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. 2019 Jan 29;24(3):473.
doi: 10.3390/molecules24030473.

Ripe and Raw Pu-Erh Tea: LC-MS Profiling, Antioxidant Capacity and Enzyme Inhibition Activities of Aqueous and Hydro-Alcoholic Extracts

Gabriella Roda  1 , Cristina Marinello  2 , Anita Grassi  3 , Claudia Picozzi  4 , Giancarlo Aldini  5 , Marina Carini  6 , Luca Regazzoni  7
Affiliations

Ripe and Raw Pu-Erh Tea: LC-MS Profiling, Antioxidant Capacity and Enzyme Inhibition Activities of Aqueous and Hydro-Alcoholic Extracts

Gabriella Roda et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Herein, we reported a detailed profiling of soluble components of two fermented varieties of Chinese green tea, namely raw and ripe pu-erh. The identification and quantification of the main components was carried out by means of mass spectrometry and UV spectroscopy, after chromatographic separation. The antioxidant capacity towards different radical species, the anti-microbial and the enzyme inhibition activities of the extracts were then correlated to their main constituents. Despite a superimposable qualitative composition, a similar caffeine content, and similar enzyme inhibition and antimicrobial activities, raw pu-erh tea extract had a better antioxidant capacity owing to its higher polyphenol content. However, the activity of raw pu-erh tea seems not to justify its higher production costs and ripe variety appears to be a valid and low-cost alternative for the preparation of products with antioxidant or antimicrobial properties.

Keywords: LC-MS.; anti-enzyme profile; antioxidant profile; raw pu-erh tea; ripe pu-erh tea.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Total ion chromatograms (TICs, negative ion mode) of aqueous and hydro-alcoholic extracts of ripe pu-erh tea (a–b, respectively) and raw pu-erh tea (c–d, respectively).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Normalized content in polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, proteins, aminoacids, carbohydrates and caffeine (upper radar plot) and normalized antioxidant and enzyme inhibition activities (lower radar plot) of pu-erh tea extracts. Activities reported as trolox equivalents for ORAC, Fe2+ equivalent for FRAP or 1/IC50 for all the other assays. (aq = aqueous extracts, Hy = hydroalcoholic extracts).
Figure 3
Figure 3
PCA biplot. Blue vector for loadings of Table S2 variables; sample scores represented as dots and labeled as: #1 = ripe pu-erh aqueous extract; #2 = raw pu-erh aqueous extract; #3 = ripe pu-erh hydro-alcoholic extract; #4 = raw pu-erh hydro-alcoholic extract.
Figure 4
Figure 4
S. aureus growth inhibition by ripe pu-erh extract (plate A) and raw pu-erh extract (plate B) at a concentration of 5 mg/mL (sector 1), 2.5 mg/mL (sector 2), 1.25 mg/mL (sector 3), 0.625 mg/mL (sector 4) or 0.3125 (sector 5). Chloramphenicol (sector 6) was used as reference standard.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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