Antioxidant Activity and Determination of Total Polyphenol Levels in White Tea Leaves (Camellia sinensis L.)

Abstract

White tea from the shoots is picked and dried by simple processing. Brewing white tea leaves have been shown to have antioxidant activity. This study aimed to determine the antioxidant activity of white tea leaves grown in Indonesia using extraction methods other than brewing, i.e., maceration. Study of free radical scavenging activity of 1,1-Diphenyl-2-Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the determination of the total polyphenol content of white tea leaves have been conducted using UV-Visible spectrophotometry. Results of the study revealed that the antioxidant activities of the ethanol extract, n-hexane fraction, the water fraction and the ethyl acetate fraction of white tea leaves had IC50 values of 2.03, 4.77, 2.17 and 1.55 μg/mL, respectively. Quercetin was used for comparison which showed IC50 value of 1.05 µg/mL. The ethyl acetate fraction had an antioxidant activity, equivalent to quercetin, and can be categorized as a very strong antioxidant. The total polyphenol content of white tea leaves was 0.373±0.0064%. The result of thinlayer chromatography (TLC) profiles extract ethanol, n-hexane fraction and ethyl acetate fraction showed the presence of flavonoids, polyphenols, and monoterpene-sesquiterpenes. Ethyl acetate extract of white tea leaves has very strong antioxidant activity