Biological Activities and Polyphenol Content of Qi Cha Tea<sup>®</sup>, a Functional Beverage of White Tea Containing Botanicals and Dry Botanical Extracts with European Health Claims

Infusions of <i>Camellia sinensis</i> leaves have been known for their health benefits. The Bio Concentrate Assets<sup>®</sup> (ABC) method is a method of enriching organic infusion leaves (from <i>Camellia sinensis</i>) with organic dry and concentrated extracts...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jean Michel Maixent, Meriam Belaiba, Olivier Pons, Enora Roulleau, Jalloul Bouajila, Jean-Marc Zeil
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-09-01
Series:Plants
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/18/3231
Description
Summary:Infusions of <i>Camellia sinensis</i> leaves have been known for their health benefits. The Bio Concentrate Assets<sup>®</sup> (ABC) method is a method of enriching organic infusion leaves (from <i>Camellia sinensis</i>) with organic dry and concentrated extracts using organic acacia gum, and its application to white tea has provided Qi cha tea<sup>®</sup>. In the present study, the content of tea polyphenols and caffeine, and the biochemical properties of Qi cha tea<sup>®</sup> and its botanical constituents (elderberry, tulsi, <i>Echinacea purpurea</i>, orange peel, lemongrass, and acacia gum) were assessed. Antioxidant and cell viability activities were determined by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay in human Caco-2 and HCT-116 cell lines, and ascorbic acid and tamoxifen, respectively. The caffeine and polyphenol composition of Qi cha tea<sup>®</sup> was modified with less caffeine and gallic acid and more epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) than the original white tea. The majority of the tested botanical samples including Qi cha tea<sup>®</sup> at 50 µg/mL show similar antioxidant activities, with the exception of <i>Echinacea purpurea</i>. The greatest effect was found for white tea. The antioxidant power of the Qi cha tea<sup>®</sup> (90% at 50 µg/mL for pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was divided by approximately a factor of two (61% at 50 µg/mL for pressurized liquid extraction products (PLEP)), which corresponds to the 48.3% (mass/mass) white tea original content in the Qi cha tea<sup>®</sup>. Qi cha tea<sup>®</sup> shows the lowest cytotoxic activity in the viability of the two cell lines when compared to white tea. The application of the ABC method to Qi cha tea<sup>®</sup> using various botanicals and dry extract with acacia gum as blinder has allowed the development of a new innovative functional health beverage that complies with European health claims.
ISSN:2223-7747