Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Guava Leaves Grown in Rwanda

Plants have been a source of medicine for many years. Recently, a serious focus had been put on producing medicines and products that are natural. The guava (Psidium guajava) is a phototherapeutic plant used in traditional medicine that is believed to have active components that help to treat and manage various diseases. In this study, we aim to extract and compare the crude extracts of P. guajava leaves, growing in Arboretum de Ruhande in Huye Campus at University of Rwanda, using various aqueous and organic solvents to compare if it is effective against killing or inhibiting the growth of bacterium or fungus respectively Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans which can cause diseases. The genus Psidium belongs to the family Myrtaceae, which is considered to have originated in tropical South America. Medicinal plants are important with respect to new drug and pharmacological research development. They are widely used and accepted as home remedies and raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry (Mule et al., 2013).