Distribution of catechin profile and caffeine content in different parts of tea shoots

Abstract

The leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) are one of the major sources containing the highest amounts of polyphenolic substances, mainly catechins, which include (+)-catechin (+C), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), along with caffeine. These catechins and caffeine are mostly responsible for the quality of made tea. However, the contents of these components drastically vary in different parts of tea plants. In this study, the distribution of these components has been determined in various parts of tea shoots such as the bud, first leaf, second leaf, first and second internodes of cultivar TV25. The content of EGCG and ECG was found to be highest in the bud, whereas +C and EC content was observed to be highest in the first internode. The caffeine contents also followed the same trend as EGCG, with the highest amount in the first leaf. This study will help in understanding the distribution of the catechin profile and caffeine content in various parts of tea shoots, which in turn will help produce better quality tea.