Herbal Tea Samples Research Articles

Deterministic and probabilistic assessment of heavy metals in herbal teas sold in Lanzhou City, China

To evaluate the health risks of consuming herbal teas to residents in Lanzhou City, this study used ICP-MS to determine the Hg, Cd, and Pb content in 131 herbal tea samples (leaf, flower, and fruit) and conducted risk assessment by two methods. The Hg contents were all within safe limit of China, but the Cd and Pb levels in some samples were higher than the same limit. At the P95 exposure level, the ranking of heavy metals based on hazard quotient (HQ) was Pb > Cd > Hg in both methods. The deterministic assessment showed that HQs of Hg, Cd, and Pb were below 1, hazard index (HI) was also below 1, but cancer risk (CR) of Cd was above 10−4. In probability assessment, the HQs of Hg and Pb were less than 1, but the HQ of Cd had a certain probability of being greater than 1, and the CR of Cd is greater than 10−4. Therefore, we conclude that Hg and Pb in herbal teas may not pose a health risk, but Cd pose a health risk to consumers. Thus, measures should be taken to minimize the excessive accumulation of Pb and Cd in the cultivation and production process of floral tea.

Sensory evaluation and chemical composition of Solanum nigrum and Solanum torvum herbal tea and spice.

Herbal teas are ingested for various purposes and by diverse populations across the globe. There is a growing recognition among individuals of the advantages associated with the use of this beverage, leading to a heightened demand for the manufacture of herbal tea derived from therapeutic plants. Spices on the other hand add flavour to food but could pose harm if it is high in phytates and oxalates. The objective of this study was to develop natural spices and herbal tea with health beneficial properties using Solanum nigrum and Solanum torvum berries. Herbal tea samples from S. nigrum were prepared by sorting berries, maceration, divided into two (fermenting at 18 °C and non-fermenting) and dried at 60 °C for 12 h in a hot oven. Spices from S. torvum and S. nigrum were prepared by removing the berries from the stalk, freeze-drying and smooth milling into fine powder. In addition, antinutrient, phytochemical and sensory evaluation studies were conducted on these spices and herbal teas. A nine-point hedonic scale was utilized for the purpose of conducting a consumer acceptability sensory evaluation test using 101 untrained panelists. Data was then analyzed by t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the level of significance (p < 0.05) was assessed using Tukey's and Dunnett's multiple comparison tests. The panellists expressed a favourable perception towards Solanum nigrum unripe unfermented green herbal tea (6.65 ± 2.08) as compared to the other formulated teas due to the components working together in a way that produces a nice tea sample. Both Solanum nigrum and Solanum torvum spices contained various levels of catechins, saponins, flavonoids, oxalates, phytates and tannins comparable to literature. The herbal tea samples exhibited a range of catechin content, varying from 0.255 to 0.756 mg/g. The antioxidant activity of the various herbal tea samples ranged from 66.37 ± 0.24 to 78.53 ± 0.18 µg/mL GAE as determined by the DPPH free radical assay Fermented black herbal teas recorded higher total phenols (2.80 ± 0.09d), total flavonoids (21.84 ± 1.84c) and showed greater antioxidant activity (78.53 ± 0.18a) as compared to the unfermented green herbal teas. The process of fermentation resulted in a decrease in pH from 7.22 to 6.53 within a period of 12 h. The Total Titratable Acidity (TTA) grew as the fermentation period progressed, whereas the Total Soluble Solids (TSS) decreased. Phytates were the least antinutrients among the two Solanum species accounting for 0.02 mg/100 g and 0.03 mg/100 g in S. torvum berries (STBs) and (S. nigrum berries) SNBs respectively.

