P Subhash Chandra Bose, Damineni Saritha, Anupama Koneru and Sameera Begum

Herbal teas have gained growing popularity as natural alternatives to caffeinated beverages, owing to their therapeutic potential and safety. The present study aimed to formulate and evaluate multi-herbal tea blends using selected medicinal plants with reported health benefits. Guava leaves (Psidium guajava), forskolin roots (Coleus forskohlii), ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale), ash gourd peel (Benincasa hispida), and moringa leaves (Moringa oleifera) were selected based on their antioxidant, immunomodulatory, digestive, and metabolic activities. Three herbal tea formulations were developed and packed into tea bags for convenient use.

The formulations were evaluated for physicochemical and sensory characteristics, including weight variation, organoleptic parameters, pH, infusion time, moisture content, swelling index, and foaming index. Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics, and vitamin C in different formulations. Results revealed that all formulations showed acceptable stability and sensory attributes, with unique features: HF1 (Guava + Forskolin) exhibited balanced taste and antioxidant potential; HF2 (Ginger) provided strong aroma and rapid infusion; and HF3 (Moringa + Ash gourd) displayed mild flavor and nutritional value.

Overall, the study demonstrated that multi-herbal tea blends prepared with locally available medicinal plants are safe, palatable, and possess promising functional health benefits. These formulations may serve as convenient daily beverages with potential applications in preventive healthcare and wellness. Further clinical studies are recommended to validate their efficacy.

Pages: 28-30  |  913 Views  47 Downloads