Part1. What is black tea extract theaflavins?
Theaflavin, a golden yellow pigment present in black tea, is the product of tea fermentation. In terms of biochemistry, theaflavin is a kind of substance with polyphenolic hydroxyl group and phenolic ketone structure. It is the first compound with definite pharmacological effects found from tea. Theaflavins range from 0.5% to 2% by weight of dry tea, depending on how the black tea is processed. Thea yellow pigment plays a certain role in the bright color and strong taste of tea soup, and is an important quality index of black tea.
Part2. The origin of theaflavins
Theaflavin was first discovered by Roberts. It refers to the orange-yellow substance dissolved in ethyl acetate in black tea. It is formed by oxidative condensation of polyphenols and their derivatives. The content of theaflavin in black tea is generally 0.3% to 1.5%. , plays a decisive role in the color, fragrance and quality of black tea. In recent years, due to the fact that theaflavin has many potential functions related to human health, such as anti-oxidation, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, lowering blood fat, anti-cancer and anti-cancer, etc., it has received widespread attention at home and abroad, and has become a key ingredient in tea quality chemistry and functions. Composition research hotspots.
Part3. The main components of theaflavins
Theophylline is mainly composed of polyphenols and catechins, and also contains amino acids, vitamin C, vitamin E, provitamin A, flavonoids and flavonols. Theaflavin is the main component of theophylline, and there are 12 components in total, including theaflavin, theaflavin-3-gallate, theaflavin-3,3'-digallate and theaflavin-3 '-Gallate is the four most important theaflavins. In tea processing, it is mainly formed by the paired oxidation condensation of simple catechin and gallocatechin. The discovery of theaflavins is closely related to the research on the fermentation process of black tea.
Part4. Physiological function
Theaflavins have strong physiological activities, such as anti-oxidation, anti-cancer and anti-cancer, lowering blood fat, preventing cardiovascular diseases, anti-bacterial and anti-virus and other physiological functions, and even have stronger medicinal effects than catechins in some aspects.
1. Anti-cancer and anti-cancer effects
Tea has anti-cancer and anti-cancer effects, and its main active ingredients are tea polyphenols, catechin monomers and tea pigments. Modern pharmacological activity studies have shown that theaflavins have anti-mutation, inhibition of cytochrome P450 activity, inhibition of extracellular signaling and proliferation of cancer cells, anti-inflammation and chemoprevention of cancer, etc. According to literature reports, tea pigment has stronger antioxidant properties than tea polyphenols and good medical and health functions, such as preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, preventing dental caries, preventing cancer and anticancer, antibacterial and antiviral, etc.
2. Antioxidant effect
Theaflavins achieve its antioxidant effect by regulating the activity of biological enzymes in the body, directly eliminating free radicals, complexing with metal ions, and preventing the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins.
3. Anti-inflammatory
Tea pigment can reduce the production of endogenous uric acid, reduce the onset of gouty arthritis, and in some respects is superior to probenecid and allopurinol.
4. Antibacterial
Friedman M et al. studied the antibacterial effect of 7 kinds of catechin monomers, 4 kinds of main theaflavins and crude water extracts of various teas on Bacillus cereus. The results showed that the antibacterial effect of tea mainly depends on the tea leaves catechins and theaflavins, and the antibacterial effect exceeds that of pharmaceutical antibiotics such as tetracycline and vancomycin.
5. Anti-virus
1mm concentration of black tea extract can inhibit the infection of influenza virus A and influenza virus B to kidney MDCK cells, and its mechanism is to inhibit the adsorption of viruses on cells rather than inhibit the replication of viruses in cells. In addition, it was found that TF-3 can inhibit the infection of monkey kidney MA104 cell line to rotavirus and enterovirus, TFs can make the infection of bovine virus and coronavirus ineffective, and 80mg/ml black tea extract can completely inhibit human rotavirus Virus.
6. Anti-cardiovascular disease
TFs have significant anticoagulation, fibrinolysis, and prevention of platelet adhesion and aggregation, and can significantly reduce triglyceride GT in the serum of high-fat animals. The mechanism is through improving red blood cell deformability, adjusting red blood cell aggregation, and platelet adhesion. Aggregation, reduce plasma viscosity, improve microcirculation, ensure the supply of tissue blood and oxygen, improve the body's overall immunity and tissue metabolism, achieve the purpose of disease prevention and treatment, and can significantly reduce the level of triglyceride in the serum of high-fat animals , Low-density lipoprotein LDL, increase high-density lipoprotein HDL. TFs have a significant inhibitory effect on angiotensin I-converting enzyme, and have a good blood-lowering effect.
7. Deodorization
Theaflavins can effectively remove bad breath. Under the alkaline condition of PH10, 1 mg of theaflavins with a content of 40% can remove 0.232 mg of methyl mercaptan.
