Botanical Profiling of Herbal Teas and their Potential as Functional Beverages

Background and Objective: Bioactive compounds in medicinal plants play a key role in disease prevention, particularly in managing diabetes through α-amylase inhibition. This study evaluated the antidiabetic potential of Indian medicinal herbs by assessing the inhibitory activity of three herbal tea formulations (F1, F2, F3) containing Senna auriculata in combination with tulsi, ginger, and cinnamon, respectively. The primary aim was to compare their α-amylase inhibitory efficiency with acarbose and black tea. Materials and Methods: An in vitro assay was conducted using human salivary α-amylase (0.01%) acting on starch slurry at 30, 60, 90, and 120 min at 37°C. Acarbose (Control-1), black tea (Control-2), and formulations F1, F2, and F3 were tested for their inhibitory effects. The FTIR spectroscopy was used to confirm functional groups and the presence of phenolic compounds, while also screening for toxic components. Experiments were in triplicate; data are mean ±SE, analyzed with SPSS 20, p<0.05. Results: The degree of starch hydrolysis followed the order: Black tea >F1>F2>F3. Formulation F3 (Senna auriculata+Cinnamomum zeylanicum) showed the highest α-amylase inhibition (54.70-80.99% within 2 hrs), indicating the strongest antidiabetic potential. F1 and F2 exhibited inhibition ranges of 42.29-67.12 and 42.55-78.24%, respectively. The FTIR spectra confirmed six characteristic phenolic peaks in F1 and F2, while F3 exhibited additional peaks at 4623 cm and 4337.91 cm, indicating higher polyphenol content. No IR absorption between 2220-2250 cm confirmed the absence of cyanide groups, validating the safety of all infusions. Conclusion: Herbal tea formulation F3 (Senna auriculata+Cinnamomum zeylanicum) demonstrated the strongest α-amylase inhibition and highest bioactive compound content, making it the most promising functional beverage for antidiabetic applications. All teas were confirmed safe for consumption. Further in vivo evaluation is recommended to validate therapeutic potential.