theanine and epicatechin-gallate

Although specialized metabolite distributions in different tea (Camellia sinensis) tissues has been studied extensively, little is known about their within-tissue distribution owing to the lack of nondestructive methodology. In this study, desorption electrospray ionization imaging mass spectrometry was used to investigate the within-tissue spatial distributions of specialized metabolites in tea. To overcome the negative effects of the large amount of wax on tea leaves, several sample preparation methods were compared, with a Teflon-imprint method established for tea leaves. Polyphenols are characteristic metabolites in tea leaves. Epicatechin gallate/catechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate/gallocatechin gallate, and gallic acid were evenly distributed on both sides of the leaves, while epicatechin/catechin, epigallocatechin/gallocatechin, and assamicain A were distributed near the leaf vein. L-Theanine was mainly accumulated in tea roots. L-Theanine and valinol were distributed around the outer root cross-section. The results will advance our understanding of the precise localizations and in-vivo biosyntheses of specialized metabolites in tea.

Topics: Camellia sinensis; Catechin; Gallic Acid; Glutamates; Plant Leaves; Plant Roots; Polyphenols; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the plucking periods and the major constituents and the antioxidant activity in green tea. Green tea was prepared from leaves plucked from the end of April 2013 to the end of May 2013 at intervals of one week or longer. The contents of theanine, theobromine, caffeine, catechin (C), and gallocatechin gallate (GCg) were significantly decreased, whereas those of epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) and epigallocatechin (EGC) were significantly increased along with the period of tea leaf plucking. In addition, antioxidant activity of green tea and standard catechins was investigated using ABTS, FRAP and DPPH assays. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in relatively the oldest leaf, regardless of the assay methods used. Additionally, the order of antioxidant activity of standard catechins was as follows: EGCg≥GCg≥ECg>EGC≥GC≥EC≥C. Moreover, the cis-catechins contents were the key factor affecting the antioxidant activity of green tea in all assays employed (ABTS, r=0.731, p<0.01; FRAP, r=0.886, p<0.01; DPPH, r=0.778, p<0.01).

Topics: Benzothiazoles; Biphenyl Compounds; Caffeine; Camellia sinensis; Catechin; Free Radical Scavengers; Free Radicals; Glutamates; Picrates; Plant Extracts; Plant Leaves; Sulfonic Acids

Reduction of the hypervalent heme pigment ferrylmyoglobin by green tea catechins in aqueous solution of pH = 7.5 was investigated by stopped-flow spectroscopy. Reduction by the gallic acid esters epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG, k2 = 1460 L mol(-1) s(-1), 25.0 °C, 0.16 ionic strength) and epicatechin gallate (ECG, 1410 L mol(-1) s(-1)) was found faster than for epicatechin (EC, 300 L mol(-1) s(-1)) and epigallocatechin (EGC, 200 L mol(-1) s(-1)), even though the gallate ion (G, 330 L mol(-1) s(-1)) is similar in rate to EC. The rate for reduction by EC, EGC, ECG, EGCG, and G shows no correlation with their oxidation potentials or phenolic hydrogen-oxygen bond dissociation energy, but with the pKa of the most acidic phenol group. Theanine, with an acidity similar to that of EC, reduces ferrylmyoglobin with a similar rate (200 L mol(-1) s(-1)), in support of general acid catalysis with an initial proton transfer prior to electron transfer.

Topics: Catalysis; Catechin; Chemical Phenomena; Gallic Acid; Glutamates; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Metmyoglobin; Oxidation-Reduction; Tea