Phytochemical screening of Psidium guajava and Carica papaya leaves aqueous extracts cultivated in Greece and their potential as health boosters

Abstract

Aim: The scope of the present study was to investigate the phytochemical profile of Psidium guajava and Carica papaya leaves aqueous extracts, from plants cultivated on Crete island in Greece. Methods: Total phenolic content (TPC) in the aqueous extracts was determined spectrometrically using the Folin-Ciocalteu (F-C) assay. The identification and quantification of different phenolic compounds in the aqueous extracts were conducted using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis. Different metals were also determined (K, Fe, Zn, Ca, Mg, Pb, and Cd) to investigate the potential health claims or hazards in the water extractable infusion using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method. Results: TPC in the aqueous extracts was found to be 28.0 g gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/kg dry leaves for Psidium guajava leaves aqueous extract and 15.0 g GAE/kg dry leaves for Carica papaya leaves aqueous extract. The dominant phenolic compounds in Psidium guajava leaves aqueous extract were myricetin (3,852 mg/kg dry sample) and rutin (670 mg/kg dry sample) while the dominant phenolic compounds in Carica papaya leaves aqueous extract were salicylic acid (338 mg/kg dry sample) and rutin (264 mg/kg dry sample). Different metals were also determined (K, Fe, Zn, Ca, Mg, Pb, and Cd) to investigate the potential health claims or hazards in the water extractable infusion, and it was found that no toxic metals were extracted whereas some nutritional benefits were achieved. Conclusions: Results proved that Psidium guajava and Carica papaya can be provided a strong antioxidant activity and can be used as medicinal plants.

Keywords

Psidium guajava leaves / Carica papaya leaves / phytochemical profile / phenolic compounds / health claims / elemental content

References

[1] Kumar M, Tomar M, Amarowicz R, Saurabh V, Nair MS, Maheshwari C, et al. Guava (Psidium guajava L.) leaves: nutritional composition, phytochemical profile, and health—promoting bioactivities . Foods. 2021; 10: 752.

[2] Foyzun T, Aktar K. Comparison and evaluation of total phenolic, flavanoid content and antioxidant activity of crude methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Carica papaya leaves . J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2017; 6: 117-24.

[3] Newman DJ, Cragg GM, Snader KM. Natural products as sources of new drugs over the period 1981—2002. J Nat Prod. 2003; 66: 1022—37.

[4] Sharma A, Flores—Vallejo RDC, Cardoso—Taketa A, Villarreal ML. Antibacterial activities of medicinal plants used in Mexican traditional medicine. J Ethnopharmacol. 2017; 208: 264-329.

[5] Laily N, Kusumaningtyas RW, Sukarti I, Rini MRDK. The potency of Guava Psidium guajava (L.) leaves as a functional immunostimulatory ingredient . Procedia Chem. 2015; 14: 301-7.

[6] Chen HY, Yen GC. Antioxidant activity and free radical—scavenging capacity of extracts from Guava (Psidium guajava L.) leaves . Food Chem. 2007; 101: 686-94.

[7] Ashraf A, Sarfraz RA, Rashid MA, Mahmood A, Shahid M, Noor N. Chemical composition, antioxidant, antitumor, anticancer and cytotoxic effects of Psidium guajava leaf extracts . Pharm Biol. 2016; 54: 1971-81.

[8] Lirong J, Junyu L, Yue Q, Weirong J, Yanping W. Antitumor effect of Guava leaves on lung cancer: a network pharmacology study. Arab J Chem. 2020; 13: 7773-97.

[9] Barbalho SM, Farinazzi—Machado FMV, Goulart RdA, Brunnati ACS, Machado AM, Ottoboni B, et al. Psidium guajava (Guava): a plant of multipurpose medicinal applications . Med Aromat Plants. 2012; 1: 104.

[10] Ngamukote S, Mäkynen K, Thilawech T, Adisakwattana S. Cholesterol—lowering activity of the major polyphenols in grape seed. Molecules. 2011; 16: 5054-61.

[11] Bigović D, Savikin K, Janković T, Menković N, Zdunić G, Stanojković T, et al. Antiradical and cytotoxic activity of different Helichrysum plicatum flower extracts. Nat Prod Commun. 2011; 6: 819—22.

[12] Salehi B, Fokou PVT, Sharifi—Rad M, Zucca P, Pezzani R, Martins N, et al. The therapeutic potential of naringenin: a review of clinical trials. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2019; 12: 11.

[13] Semwal R, Joshi SK, Semwal RB, Semwal DK. Health benefits and limitations of rutin — a natural flavonoid with high nutraceutical value. Phytochem Lett. 2021; 46: 119—28.

[14] Dwivedi MK, Sonter S, Mishra S, Patel DK, Singh PK. Antioxidant, antibacterial activity, and phytochemical characterization of Carica papaya flowers . Beni Suef Univ J Basic Appl Sci. 2020; 9: 23.

[15] Chávez—Pesqueira M, Núñez—Farfán J. Domestication and genetics of papaya: a review. Front Ecol Evol. 2017; 5: 155.

[16] Sagadevan P, Selvakumar S, Raghunath M, Megala R, Janarthanan P, Ebziba CV, et al. Medicinal properties of Carica papaya linn: review . Madridge J Nov Drug Res. 2019; 3: 120—5.

[17] Hariono M, Julianus J, Djunarko I, Hidayat I, Adelya L, Indayani F, et al. The future of Carica papaya leaf extract as an herbal medicine product . Molecules. 2021; 26: 6922.

