PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF PSIDIUM GUAJAVA (GUAVA LEAF) AGAINST SOME BACTERIA & FUNGI ISOLATES

This study examines the phytochemical screening and antimicrobial properties of Psidium guajava (guava leaf) against some bacteria & fungi isolates. Psidium guajava, commonly known as guava, is a tropical and subtropical fruit-bearing shrub or small tree belonging to the family Myrtaceae (Oluwatoyin et al., 2019). It is widely recognized for its nutritional value, aromatic fruits, and medicinal properties. Guava leaves are evergreen, simple, and aromatic, often used in traditional herbal medicine. Many studies have reported the effectiveness of Psidium guajava (guava) leaves extracts against a wide range of microorganisms, including both bacterial and fungal isolates. Psidium guajava (guava) leaves was from Owode market Offa. The samples were aseptically collected in sterile plastic containers, labeled appropriately and were taken to the Microbiology Laboratory, Lens Polytechnic Offa for analysis. The findings from this study demonstrate that Psidium guajava (guava) leaves contain several bioactive phytochemicals, including flavonoids, saponins, phenols, and tannins, which are more effectively extracted using ethanol than water. While the aqueous extract showed no antibacterial activity, the ethanolic extract exhibited mild inhibitory effects against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhi. However, the activity was significantly lower compared to the standard antibiotic, Ciprofloxacin. These results confirm the potential of guava leaves as a natural source of antimicrobial compounds, but also highlight the importance of extraction methods and the need for further optimization to enhance efficacy.