Psidium guajava L. (family Myrtaceae), commonly known as guava, is a plant that grows in tropical and subtropical region. Different parts of the plant have been used extensively in traditional folk medicine. In the present study, the essential oil (EO) isolated from guava leaves was investigated for potential antioxidant, in vitro cytotoxicity and in vitro anti-parasitic activity against Toxoplasma gondii parasite. The antioxidant activity was evaluated through DPPH scavenging activity. Guava leaves EO served as a moderate antioxidant, with IC 50 value of 460.56 ± 1.33 μg/mL. The in vitro cytotoxicity activity was investigated using Vero cells, while in vitro anti-parasitic assay was studied using the same cells as host for T. gondii. Growth inhibition was determined using MTT assay. Guava leaves EO was found to be not toxic to Vero cells, with EC 50 values of 37.54 ± 3.81 μg/mL. In the in vitro anti-T. gondii assay, guava leaves EO showed promising result with EC 50 of 3.94 ± 0.39 μg/mL, as compared to the standard drug clindamycin (EC 50 value of 6.24 ± 0.53 μg/mL). In the present study, the potential therapeutic activity of guava leaves EO may have contributed by the in vitro inhibition of free radicals associated with toxoplasmosis pathology.
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