Antidiarrheal evaluation of guava leaf infusion in pediatric rats using an intestinal transit model

Diarrhoea is a major gastrointestinal disorder in children and remains a significant cause of mortality, particularly in toddlers. Guava leaves (Psidium guajava L.) have long been used in traditional medicine as an anti-diarrhoeal remedy. This study aimed to determine the effective dose of guava leaf infusion in weaned rats using the intestinal transit method. Thirty healthy rats were randomly assigned to six groups: a negative control (distilled water), a positive control (atropine sulfate 2.5 mg/kg BW), and four treatment groups receiving guava leaf infusion at doses of 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg BW. Among the treatment groups, the 200 mg/kg BW dose resulted in the greatest reduction in intestinal transit. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between any treatment group and negative control. These results suggest that within the examined dosage range, guava leaf infusion does not demonstrate a significant antidiarrheal effect in paediatric rat models.