Guayusa Dry Extract 12:1 (Ilex Guayusa) – From Peru

A concentrated guayusa leaf extract from Peru

This dry extract is made from sustainably sourced Peruvian guayusa leaves and supplied at an extraction ratio of 12:1. It brings the leaf into a concentrated powder preparation, with Ilex guayusa as its botanical source.

Guayusa is an evergreen Amazonian holly, closely related to yerba mate. Its leaves have long been prepared as a stimulating drink, and their caffeine and polyphenol content has drawn particular scientific interest.

From leaf to extract

Extraction draws selected constituents from the leaf into a preparation that is subsequently dried. The 12:1 ratio describes the relationship between the starting plant material and the extract. It is a manufacturing ratio, rather than a measurement of caffeine.

This distinction matters for guayusa because its characteristic compounds belong to different chemical groups. Caffeine and theobromine are methylxanthine alkaloids; chlorogenic acids are polyphenols. The extraction process influences their relative proportions in the finished material.

Scientific interest in guayusa

Recent analytical work has examined guayusa leaves and extracts together, measuring caffeine alongside several chlorogenic acids. These chemical profiles help researchers distinguish raw leaf from extracted ingredients and study differences between preparations.

Human studies have also investigated specific guayusa extracts in relation to energy, mood and reaction time. This is research on defined formulations, rather than evidence that every extract with the same plant name has an equivalent effect.

For a liquid preparation, see our Guayusa extract from Ecuador. Dried leaves and other preparations are gathered in the Guayusa collection.

Selected references

• USP standards for ingredients derived from mate and guayusa leaves (2026). ACS Omega.
• Helwig et al. (2024). Acute, dose–response effects of guayusa leaf extract. Human crossover trial.