Exploration of New Lipid Nutrients and Their Characterization in Herbal Teas Using Non-Targeted Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Herbal teas are blends of leaves, seeds, fruits, and flowers from various plants that provide relaxation, anti-inflammatory benefits, and immune system support for conditions such as diabetes and asthma. Despite their health benefits, comprehensive lipidomic data on herbal teas are limited in the literature. We used non-targeted liquid chromatography-linear ion trap orbitrap mass spectrometry to identify and correlate the lipid species in the following six herbal tea samples: fennel, ginger, juniper, lemon peel, orange peel, and rosehip. A total of 204 lipid molecular species were identified, and multivariate analysis revealed a significant difference between lipid species in herbal teas. Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are significantly abundant in juniper, including ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids, followed by fennel. Cluster correlations showed that ginger contained mainly sphingolipids and lysophospholipids, whereas fennel was rich in phospholipids. No significant variations in the content of triacylglycerols were observed in any of the herbal teas analyzed. The ratio of PUFAs to SFAs in herbal teas showed that orange peel had the highest ratio, followed by lemon peel and fennel, indicating their potential health benefits. In addition, using high-resolution mass spectrometry, various lipids such as fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids and N-acyl-lysophosphatidylethanolamines were identified and characterized in these herbal teas. This study provides a comprehensive lipid analysis and detailed characterization of lipids in six herbal teas, highlighting their plausible applications in the field of nutrition and various food industries for the development of functional foods.

SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF HERBAL TEA SAMPLES WITH CIPROFLOXACIN AGAINST MRSA AND THEIR ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES

OBJECTIVE: Sambucus nigra L. (elderberry), Salvia sclarea L. (clary sage), Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary), and Coriandrum sativum L. (coriander) are all consumed as flavoring agents for food and are well-known in traditional medicine for the treating various diseases worldwide. These herbs are also commonly used for microbial infections, especially to relieve cough, fever, and cold symptoms. This study aims to screen and compare the content of total phenols and antioxidant activity potential of three different extracts from each commercial sample of S. nigra, S. sclarea, R. officinalis and C. sativum from Türkiye. We also investigated the (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 (methicillin-susceptible, MSSA) and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300 (methicillin-resistant, MRSA) and the synergistic activity with an antibiotic, ciprofloxacin, by checkerboard assay. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The fruits of S. nigra and C. sativum, the aerial parts of S. sclarea, and the leaves of R. officinalis were purchased from a trading company that marketed them as herbal tea in Türkiye. This study investigated the total phenolic content and antioxidant potential of extracts from commercial samples. We also determined the synergistic effect of herbal tea samples with ciprofloxacin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). RESULTS: R. officinalis (rosemary) and Salvia sclarea (clary sage) extracts showed high phenolic content and antioxidant activity, whereas it was determined that C.sativum (coriander) and S. nigra (elderberry) extracts exhibited lower antioxidant activity and low phenolic compounds. Moreover, ciprofloxacin in combination with the ethanolic extract of S. sclarea showed additive antibacterial activity against S. aureus ATCC 43300. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that herbal tea prepared from commercial R. officinalis (rosemary) and S.sclarea (clary sage) samples can support the antioxidant activity with high phenolic content and that ciprofloxacin combined with the ethanolic extract of clary sage showed additive antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant S. aureus ATCC 43300. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanism of additive action in detail.

Dispersive Solid Phase Extraction of Melatonin with Graphene/Clay Mixtures and Fluorescence Analysis in Surfactant Aqueous Solutions.

In this work, the dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) of melatonin using graphene (G) mixtures with sepiolite (SEP) and bentonite (BEN) clays as sorbents combined with fluorescence detection has been investigated. The retention was found to be quantitative for both G/SEP and G/BEN 4/96 and 10/90 w/w mixtures. G/clay 4/96 w/w mixtures were selected to study the desorption process since the retention was weaker, thus leading to easier desorption. MeOH and aqueous solutions of the nonionic surfactant Brij L23 were tested as desorbents. For both clays and an initial sample volume of 25 mL, a percentage of melatonin recovery close to 100% was obtained using 10 or 25 mL of MeOH as desorbent. Further, using a G/SEP mixture, 25 mL as the initial sample volume and 5 mL of MeOH or 60 mM Brij L23 solution as the desorbent, recoveries of 98.3% and 90% were attained, respectively. The whole method was applied to herbal tea samples containing melatonin, and the percentage of agreement with the labeled value was 86.5%. It was also applied to herbal samples without melatonin by spiking them with two concentrations of this compound, leading to recoveries of 100 and 102%.

