Antioxidant activities of crude tea polyphenols, polysaccharides and proteins of selenium-enriched tea and regular green tea

The crude tea polyphenols, polysaccharides and proteins of regular green tea and Se-enriched green tea were investigated in vitro for antioxidant activities by auto-oxidation test (AAPH) and alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method. Results showed that crude tea polyphenols of Se-enriched green tea provided the highest antioxidant activity by DPPH assay and the antioxidant activity was decreased in the order: crude tea polyphenols > crude tea proteins > tea polysaccharides. The crude protein of Se-enriched green tea was found to exhibit the highest antioxidant activity by AAPH method and the antioxidant activity was decreased in the order: crude tea proteins > tea polyphenols > tea polysaccharides. Tea polyphenols and tea polysaccharides of Se-enriched green tea presented significantly higher antioxidant activities than that of regular green tea. No significant difference of antioxidant activities was found between crude tea proteins of Se-enriched green tea and regular green tea. The combinations of Se with tea polyphenols and tea polysaccharides were responsible for the higher antioxidant activities of Se-enriched green tea than regular green tea.