Preparative Separation of Polyphenols from Tea by High-Speed Countercurrent Chromatography

Abstract

High-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) was applied to the separation of polyphenols from tea leaves (Camellia sinensis L.). The capability of HSCCC to isolate pure tea polyphenols from complex mixtures on a preparative scale was demonstrated for catechins, flavonol glycosides, proanthocyanidins, and strictinin from green and black tea. The purity and identity of isolated compounds was confirmed by ¹H NMR and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Gram quantities of polyphenols from tea can be isolated with the procedure described. Keywords: Green tea; black tea; Camellia sinensis; high-speed countercurrent chromatography; HPLC-ESI-MS; polyphenols; catechins; flavonol glycosides; proanthocyanidins; strictinin