The chemical constituents in the Pu-erh tea were isolated by various column chromatographic methods, and their structures were identified by spectral data and physic-chemical analysis. As a result, eleven flavonoids were isolated and identified as kaempferol (1), quercetin (2), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-rutinoside (4), apigenin-6-C-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-8-C-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), vitexin-4"-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), kaempferol-3-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1--> 3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside] (7), quercetin3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8), rutin (9), quercetin-3-0-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (10), and myricetin-3-0-beta-D-glucopyranoside (11). Compounds 5-7, 10 and 11 were isolated from Pu-erh tea for the first time.
Camellia sinensis ; chemistry ; Flavones ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Tea ; chemistry

Nowadays, tea and the substitution (other kinds of tea) take an important status in the drinking, food, health product and the related industry. The most popular Green tea, Maté originated from South America, Large-leaved Kudingcha, Small-leaved Kudingcha, and the Eagle tea used civilian have many similarities on history, chemical constituents and biological activities. In this article, we summarized the similarities and the characteristics of the Green tea and the other four teas in order to provide scientific evidences for better development of the tea and substitutions.
Antioxidants ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Camellia sinensis ; chemistry ; Humans ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Tea ; chemistry

The present study was performed to observe histopathological changes in tissues of Bithynia siamensis goniomphalos (Gastropoda, Bithyniidae) incubated in crude extract solutions of camellia (Camellia oleifera) seed and mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) pericarp, and furthermore to estimate the molluscicidal effects of 2 plant substances. Substantial numbers of bithyniid snails were incubated in various concentrations of 2 plant solution for 24 hr. As the positive control, snails incubated in various concentrations of niclosamide, a chemical molluscicide, were used. The histopathological findings were observed in sectioned snail specimens of each experimental and control groups. The results showed that both camellia and mangosteen extracts had molluscicidal effects at 24 hr with 50% lethal concentration (LC50) at concentrations of 0.003 and 0.002 g/ml, respectively, while niclosamide had LC50 at concentrations 0.599 ppm. B. siamensis goniomphalos snail tissues (foot, gill, and digestive system) showed disruption of columnar muscle fibers of the foot, reduction of the length and number of gill cilia, numerous mucous vacuoles, and irregularly shaped of epithelial cells. Irregular apical and calciferous cells, dilatation of the digestive gland tubule, and large hemolymphatic spaces, and irregular apical surfaces, detachment of cilia, and enlargement of lysosomal vacuoles of epidermis were also shown in all groups. By the present study, it is confirmed that 2 plants, camellia and mangosteen, are keeping some substance having molluscicidal effects, and histopathological findings obtained in this study will provide some clues in further studies on their action mechanisms to use them as natural molluscicides.
Animals ; Camellia/*chemistry ; Disease Vectors ; Garcinia mangostana/*chemistry ; Gastropoda/*drug effects ; Host-Parasite Interactions ; Plant Extracts/chemistry/*pharmacology ; Seeds/chemistry

To study the chemical constituents of Camellia sinensis var. assamica. The compounds were isolated by NKA Macroporous resin silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, RP-C18 column chromatographies and semi-preparative HPLC,and their structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties and spectral analysis. Thirteen compounds were isolated and identified as caffeine (1), theobromine (2), gallic acid (3), (+)-catechin (4), ampelopsin (5), (-)-epicatechin (6), (-)-epiafzelechin (7), (-)-epicatechin-3-O-gallate (8), (-)-epiafzelechin-3-O-gallate (9) , (+)-catechin-3-O-gallate (10) , (+)-afzelechin-3-O-gallate (11), quemefin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosid (12), and (-)-epicatechin-3-O-p-hydroxybenzoate (13). Compounds 2, 5, 10-13 were isolated from this plant for the first time, and compound 11 is a new natural product.
Camellia sinensis ; chemistry ; Catechin ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Flavonoids ; analysis

