CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study:

Psidium Guajava: commonly known as bayabas or guava in Filipino Terms. It

is widely grown in the Philippines. It is a flowering plant, growing 33 feet tall. Guava is
ideal for flavored drinks, sauces, desserts, salads, pies, cakes, puddings, jellies, and
chutneys in the fruit may even be dehydrated and powdered to flavour ice cream. Guava
fruits are amazingly rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. This remarkable
nutrient content gives them many health benefits. Guavas are tropical trees originating in Central
America. Their fruits are oval in shape with light green or yellow skin and contain edible seeds.
What’s more, guava leaves are used as an herbal tea and the leaf extract as a supplement.

Guavas are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, folic acid, and the dietary minerals,
potassium, copper and manganese. Having a generally broad, low-calorie profile of essential
nutrients, a single common guava fruit contains about four time the amount of vitamin C as an
orange. Guavas contain both carotenoids and polyphenols like gallocatechin, guaijaverin,
leucocyanidin and amritoside, The major classes of antioxidant pigments. It gives them high
potential antioxidant value among plant foods. Guava leaves are used in folk medicine as a
remedy for diarrhea, and as well as the bark, for their supposed antimicrobial properties and as an
astringent. Guava leaves or bark are used in traditional treatment against diabetes.

Nowadays people are focusing in herbal plants especially those who are common in the
environment. One of the best examples is the guava plant. Based on research this plant is good for
treating and healing wounds and other skin infections. So in this project, the researcher wants to
make a bathing soap out of it. People, researchers, scientists were focusing to medicinal plants.
They want to prove that there are plants that are more effective against diseases especially in skin.
Most of us know about health benefits of guava fruit. But we are unaware of the fact that even
guava leaves have several medicinal properties and offer an array of health benefits.
Significance of the study:

I stated that Guava leaves extract is good for skin. Based on my research, It has
many constituents that is good for the skin.

It answers the following questions:

- Is there any constituents of guava leaves that is good for the skin?

- What are those?

- Does it really treat skin disorders/Acne?

Hypothesis:

> Guava leaves is a good treatment for the acne.

> It has many components or constituents.

> It has constituents that is good for skin disorders, especially for acnies.

Significance of the study:

You can make a bathing soap out of guava leaves extract as a treatment for acne.

This plant s very common to our environment, and aside of its availability; It is easy to cultivate.

It contains many components for healing skin disorders.

Scope and Limitations:

The study of guava leaves and getting their extract is often useful. It has the ability
to treat, cure, disinfect skin disorders, and capable of being herbal plant for acnes.
Definition of Terms:

Astringent - antiseptic properties

Decoction - infusion of fresh leaves used for wound cleaning and skin to prevent infection and o
facilitate healing. Good for skin disorders.

Volatile - a substance that changes into a vapor at a relatively low temperature.

Eugenol - oily liquid from doves.

Cloves - aromatic spice from the dried flower bud of a tropical tree.

Tannin - a brownish or yellowish substance found in plants and used in astringents

Saponin - soap from plants; any group of chemical substances extracted from plants that form a
foamy lather mixed with water and are used to make soap and detergent.

Amydalin - resin used in plants and adhesive.

Resin- yellow or brown color and organic substance from plants.

Malic acid - acid from fruit; a colorless crystaline solid found in fruits such as apples.

Aldehydes - organic compound; a highly reactive organic compound produced by the oxidation
of an alcohol and having CHO group especially the acetaldehyde.

Ash - the powdery substance that is left when something has been burnt.

Guava:

Scientific name: Psidium Guajava