[18] Zandi K, Teoh BT, Sam SS, Wong PF, Mustafa MR, AbuBakar S. Antiviral activity of four types of bioflavonoid against dengue virus type—2. Virol J. 2011; 8: 560.

[19] Nugroho A, Heryani H, Choi JS, Park HJ. Identification and quantification of flavonoids in Carica papaya leaf and peroxynitrite—scavenging activity . Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2017; 7: 208—13.

[20] Canini A, Alesiani D, D’Arcangelo G, Tagliatesta P. Gas chromatography—mass spectrometry analysis of phenolic compounds from Carica papaya L. leaf . J Food Compost Anal. 2007; 20: 584—90.

[21] Juárez—Rojop IE, Tovilla—Zárate CA, Aguilar—Domíƴnguez DE, Roa—de la Fuente LF, Lobato—Garcíƴa CE, Blé—Castillo JL, et al. Phytochemical screening and hypoglycemic activity of Carica papaya leaf in streptozotocin—induced diabetic rats . Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2014; 24: 341-7.

[22] Williams DJ, Pun S, Chaliha M, Scheelings P, O’Hare T. An unusual combination in papaya (Carica papaya): the good (glucosinolates) and the bad (cyanogenic glycosides) . J Food Compost Anal. 2013; 29: 82-6.

[23] Zunjar V, Mammen D, Trivedi BM. Antioxidant activities and phenolics profiling of different parts of Carica papaya by LCMS—MS . Nat Prod Res. 2015; 29: 2097—9.

[24] Julianti T, Oufir M, Hamburger M. Quantification of the antiplasmodial alkaloid carpaine in papaya (Carica papaya) leaves . Planta Med. 2014; 80: 1138—42.

[25] Singh SP, Kumar S, Mathan SV, Tomar MS, Singh RK, Verma PK, et al. Therapeutic application of Carica papaya leaf extract in the management of human diseases . DARU J Pharm Sci. 2020; 28: 735—44.

[26] Karunamoorthi K, Kim HM, Jegajeevanram K, Xavier J, Vijayalakshmi J. Papaya: a gifted nutraceutical plant — a critical review of recent human health research. TANG [HUMANITAS MEDICINE]. 2014; 4: 2.1-2.17.

[27] Ağagündüz D, Şahin TÖdž, Yılmaz B, Ekenci KD, Ödžzer ŞD, Capasso R. Cruciferous vegetables and their bioactive metabolites: from prevention to novel therapies of colorectal cancer. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022; 2022: 1534083.

[28] Mechchate H, Ouedrhiri W, Es—safi I, Amaghnouje A, Jawhari FZ, Bousta D. Optimization of a new antihyperglycemic formulation using a mixture of Linum usitatissimum L., Coriandrum sativum L., and Olea europaea var. sylvestris flavonoids: a mixture design approach . Biologics. 2021; 1: 154-63.

[29] Simão AA, Marques TR, Marcussi S, Corrêa AD. Aqueous extract of Psidium guajava leaves: phenolic compounds and inhibitory potential on digestive enzymes . An Acad Bras Ciênc. 2017; 89: 2155-65.

[30] Kabra S, Patel S. Total phenolics & flavonoid content of the leaves of Carica papaya & Syzygium Cumini . World J Pharm Res. 2018; 7: 734—41.

[31] Díƴaz—de—Cerio E, Verardo V, Gómez—Caravaca AM, Fernández—Gutiérrez A, Segura—Carretero A. Determination of polar compounds in Guava leaves infusions and ultrasound aqueous extract by HPLC—ESI—MS. J Chem. 2015; 2015: 250919.

[32] Alvarez DV, Hernández MS, Hernández VAG, Engleman EM, Nava AD. Flavonoids in psidium guajava L. leaves . Horticult Int J. 2021; 5: 38‒ 41.

[33] Taheri Y, Suleria HAR, Martins N, Sytar O, Beyatli A, Yeskaliyeva B, et al. Myricetin bioactive effects: moving from preclinical evidence to potential clinical applications. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020; 20: 241.

[34] Semwal DK, Semwal RB, Combrinck S, Viljoen A. Myricetin: a dietary molecule with diverse biological activities. Nutrients. 2016; 8: 90.

[35] Ganeshpurkar A, Saluja AK. The pharmacological potential of rutin. Saudi Pharm J. 2017; 25: 149-64.

[36] Randjelović P, Veljković S, Stojiljković N, Sokolović D, Ilić I, Laketić D, et al. The beneficial biological properties of salicylic acid. Acta Fac Med Naissensis. 2015; 32: 259-65.

[37] Paterson JR, Lawrence JR. Salicylic acid: a link between aspirin, diet and the prevention of colorectal cancer. QJM. 2001; 94: 445—8.

[38] Arif T. Salicylic acid as a peeling agent: a comprehensive review. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2015; 8: 455-61.

[39] Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, amending Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 and Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Commission Directive 87/250/EEC, Council Directive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Directives 2002/67/EC and 2008/5/EC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 608/2004 (text with EEA relevance)[Internet]. Crown; [cited 2023 Jan 7]. Available from: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2011/1169#

[40] Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health (text with EEA relevance)[Internet]. Crown; [cited 2001 Mar 8]. Available from: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2012/432/annex#

[41] Thomas L, Anitha T, Lasyaja AB, Suganya M, Gayathri P, Chithra S. Biochemical and mineral analysis of the undervalued leaves— Psidium guajava L. Int J Adv Sci Res. 2017; 2: 16-21.