A Review of the Phytochemistry, Traditional Uses and Antibacterial Potential of Psidium guajava

Abstract

Psidium guajava is a tropical evergreen tree. It belongs to the family Myrtaceae that consists of about 133 genera and approximately 3800 species worldwide. This plant is mainly found in South Africa, North Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. Psidium guajava is mainly a nutritional plant, but it also shows various biological activities. An array of bioactive constituents, viz; glycosides, terpenoids, tannins, alkaloids, steroids, saponins, amino acids, anthraquinones, proteins, flavonoids, and phenols, etc. have been isolated from Psidium guajava. These phytochemicals are well known for their biological activities, including antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal, etc. The present work has been performed to gather data about the traditional uses, important phytochemicals, and antibacterial efficiency of Psidium guajava. Many pharmacological studies have demonstrated its antibacterial potential against various important drug resistive pathogens. We invite researchers' attention to carry out detailed antibacterial studies on this valuable plant species to provide reliable knowledge to the patients and discover more novel compounds for the development of new drugs with fewer side effects compared to conventional medicines.