Development of plant infused herbal tea from guava leaf (Psidium guajava) and senna flower (Senna auriculata)

Herbal teas have gained prominence for their therapeutic value and natural health-promoting properties. This study highlights the potential of two widely recognized medicinal plants—Psidium guajava (guava) and Cassia auriculata (Avaram or Tanner's Cassia) in the development of a functional herbal tea blend. Guava leaves are rich in beneficial phytochemicals such as quercetin, catechins, gallic acid and kaempferol which have demonstrated diverse pharmacological effects including antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, lipid-lowering and liver-protective actions. Similarly, Cassia auriculata flowers possess vital bioactive compounds like hydroxyanthraquinone derivatives and polyphenols that support blood sugar regulation, infection control and digestive health [2]. This study explores the nutritional compositions of these botanicals and outlines a formulation process for a herbal tea blend enriched with flavours like cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, elaichi, dry ginger, coriander and mint. Four different treatments were taken to optimize the standardisation of herbal infused tea in guava leaf and senna flowers. The guava leaf powder and flavour was taken in the ratio of T1 (1:0.2), T2 (1.5:0.5), T3 (2:1), T4 (2.5:1.5) and for Senna-T1 (1:0.5), T2 (1.5:1), T3 (2:1.5), T4 (2.5:2). The prepared herbal tea was sensorily evaluated by semi trained panel members.The highest sensory score was obtained for 1.0:0.5 for guava and 1.5:0.5 for senna. The formulated herbal infused tea was subjected to physico chemical analysis and the values are for moisture content 2.8%, ash content 3.64%, Total flavonoids content 5.21(mgQE/ML), Total phenolic content 113.05 (mgGAE/ML), pH 5.04 and Total antioxidant capacity 73.04% and Senna Flower tea (SFT) had moisture content 5.0%, ash content 2.0%, Total flavonoids content 5.75 (mgQE/ML), Total phenolic content 50.65(mgGAE/ML), pH 5.50 and Total antioxidant capacity 68.50%. Based on the bioactive potential of guava and Cassia auriculata, the resulting tea formulation holds promise as a functional beverage, particularly for managing diabetes, cholesterol levels, and gastrointestinal disorders. Further clinical validation is recommended to support its widespread application in nutraceutical and functional food industries.