Quality analysis of herbal teabags as functional drink

The potential for diversification of herbal drinks has increased along with a healthy lifestyle. This study aims to develop herbal drinks in the form of teabags that are practical and economical in terms of proportion and selling price. There were seven herbal tea samples tested with the proportion of spices such as mangosteen peel, ginger, lemongrass, kersen leaves, lime leaves (P1 = 1:1:1:1:1:1), (P2 = 1:2:1:1:1:1:1:1), (P3 = 1:1:2:1:1:1:1:1), (P4 = 1: 1:1:1:2:1:1:1:1), (P5 = 1:1:1:1:1:2:1:1), (P6 = 1:1:1:1:1:2:1), and (P7 = 1:1:1:1:1:1:1:2) The hedonic test method was used to obtain the best results based on the quality of herbal tea with colour, aroma, and taste parameters. The sample respondents consisted of 100 MSME assistants. The results showed that the best results with the composition P3 = 1:1:2:1:1:1:1 in terms of aroma and flavour of herbal teabags. Meanwhile, in terms of the importance of herbal teabags, panelists considered the colour aspect to be the most important factor, followed by the taste and aroma of herbal teabags. Meanwhile, a selling price of IDR 12,500/pack was obtained. The results of this study indicate that herbal teabags can be accepted by the market so further research needs to be done related to chemical content tests.

Green composite colorimetric and “Turn-on” fluorescent material for the detection of Al3+ ion in blood serum and herbal tea

In the present investigation, we fabricated an ecologically sustainable green composite material derived from green raw materials, including cellulose nanomaterials and Morin. This innovative material underscores its commitment to environmental friendliness and boasts distinctive surface properties that render it an ideal substrate. The selection of this material was motivated by its intricate network structure and inherent capacity for surface modifications. The crux of our methodology involved the integration of the organic probe 2-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5,7-trihydroxychromen-4-one, commonly known as Morin, onto the surface of the cellulose nanocomposite. This strategic embedding of Morin conferred the composite material with exceptional attributes, enabling preconcentration, spectrophotometric determination, and fluorometric turn-on sensing of Al3+ ions. This unique property facilitated the ion-sensing of Al3+ ions in diverse samples, including blood serum and herbal tea.The resultant Morin green composite material exhibited remarkable sensitivity toward Al3+ ions in aqueous solutions, accomplishing extraordinary LOD as low as 0.26 ppb. This heightened sensitivity permits for precise and efficient ion-sensing and enables the detection to be perceptible to the naked eye. Notably, the Morin green composite material displayed a rapid and distinct color change within a brief span of less than two minutes when exposed to varying concentrations of Al3+ ions. Beyond its analytical prowess, the developed Morin green composite material demonstrated significant efficacy in practical applications. Specifically, it showcased remarkable performance in detecting Al3+ ions in serum samples and herbal tea samples.

Occurrence of Aspergillus chevalieri and A. niger on Herbal Tea and Their Potential to Produce Ochratoxin A (OTA)

Herbal teas, including Camellia sinensis (black and green teas), are popular beverages with health benefits for consumers worldwide. These products are prepared from natural materials of different plant parts containing antioxidant properties and vitamins. The aim of this study was to investigate fungal contaminants and their ability to produce ochratoxin A (OTA) in herbal tea samples. Seven herbal teas were obtained from local markets in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand. Samples were incubated on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and the growing mycelia were isolated into a pure culture. The cultures were identified via both morphology and molecular analysis to confirm species identification. The identified species were subjected to OTA analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a fluorescence detector. Ochratoxin A was produced by Aspergillus chevalieri and A. niger, isolated from seven herbal tea samples (black tea, green tea, bael fruit, goji berry, jasmine, lavender, and rose). This finding raises concerns about the safety of herbal tea and should be investigated further for potential health implications.

