The lengthy evolutionary process of the guava, or Psidium guavaja, began in South America millions of years ago—indigenous peoples later domesticated, cultivated, and made extensive use of its yield for millennia prior to European intrusion. The guava was a pungent polarizer in the post-colonial New World, as its distinct aroma was an offense to the foreign sensibilities of colonists; even so, its global dissemination was enabled by the Spanish and Portuguese, upon whose ships guava seeds sailed into the unknown.
The highly adaptive guava has since laid its roots and become naturalized in the landscapes and cultures of tropical ecosystems worldwide. They provide vital sustenance and traditional remedy to indigenous peoples, who use guava fruit, bark, leaves, shoots, roots, and flowers as antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic, cough-suppressant, hypoglycemic, and wound-healing agents, among other documented functions.
Modern pharmacological research now validates traditional indigenous knowledge of guava as herbal medicine. Studies confirm that the guava indeed teems with nutritional and functional value and may effectively treat or ameliorate a range of symptoms. The active compounds in guava inhibit intestinal spasming and secretion while offering “morphine-like” suppression to prevent overstimulation; modulate immune function to inhibit inflammation; eradicate various microorganisms; exhibit depressant effects on the central nervous system, thereby managing pain; inhibit stimulation of muscle contraction associated with coughing; prevent or manage diabetic conditions by reducing hyperglycemic and hypertensive activity as well as triglyceride and cholesterol levels; and block calcium channels, thereby combining with related factors to hasten wound healing.
These studies not only lend credence to but expand upon tradition by providing additional insight into guava bioactivity. Research reveals that guava compounds exhibit decidedly inhibitory effects on the development and progression of cancer—they are anti-angiogenic, antigenotoxic, antimutagenic, anti-proliferative, antitumorigenic, and chemoprotective.
