Pharmacological behavioural effects of psidium guajava leaf extract / Mohd Shahezwan Abd Wahab

The World Health Organization (WHO) in 1997 recommended that effective locally available plants should be used as substitutes for drugs. Psidium guajava or guava is one of local plants found in abundance in Malaysia. The pharmacological effects, specifically on locomotor activity and central nervous system by the plant should be exploited for clinical use. This study is carried out to evaluate the effects of Psidium guajava leaf extract on the locomotor activity, central nervous system and also on the intake of food and water in mice. For the evaluation of locomotor activity of the mice, the Animal Activity Monitor by Coulboum Instrument is used. The extract at doses of 1, 3 and 5 mg/kg was acutely and chronically administered through the intraperitoneal route to male adult mice (n = 5 per group) before they were subjected to the experiment. Normal saline was administered as control. The instrument is also used to investigate the effect of the Psidium guajava leaf extract on food and water intake of the mice. Forced swimming test was implemented to study the depressant effect of the mice. Depressive activity on the central nervous system was demonstrated by several alterations in the mice behaviour in the pharmacological screening. The results obtained showed that the leaf extract caused reduction of locomotor activity as well as reduction in food and water intake in mice. The extract also produces central nervous system depressant effects. Further studies should be conducted to uncover the mechanism of action and also possible therapeutic use.