Phytochemical composition, anti-amylase and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities of leaf extracts and herbal tea of Dolichandrone serrulata (DC.) seem

The number of elderly population is continually growing in Thailand. Major health problems mostly occurred in the elder are non-communicable diseases namely Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In current study, phytochemical composition, anti-amylase and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities of leaf extracts and herbal tea from Dolichandrone serrulata (DC.) Seem were determined. The result showed that extracts and herbal tea samples of D. serrulata leaves had effective in inhibition of amylase (an effective concentration at half maximum (EC50) = 1.21 to 23.80 mg/ml) and acetylcholinesterase activities (EC50 = 2.63 to 49.55 mg/ml). The effect of infusion time on the inhibition of amylase indicated that the best infusion time for preparing herbal tea beverage was 3 min, while the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase was 5 min. The fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatograph - mass spectrometer (GC–MS) data indicated the presence of phytochemicals in the extracts and herbal tea samples related to phenolic compounds and flavonoids. The principal component analysis (PCA) result from FTIR data could discriminate herbal tea samples from the ethanol and aqueous extracts better than the PCA biplot of anti-amylase activity and anti-acetylcholinesterase activity.

Determination of Polar Pesticides Based on a Modified QuPPe with Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry

An analytical approach for determining polar pesticides using a Hypercarb column that is based on a modified quick polar pesticide (QuPPe) extraction process combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was examined. Maleic hydrazide, glyphosate, glufosinate N-acetyl, glufosinate ammonium, fosetyl Al, ethephon, chlormequat chloride, aminomethyl phosphonic acid N-acetyl, aminomethyl phosphonic acid, cyanuric acid, ethylene thiourea, phosphonic acid, propylene thiourea, and acidified methanol solution were used to extract tomato, wheat, olive, sunflower, and herbal tea samples. The amount of solvent, extraction period, and mobile phases used in the experiment were all changed; the analysis included various stationary phases. The method was validated in five matrices spiked at 0.01 and 0.05 mg/kg in accordance with the EU guidance document SANTE/11312/2021 method performance criteria, using six replicates for each concentration for one individual. The limit of detection and limit of quantification (LOQ) values were determined and found to range from 1.82 to 2.44 and 6.07 to 8.13 mg/kg. For all spike levels studied, the approximate recoveries for the pesticides ranged from 85 to 118%, with RSD values of less than 20%. Plant-origin foods from diverse field experiments were effectively processed using the validated approach. This newly developed analytical process can meet the stringent requirements for plant-origin food analysis.

SENSORY, GC-MS AND FTIR ANALYSIS OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF HIBISCUS SABDARRIFFA AND VERNONIA AMYGDALINA HERBAL TEA WITH BLENDS OF GINGER AND LEMON ZEST

The use of herbal remedies, especially in the form of teas for management of various diseases is gaining increasing popularity, making them the main stay of health care system, especially among the rural populace in the developing countries. Therefore, it is imperative to carryout proper analysis and screening of these plants, such as Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina, to investigate their informed use. This research aimed at producing herbal teas from leaves of Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina with additives of ginger and lemon zest with acceptable sensory attributes and also to investigate the phytocomponents of these herbal teas produced using GC-MS spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. Ginger, lemon zest and fresh leaves of Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina were collected from modern market areas of makurdi Benue State, authenticated by a plant taxonomist in Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Makurdi. Aqueous extracts of the herbal teas were analyzed using GC-MS Clarus 500 Perkin Elmer system. Identification of functional groups of samples (was done using FT-IR spectroscope (Shimadzu, IR Affinity 1, Japan). Results: FT-IR analysis of the herbal tea samples revealed the presence of phytochemicals like alkanes, alkenes, Carboxylic acids, phenols, alcohols, flavonoids, aromatics and saturated aliphatic esters,. GC-MS analyses of aqueous extract of the samples provided different peaks determining the presence of twenty two compounds with highest abundance. Twelve compounds were identified for Vernonia Amygdalina herbal tea sample and ten for Hibiscus Sabdarriffa herbal tea sample. The findings from this research showed that herbal teas produced from leave of Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina had acceptable sensory attributes and also contains bioactive constituents of pharmacological importance for management of diseases which were identified by GC-MS and FTIR analysis.

