What is it about?
Guayusa is an Amazonian plant traditionally consumed as a stimulating infusion. This study used hot water under pressure, a technique called subcritical water extraction, to obtain extracts rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. The best results were achieved at 150°C, producing extracts that reduced oxidative stress in neuronal cells and inflammation in immune cells, without using any organic solvents.
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Why is it important?
Guayusa extracts are already authorized as novel foods in the EU and recognized as safe in the US, but there was little information on how extraction conditions affect their biological activity. This study is the first to combine green water-based extraction, regulatory compliance, a full sustainability assessment, and cell-based testing in a single framework. It also confirms that guayusa extracts work mainly through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways rather than through gut hormone stimulation, which helps clarify how they may support neuro-metabolic health. The life cycle assessment showed that hot water extraction at 150°C had a carbon footprint five times lower than conventional maceration. Take home message: Hot water extraction can turn an Amazonian traditional plant into safe, sustainable, and bioactive ingredients for functional foods, with a much smaller environmental footprint than conventional methods.
Perspectives
What we find most rewarding about this work is that it connects modern green technology with a plant that Amazonian communities have used for centuries. Guayusa is not just a research subject for us; it is part of a living cultural and agroforestry tradition. This work is part of a broader project that aims to improve the living conditions of Amazonian people in Ecuador who cultivate guayusa through the traditional Chakra system, a sustainable agroforestry model that combines food crops, medicinal plants, and forest species. Seeing that hot water, the simplest and safest solvent possible, could outperform conventional methods in both bioactivity and environmental impact was a genuinely satisfying result. I also appreciated that we reported what did not work as expected, such as the lack of effect on gut hormone secretion, because that kind of honesty is what moves the field forward.
PhD Jose Antonio Mendiola
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Subcritical water extraction of Ilex guayusa for regulatory-compliant neuro-metabolic functional ingredients, Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy, April 2026, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.scp.2026.102338.
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