Separation of polyphenols and caffeine from the acetone extract of fermented tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) using high-performance countercurrent chromatography

Molecules. 2015 Jul 21;20(7):13216-25. doi: 10.3390/molecules200713216.

Abstract

Leaves from Camellia sienensis are a popular natural source of various beverage worldwide, and contain caffeine and polyphenols derived from catechin analogues. In the current study, caffeine (CAF, 1) and three tea polyphenols including (-)-epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate (EGCg, 2), (-)-gallocatechin 3-O-gallate (GCg, 3), and (-)-epicatechin 3-O-gallate (ECg, 4) were isolated and purified by flow-rate gradient high-performance countercurrent chromatography (HPCCC) using a two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (1:9:1:9, v/v). Two hundred milligrams of acetone-soluble extract from fermented C. sinensis leaves was separated by HPCCC to give 1 (25.4 mg), 2 (16.3 mg), 3 (11.1 mg) and 4 (4.4 mg) with purities over 98%. The structures of 1-4 were elucidated by QTOF-MS, as well as 1H- and 13C-NMR, and the obtained data were compared to the previously reported values.

Keywords: Camellia sinensis; high-performance countercurrent chromatography; tea-polyphenols.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetone / chemistry*
  • Caffeine / chemistry
  • Caffeine / isolation & purification*
  • Camellia sinensis / chemistry*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry*
  • Polyphenols / chemistry
  • Polyphenols / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • Polyphenols
  • Acetone
  • Caffeine