Assessment of E-Senses Performance through Machine Learning Models for Colombian Herbal Teas Classification

This paper describes different E-Senses systems, such as Electronic Nose, Electronic Tongue, and Electronic Eyes, which were used to build several machine learning models and assess their performance in classifying a variety of Colombian herbal tea brands such as Albahaca, Frutos Verdes, Jaibel, Toronjil, and Toute. To do this, a set of Colombian herbal tea samples were previously acquired from the instruments and processed through multivariate data analysis techniques (principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis) to feed the support vector machine, K-nearest neighbors, decision trees, naive Bayes, and random forests algorithms. The results of the E-Senses were validated using HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis. The best machine learning models from the different classification methods reached a 100% success rate in classifying the samples. The proposal of this study was to enhance the classification of Colombian herbal teas using three sensory perception systems. This was achieved by consolidating the data obtained from the collected samples.

Blended tulsi-drumstick herbal tea: Quality and organoleptic properties

Background: Herbal tea is consumed as a refreshing drink for its health benefits and potential therapeutic properties. Herbs such as tulsi and moringa are rich in phenols and antioxidants, which offer several health benefits. Methods: This investigation was carried out during 2019-20, the leaf samples were collected from the field at college campus. Tulsi and moringa leaves were cleaned and dried by using tray drier, blended in different proportions with green tea. The blended herbal tea powder was assessed for moisture, water activity, TSS, phenols and antioxidants. Tea was prepared from these blends and organoleptic analysis was carried out. Result: The moisture content, water activity, TSS, phenols and antioxidants ranged from 7.30±0.058 - 8.70±0.035%, 0.24±0.00- 0.34±0.00, 4.41±0.006g - 8.52±0.006a⁰B, 60.84±0.00h 125.08±0.0058amg GAE 100g-1, 89.16±0.0126i - 93.47±0.100a%, respectively. All the herbal tea samples were in organoleptically acceptable range.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHS) Levels and Toxicity in Herbal Teas Marketed in Malaysia using Quechers and GC-FID

In line with the growing health trend in Malaysia, more consumers drink herbal tea for medicinal benefits. However, herbal tea products could be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from various production sources. There is a little study focused on the detection of PAHs in herbal tea species distributed in Malaysia. This study was performed to investigate PAHs content and toxicity in selected commercial herbal teas in Malaysia. A total of seven different Malaysian herbal tea samples were extracted using QuEChERS extraction method and the contamination level of PAHs were evaluated using gas chromatography (GC) with a flame ionization detector (FID). The total content of 10 PAHs (∑10PAHs) in the herbal tea samples ranged from 2.53 to 9.39 µg/kg. Acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene and anthracene were the most abundant compounds with 53% contribution of all PAHs content. All tested herbal teas species showed low toxic equivalency (TEQ) values ranging from 0.0027 to 0.1148. The least contaminated samples were Strobilanthes crispus, Senna alata, Orthosiphon aristatus, Clinacanthus nutans, and Stevia rebaudiana.

Inhibitory effects of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) against reactive carbonyl species and advanced glycation end product formation in a glucose-bovine serum albumin model and cookies.

In thermally processed foods, several heat-induced toxicants are potentially formed due to the Maillard reaction, such as α-dicarbonyls and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). In the present work, we found that the methylglyoxal (MGO)-trapping and antiglycative activities of the herbal tea samples correlated strongly with their total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Among the tested herbal tea samples, rooibos exhibited the strongest MGO-trapping and antiglycative activities against AGEs formation. Aspalathin, orientin and isoorientin were further identified as the major bioactive compounds of rooibos that scavenged MGO to form the corresponding mono-MGO adducts. Moreover, the contents of dicarbonyls and AGEs in the cookie were remarkably reduced by fortification with rooibos. Altogether, our current findings suggested that rooibos might serve as a functional ingredient to reduce intake of dietary reactive carbonyl species (RCS) and AGEs from thermally processed foods, especially bakery products.

