An ESR study of free radicals scavenging by red tea

Abstract

Herbal tea is known to exhibit the scavenging of free radicals responsible for cellular damage. We studied the effect of water treated with reverse osmotic filter equipped with a special dielectric ceramic composite on the antioxidant activity of red tea. Methanol solution of DPPH was added to the tea extract and the RT decay of DPPH free radicals was studied by ESR spectroscopy. Red tea brewed from tap water treated with the composite filter was found to exhibit higher radical scavenging efficiency in comparison with that of the tea brewed from tap water, mineral water and reverse osmosis water.