The tea beverages will be endowed with distinct aroma and taste, as well as various biologically active compounds including probiotic factors, when fermented with lactic acid bacteria (LAB). However, at present, few studies on the dynamics of flavors in tea soup at different fermentation stages were conducted. In this study, the composition of monosaccharides, aromatic components, free amino acids, and organic acids were measured, when the black tea beverages were fermented with Lactobacillus coryniformis FZU63 which was isolated from Chinese traditional kimchi. The results indicated that monosaccharides including glucose, fructose, mannose and xylose in black tea beverages are the main carbon sources for fermentation. In addition, the abundance of aromatic compounds in black tea soup are increased significantly at different fermentation stages, which endow the fermented black tea soup with fruit aroma on the basis of flowery and nutty aroma. Moreover, some bitter amino acids are reduced, whereas the content of sweet and tasty amino acids is elevated. Furthermore, the levels of lactic acid, malic acid, citric acid and other organic acids are accumulated during the fermentation. Additionally, sensory evaluation displays that black tea beverage is acquired with comprehensive high-quality after being fermented for 48 h. This study provides a theoretical basis to steer and control the flavor formation and quality of the fermented tea beverages during LAB fermentation.
Tea/chemistry* ; Beverages/microbiology* ; Camellia sinensis ; Fermentation ; Acids ; Amino Acids ; Glucose

To explore the mechanism of tea albino variation and high theanine formation, 'Fuyun 6' and a new theanine-rich tea cultivar 'Fuhuang 2' were as materials in this study, pigment content, metabolome and transcriptome of the two cultivars were analyzed by ultramicroelectron microscopy, widely targeted metabolomics, targeted metabolomics and transcriptomics. The results showed that five catechins, theobromine, caffeine, and 20 free amino acids, including theanine, glutamine, arginine, etc., were identified by targeted metabolomics. The amino acid content of 'Fuhuang 2' was significantly higher than that of 'Fuyun 6', and the theanine content was as high as 57.37 mg/g in 'Fuhuang 2'. The ultrastructure of leaves showed that the chloroplast cell structure of 'Fuhuang 2' was fuzzy, most of the grana lamellae were arranged in disorder, with large gaps, and the thylakoids were filiform. The determination of pigments showed that compared with 'Fuyun 6', the contents of chlorophyll A and B, carotenoids, flavonoids and other pigments of 'Fuhuang 2' decreased significantly, some important pigment-related-genes, such as chlorophyllase (CLH), 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED), flavonoid 3β-hydroxylase (F3H) and flavonoid 3', 5'-hydroxylase (F3'5'H) were significantly changed. Compared with 'Fuyun 6', 'Fuhuang 2' identified 138 significantly changed metabolites (SCMs) and 658 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). KEGG enrichment analysis showed that SCMs and DEGs were significantly enriched in amino acid biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism and TCA cycle. In general, the albino phenotype of 'Fuhuang 2' may be caused by a deficiency in photosynthetic proteins, chlorophyll metabolism genes and chlorophyll content. The accumulation of high theanine in 'Fuhuang 2' may be due to the low nitrogen consumption in yellowed leaves and the lack of carbon skeleton, amino and nitrogen resources are stored more effectively, resulting in the up regulation of metabolites and related gene expression in the amino acid synthesis pathway, theanine has become a significant accumulation of nitrogen-containing compounds in yellowed leaves.
Camellia sinensis/genetics* ; Chlorophyll A/metabolism* ; Plant Proteins/genetics* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry* ; Chlorophyll/metabolism* ; Transcriptome ; Flavonoids/metabolism* ; Amino Acids/genetics* ; Tea ; Mixed Function Oxygenases/metabolism* ; Nitrogen/metabolism*

Green tea, Camellia sinensis (Theaceae), a major source of flavonoids such as catechins, has recently shown multiple cardiovascular health benefits through various experimental and clinical studies. These studies suggest that green tea catechins prevent the incidence of detrimental cardiovascular events, and also lower the cardiovascular mortality rate. Catechins present in green tea have the ability to prevent atherosclerosis, hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, ischemic heart diseases, cardiomyopathy, cardiac hypertrophy and congestive heart failure by decreasing oxidative stress, preventing inflammatory events, reducing platelet aggregation and halting the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. Catechins afford an anti-oxidant effect by inducing anti-oxidant enzymes, inhibiting pro-oxidant enzymes and scavenging free radicals. Catechins present anti-inflammatory activity through the inhibition of transcriptional factor NF-κB-mediated production of cytokines and adhesion molecules. Green tea catechins interfere with vascular growth factors and thus inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, and also inhibit thrombogenesis by suppressing platelet adhesion. Additionally, catechins could protect vascular endothelial cells and enhance vascular integrity and regulate blood pressure. In this review various experimental and clinical studies suggesting the role of green tea catechins against the markers of cardiovascular disorders and the underlying mechanisms for these actions are discussed.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; administration & dosage ; Camellia sinensis ; chemistry ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; genetics ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Catechin ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage

