Characterization of pu-erh tea using chemical and metabolic profiling approaches

J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Apr 22;57(8):3046-54. doi: 10.1021/jf804000y.

Abstract

In this study, the chemical constituents of pu-erh tea, black tea, and green tea, as well as those of pu-erh tea products of different ages, were analyzed and compared using a chemical profiling approach. Differences in tea processing resulted in differences in the chemical constituents and the color of tea infusions. Human biological responses to pu-erh tea ingestion were also studied by using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOFMS) in conjunction with multivariate statistical techniques. Metabolic alterations during and after pu-erh tea ingestion were characterized by increased urinary excretion of 5-hydroxytryptophan, inositol, and 4-methoxyphenylacetic acid, along with reduced excretion of 3-chlorotyrosine and creatinine. This study highlights the potential for metabonomic technology to assess nutritional interventions and is an important step toward a full understanding of pu-erh tea and its influence on human metabolism.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 5-Hydroxytryptophan / urine
  • Adult
  • Camellia sinensis / chemistry
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
  • Female
  • Food Handling / methods
  • Humans
  • Inositol / urine
  • Male
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Metabolomics / methods*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Tea / chemistry*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Tea
  • Inositol
  • 5-Hydroxytryptophan