Assessment of the Quality of Herbal Teas from Šabac, Serbia in Terms of the Content of Heavy Metals.

Chemical components of teas have received great interest because they are related to health. In this work, data on the determination of foreign matter, loss on drying/water content, total ash and ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid are presented. The content of seven heavy metals including Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cd and Pb were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry in samples of several herbal teas: Matricariae flos, Thymi herba, Menthae piperitae folium, Betulae folium, Quercus cortex, Gentianae radix, Frangulae cortex, Althaeae radix, Uvae ursi folium and Glycyrrhizae radix collected from Šabac’s market, Serbia. The sample preparation procedure involved dry digestion and dissolution of the ash in 6M HCl and then in 0.1 M HNO3. Herbal teas showed the concentration of heavy metals Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and Ni in the range: 2.9 ± 0.1 – 22.2 ± 0.9 mg/kg, 118.5 ± 1.1 – 755.5 ± 2.5 mg/kg, 19.0 ± 5.8 – 561.0 ± 1.9 mg/kg, 6.5 ± 0.4 – 242.5 ± 1.4 mg/kg and 2.5 ± 0.1 – 10 ± 1.1 mg/kg, respectively. The level of copper in all samples was uniform. The highest content of Fe was in Thymi herba, while Mn and Zn were at maximum in Betulae folium. The levels of toxic heavy metals Cd and Pb were below the detection limit. The obtained values were compared with data available from literature. The herbal tea samples analyzed contained essential heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) and probably essential in trace (Ni), and could obey the daily dietary requirements. Noncancer health risk assessment detected that the herbal teas of Betulae folium and Frangulae cortex can manifest some health risk to consumers.

Evaluation of antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of herbal teas from Western Himalayan region: a comparison with green tea (Camellia sinensis) and black tea

BackgroundHerbal tea, known as health-promoting due to its therapeutic potential for several ailments and consumption increased over decades. The Western Himalayan region of India affluent with herbs has therapeutic values. However, these herbs have not been used in the tea and are still untouched by mankind. Therefore, the present study aimed to pioneer and manufacture herbal teas from Western Himalayan region plants.ResultsOur findings showed that total polyphenol content was ranged from 4.42 ± 0.53 to 13.37 ± 0.50% compared to green tea (GT) and black tea (BT) (13.37 ± 0.50 and 10.05 ± 0.11%) of C. sinensis, total flavonoid and total catechin content was ranged from 1.81 ± 0.67–4.68 ± 0.26% to 4.43 ± 0.28–15.17 ± 0.53% in all the herbal tea samples. Moreover, antioxidant activity was ranged in DPPH from (27.58–226.28 µg/mL) and in ABTS (14.17–117.62 µg/mL). Highest antioxidant activity was observed in GT and lowest was observed in rose tea (RT). Heatmap was made for catechin visualization in green herbal teas (GHT). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed the variation of amino acids in all the herbal tea samples which was found in the range from 0.82 to 2.86%. Taxus green tea (TGT) exhibited remarkable cytotoxic activity against SW480 (50.9 ± 0.7 at 200 µg/mL). Whereas, sea-buckthorn green tea (SGT) exhibited the highest activities on A549 cells (87.01 ± 1.1 at 200 µg/mL). Maximum volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified in lemongrass black tea (LBT) (96.23%), namely, geranial, levoverbenone, pulegone, l-linalool and cineol. In addition, the sensory analysis revealed that herbal tea shows sweet and better taste with high sensory attributes.ConclusionsCurrent study revealed that the Western Himalayan region plants could be used as herbal tea with additional health benefits. The prepared herbal teas can be used in nutraceuticals as a beverage and a new dietary source for bioactive compounds.Graphical

Assessment of Carcinogenic and Non-carcinogenic Risk of Exposure to Metals via Consumption of Coffee, Tea, and Herbal Tea in Iranians.

