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

Abstract

Infusions of Camellia sinensis leaves have been known for their health benefits. The Bio Concentrate Assets® (ABC) method is a method of enriching organic infusion leaves (from Camellia sinensis) with organic dry and concentrated extracts using organic acacia gum, and its application to white tea has provided Qi cha tea®. In the present study, the content of tea polyphenols and caffeine, and the biochemical properties of Qi cha tea® and its botanical constituents (elderberry, tulsi, Echinacea purpurea, 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® 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® at 50 µg/mL show similar antioxidant activities, with the exception of Echinacea purpurea. The greatest effect was found for white tea. The antioxidant power of the Qi cha tea® (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®. Qi cha tea® 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® 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.