Camellia oil has become an important plant oil in China in recent years, but its effects on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have not been documented. In this study, the effects of camellia oil, soybean oil, and olive oil on NAFLD were evaluated by analyzing the fatty acid profiles of the plant oils, the serum lipids and lipoproteins of rats fed different oils, and by cytological and ultrastructural observation of the rats' hepatocytes. Analysis of fatty acid profiles showed that the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) n-6/n-3 ratio was 33.33 in camellia oil, 12.50 in olive oil, and 7.69 in soybean oil. Analyses of serum lipids and lipoproteins of rats showed that the levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in a camellia oil-fed group (COFG) were lower than those in an olive oil-fed group (OOFG) and higher than those in a soybean oil-fed group (SOFG). However, only the difference in total cholesterol between the COFG and SOFG was statistically significant. Cytological observation showed that the degree of lipid droplet (LD) accumulation in the hepatocytes in the COFG was lower than that in the OOFG, but higher than that in the SOFG. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that the size and number of the LDs in the hepatocytes of rats fed each of the three types of oil were related to the degree of damage to organelles, including the positions of nuclei and the integrity of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. The results revealed that the effect of camellia oil on NAFLD in rats was greater than that of soybean oil, but less than that of olive oil. Although the overall trend was that among the three oil diets, those with a lower n-6/n-3 ratio were associated with a lower risk of NAFLD, and the effect of camellia oil on NAFLD was not entirely related to the n-6/n-3 ratio and may have involved other factors. This provides new insights into the effect of oil diets on NAFLD.
Animals ; Camellia/chemistry* ; Fatty Acids/analysis* ; Hepatocytes/ultrastructure* ; Lipid Droplets/physiology* ; Lipids/blood* ; Male ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/pathology* ; Plant Oils/administration & dosage* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the preventive effects of Camellia sinensis var. assamica (CSVA) on diabetic nephropathy in in vitro and in vivo models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MDCK cells were incubated with 1 mM of oxalate with or without different concentrations of CSVA, then MTT and malondialdehyde (MDA) assays were performed to investigate the preventive effects of CSVA on oxalate-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress. Thirty male db/db mice were divided into three groups. Group 1 were fed AIN-93G ad libitum; group 2 were fed AIN-93G mixed with 10% fermented CSVA ad libitum; group 3 were fed AIN-93G mixed with 10% non-fermented CSVA ad libitum. The mice were sacrificed 14 weeks later, and the serum glucose level, 24-hour urine chemistry, and morphological changes in the kidneys were examined. RESULTS: As CSVA concentrations increased, viable MDCK cells increased in concentration. MDA production decreased over time in the CSVA treated group. The creatinine clearance of group 3 was lower than those of groups 1 and 2. The amount of urine microalbumin and protein in group 1 were higher than those in groups 2 and 3. Also, more glomerulus basement membrane foot processes were preserved in groups 2 and 3. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, CSVA has beneficial preventive tendencies towards diabetic nephropathy in both in vitro and in vivo models.
Animals ; *Camellia sinensis/chemistry ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival/drug effects ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications ; Diabetic Nephropathies/*drug therapy/*prevention & control ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dogs ; Kidney/cytology/*drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Mutant Strains ; Plant Extracts/*pharmacology ; *Tea/chemistry

OBJECTIVETo isolate Salmonella from curry samples and to evaluate the drug sensitivity of the food-borne Salmonella and its susceptibility to specific plant extracts.

METHODSSalmonella was isolated from the curry samples by standard microbiological methods and was confirmed by biochemical tests. The antibiotic susceptibility test was conducted by disc diffusion method using commercially available antibiotics such as ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, and penicillin. In addition, the susceptibility of the food-borne Salmonella was also evaluated against the aqueous extracts of Camelia sinensis (L.) Theaceae (tea leaves) and the Trachyspermum ammi (L.) Apiaceae ( ajwain or omum seeds).

RESULTSOut of fifty curry samples, only seven samples were identified to have Salmonella contamination. The Salmonella isolates showed a significant drug resistance pattern except for kanamycin. The plant extracts showed a considerable antibacterial activity against the isolates, indicating the presence of antimicrobial principle which can be exploited after complete pharmacological investigations.

CONCLUSIONSThe present study demonstrates the occurrence of Salmonella in the curry samples, and shows significant drug resistance against most of the commercially available antibiotics, except kanamycin. Antimicrobial effect of the plant extracts against the food-bone Salmonella suggests that dietary including medicinal herbs would be one strategy to manage food borne pathogens.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Apiaceae ; chemistry ; Camellia ; chemistry ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Food Microbiology ; Humans ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Salmonella ; drug effects ; isolation & purification