In the current study, we assessed health risk posed to Iranian consumers through exposure to metals via oral consumption of coffee, tea, and herbal tea of various trademarks collected from Iran market. Level of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, and Pb in 243 samples was quantified by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The metal levels in coffee samples from different trademarks of a specific country had statistically similar levels of metals; however, metal levels differed significantly among brand names form different countries. Metal levels in tea samples differed significantly between domestic and imported products, while different trademarks of similar countries did not show significant variations in this respect. Metal level in herbal tea samples did not show significant variations among different trademarks. Nevertheless, it should be highlighted that mean concentrations of metals statistically differed among different herbal tea samples. Deterministic hazard quotients (HQs) were <1.0 for all non-carcinogenic metals and total hazard index (HI) values indicated no risk; however, probabilistic assessment calculated HI values >1. In both deterministic and probabilistic scenarios, carcinogenic metals As and Ni had an estimated incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) of medium level while that of Pb indicated no cancer risk. Sensitivity analysis showed that the concentration of metals had the most significant effect on non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks.

Quality assessment of five herbal tea brands containing Moringa oleifera Lam. (Family: Moringaceae) sold in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Addressing drawbacks issues of standardization and quality assurance of herbal products is increasingly becoming necessary. In this study, five Moringa oleifera herbal tea products sold in Port Harcourt- Niger-Delta region of Nigeria were sampled and assessed for quality parameters as prescribed by the World Health Organization. The DPPH standard spectrophotometric method was used for antioxidant assay. All the five Moringa tea brands showed quality parameters evidence of Moringa oleifera leaves. Two brands have values above the allowable limit for total ash and acid insoluble ash. Arsenic was detected in all the five brands above recommended limit. All the five tea brands had antioxidant activity above 50%. All the five Moringa tea brands had microbial contaminants. Although all the five herbal tea samples contain Moringa oleifera, the presence of microbial contaminant, the toxic heavy metal arsenic, and silica matter elicits quality and stability concerns with associated risk to public health.

Rapid screening and identification of 167 illegally added medicines in herbal tea by ultra high performance liquid chromatography-electrostatic field orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry

基于质谱数据库,建立了超高效液相色谱-静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱(UHPLC-Orbitrap HRMS)快速筛查和确证凉茶中167种非法添加药物的方法。通过调研,选定了解热镇痛药、糖皮质激素、抗菌药、抗组胺药等167种药物,并利用Orbitrap HRMS和TraceFinder软件采集和记录每种药物的信息,建立高分辨质谱数据库。样品以50%(v/v)甲醇水溶液超声提取。样品溶液采用Waters XBrigde BEH C18色谱柱(100 mm×2.1 mm, 2.5 μm)分离,0.1%(v/v)甲酸水溶液-0.1%(v/v)甲酸乙腈溶液梯度洗脱。Orbitrap HRMS以全扫描/数据依赖二级质谱扫描(Full MS/dd-MS2)模式,正、负离子同时切换采集数据。将样品数据导入TraceFinder软件,以母离子精确质量数、保留时间、碎片离子精确质量数等进行数据库自动筛查。若某成分的母离子精确质量数实测值与理论值偏差小于5×10-6,保留时间偏差小于20 s,至少一个碎片离子精确质量数实测值与理论值偏差小于5×10-6,且二级质谱与数据库收录谱图相似,可判定该成分检出。结果表明,方法特异性好,各成分线性关系良好,相关系数(r)大于0.99。培氟沙星等5种成分存在本底干扰,不宜采用该法进行定量,其余162种成分回收率为66.4%~118.1%,精密度RSD (n=6)为0.1%~16.1%。方法在0.2 mg/kg下可筛查83种成分,1.0 mg/kg下可筛查167种成分。方法应用于245批样品,检出12批问题样品,阳性成分有对乙酰氨基酚、双氯芬酸钠、氯苯那敏等,并检出标准方法外成分金刚烷胺、右美沙芬、溴苯那敏和环丙沙星。方法检测速度快,分析成分多,筛查结果准确,为凉茶非法添加药物高通量筛查提供了新的技术支撑。