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Journal of Tea Science ›› 2013, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (4): 327-335.doi: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2013.04.006

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The Chemistry and Bioactivity of Thearubigins

LI Da-xiang1, WANG Hua2, BAI Rui1, XIAN Shu1, WAN Xiao-chun1   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Tea Biochemistry & Biotechnology of Ministry of Education of China, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China;
    2. Beijing Tea Quality Inspection and Supervision Station, Beijing Academy of Food Science, Beijing 100076, China
  • Received:2013-01-06 Revised:2013-03-12 Online:2013-08-30 Published:2019-09-04

Abstract: Thearubigins are mixtures of heterogeneous acidic phenolic pigments, which are condensed oligomers or polymers from catechins and theaflavins. Thearubigins contribute to tea color, the body strength, intensity and liquor color of a black tea brew. Due to their heterogeneity, their solubility and chromatographic behaviors are dissilimar and their structures are still ambiguous. The classic isolation method of the thearubigin subfractions has been developed with organic solvent extraction. So far, no thearubigin monomer has been reported. However, some studies have demonstrated that thearubigins possess antioxidative, anti-tumor, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-leukemic, obesity-preventive and even anti-neurotoxin activities in vitro and in animal models since 1990s. As the abundant polyphenolic compounds in black tea, thearubigins may be the potential active compounds contributing to human health.

Key words: black tea, thearubigins, structure, bioactivity

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