Boyolali— Butterfly pea flowers are being introduced to students of SMK Negeri 1 Sambi, Boyolali Regency, as a potential ingredient for herbal beverages through a community service program conducted by Ratna Sari Dewi and Tatiana Siska Wardani from the Pharmacy Study Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Duta Bangsa Surakarta. The program provided education and hands-on training on processing butterfly pea flowers into herbal tea bags. The results showed improvements in students’ knowledge and skills in processing local natural ingredients into hygienic, safe, useful, and potentially valuable herbal products.
Butterfly pea, scientifically known as Clitoria ternatea L., is a plant with potential for development as a natural health product ingredient. The plant contains flavonoids, anthocyanins, and antioxidants, which are described in the article as having potential health benefits, including supporting immunity, maintaining eye health, and serving as an ingredient in natural functional beverages. However, the use of butterfly pea flowers in the community remains limited, and they have not been widely processed into ready-to-consume herbal products.
This situation creates an opportunity in the education sector, particularly for Pharmacy students. Students at SMK Negeri 1 Sambi have the potential to become health education agents while also participating in the development of simple natural-based products. The community service program therefore introduced students to the benefits of butterfly pea flowers while providing practical skills for processing them into herbal tea.
The program went beyond introducing students to herbal plants. Participants were also introduced to the stages of processing raw materials, drying, simple extraction, and product packaging. Through this approach, students gained direct experience in transforming an easily available natural ingredient into a more practical product.
The activities were conducted through educational sessions, demonstrations, and hands-on practice. The team first prepared educational materials, samples, and other resources required for the practical sessions. After the activities, an evaluation was conducted using questionnaires to assess students’ understanding of the materials provided.
The educational materials covered the introduction to butterfly pea flowers, their contents and potential benefits, processing techniques, packaging, and opportunities for developing them into herbal beverage products. Students were not only given theoretical information but were also encouraged to understand how natural ingredients can be developed into products with practical and potential economic value.
The results showed improvements in students’ knowledge and understanding, particularly regarding the use of natural ingredients in health-related products and creativity in developing herbal tea products. The activity also produced butterfly pea flower herbal tea bags as one of the main outputs of the program.
The output table presented on page 372 of the journal recorded the butterfly pea flower herbal tea bag product as reaching 100 percent completion as a product outcome. In addition, the educational materials were integrated into PowerPoint materials for Pharmacy Entrepreneurship courses, also recorded at 100 percent. These outcomes indicate that the program extended beyond product-making practice and could also support learning and entrepreneurship education.
The activity also offered a new perspective on the use of plants available in the surrounding environment. Natural ingredients that may previously have been viewed simply as ordinary plants can be processed into products with greater practical value. For Pharmacy students, this experience can strengthen practical skills while expanding their understanding of natural-product development.
Ratna Sari Dewi and Tatiana Siska Wardani reported that the activity demonstrated how improving students’ skills in processing natural ingredients can contribute to creativity and health-related knowledge. The program was also designed to increase awareness of local herbal plants and the opportunities for developing natural-based products.
The impact of the program was not limited to the ability to prepare herbal tea. It was also connected to entrepreneurship education. Students learned that Pharmacy-related competencies can be developed not only through services or employment in healthcare facilities, but also through the development of natural-based products. This approach aligns with the role of vocational education in preparing graduates who are competent, creative, and ready to enter the workforce.
Monitoring and evaluation also indicated an improvement in students’ understanding of how materials available around them can be utilized. Butterfly pea flowers provided a concrete example of how a local plant can be processed into a product with practical value. The article also emphasizes the importance of continued monitoring and evaluation so that the knowledge gained by students can be applied beyond the training activity.
For the community, the program demonstrates an opportunity to make greater use of local herbal plants. For schools, it provides an example of learning that connects Pharmacy knowledge, health, practical skills, and entrepreneurship. For students, the experience of processing butterfly pea flowers into tea bags can serve as an introduction to the potential of natural ingredients while encouraging them to develop simple product ideas in the future.
Ultimately, the program presents butterfly pea flowers as more than an ornamental plant. The activity shows how this natural ingredient can be developed into an herbal product through appropriate knowledge and processing skills. By learning about processing, packaging, and potential economic opportunities, students at SMK Negeri 1 Sambi gained practical experience in viewing natural resources from both health and entrepreneurship perspectives.
Authors
Ratna Sari Dewi — Pharmacy Study Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Duta Bangsa Surakarta.
Tatiana Siska Wardani — Pharmacy Study Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Duta Bangsa Surakarta.
Research Source
“Meningkatkan Pengetahuan dan Pemanfaatan Bunga Telang di Masyarakat Untuk Pembuatan Teh Celup Herbal Ekstrak Bunga Telang,” Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Formosa (JPMF), Vol. 5, No. 4, August 2026, pp. 367–374.
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