Antioxidant properties of tea investigated by EPR spectroscopy

The antioxidant properties of green, black and mixed (fruit) tea samples of different origin were investigated by means of EPR spectroscopy. A six line EPR spectrum of solid tea samples indicates the presence of Mn(II) ions and it is superimposed with a sharp singlet line attributed to semiquinone radical species (DeltaH(pp) = 1 mT; g = 2.0022). Antioxidant properties of aqueous tea extracts in H2O2/NaOH/dimethylsulfoxide system generating reactive radicals ((OH)-O-., O-2(.-), (CH3)-C-.) were followed by spin trapping technique. In addition, antioxidant capacity of these samples was assessed using stable radicals 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPOL). Typically, the highest antioxidant potential to terminate superoxide radicals was found in green teas, followed by black and fruity teas. The pro-oxidant activity of green teas evidenced by spin traps was promoted in samples with higher Mn(II) and ascorbic acid concentrations. Various sources of free radicals used in the antioxidant tests due to their specific action show different termination rates in the presence of the individual tea samples. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.