, exhibiting maximum inhibition of inflammation at 200mg/kg body weight, (at p