Psidium guajava Linn.

Psidium guajava Linn.. A small tree to 33 ft (10 in) high, with spreading branches, the guava is easy to recognize because of its smooth, thin, copper-colored bark that flakes off, showing the greenish layer beneath; and also because of the attractive, "bony" aspect of its trunk which may in time attain a diameter of 10 in (25 cm). Young twigs are quadrangular and downy. The leaves, aromatic when crushed, are evergreen, opposite, short-petioled, oval or oblong-elliptic, somewhat irregular in outline; 2 3/4 to 6 in (7-15 cm) long, I 'A to 2 in (3-5 cm) wide, leathery, with conspicuous parallel veins, and more or less downy on the underside. Faintly fragrant, the white flowers, borne singly or in small clusters in the leaf axils, are 1 in (2.5 cm) wide, with 4 or 5 white petals which are quickly shed, and a prominent tuft of perhaps 250 white stamens tipped with pale-yellow anthers.

Psidium guajava Linn.'s Fruit. The fruit, exuding a strong, sweet, musky odor when ripe, may be round, ovoid, or pear-shaped, 2 to 4 in (5-10 cm) long, with 4 or 5 protruding floral remnants (sepals) at the apex; and thin, light-yellow skin, frequently blushed with pink. Next to the skin is a layer of somewhat granular flesh, 1/8 to 1/2 in (3-12.5 mm) thick, white, yellowish, light- or dark-pink, or near-red, juicy, acid, subacid, or sweet and flavorful. The central pulp, concolorous or slightly darker in tone, is juicy and normally filled with very hard, yellowish seeds, 1/8 in (3 min) long, though some rare types have soft, chewable seeds. Actual seed counts have ranged from 112 to 535 but some guavas are seedless or nearly so.

The pharmacological action of Psidium guajava Linn. is Astringent.

The indication of Psidium guajava Linn.'s Fruit is Constipation.

The indications of Psidium guajava Linn.'s Leaves are Wounds, Ulcers, Rheumatism, Emmenagogue, Mouth Ulcers, Vermifuge (Tape Worms), Inflammed Gums, Cough, Toothache, Cholera, Skin Diseases, Leucorrhoea.

Odor: The odor of Fruit of Psidium guajava Linn. is Strong, sweet, musky.

Taste: Fruit: sweet.

The active constituents of Psidium guajava Linn.'s Fruit are Ash [0.43-0.7 g], Calcium [9.1-17 mg], Calories [36-50], Carbohydrates [9.5-10 g], Carotene (Vitamin A) [200-400 LU], Crude Fibre [2.8-5.5 g], Fat [0.1-0.5 g], Iron [0.30-0.70 mg], Moisture [77-86 g], Niacin [0.6-1.068 mg], Phosphorus [17.8-30 mg], Proteins [0.9-1.0 g], Riboflavin [0.03-0.04 mg], Thiamine [0.046 mg], Vitamin B3 [40 LU], Vitamin G4 [35 LU].

The active constituents of Psidium guajava Linn.'s Leaves are Aromadendrene, Caryophyllene oxide, Essential Oil, Nerolidiol, Sel-11-en-4x -ol, Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons caryophyllene, ß-bisabolene, ß-selinene, ß-Sitosterol, Tannin, Triterpenoid.