Phoenix Dan Cong Tea: An Oolong Tea variety with promising antioxidant and in vitro anticancer activity

BACKGROUND: Phoenix Dan Cong tea is an Oolong tea produced in Chaozhou, China. Nowaday, the experimental studies on the benefical effects of the Phoenix Dan Cong tea are rare. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the activity of Phoenix Dan Cong tea aqueous extract (PDCe). METHODS: We used a series of evaluation methods in the present study to achieve an in-depth understanding and evaluation of the antioxidant and antitumor activity of PDCe. RESULTS: High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) studies have indicated that PDCe is rich in catechins such as gallocatechin (GC), epigallocatechin (EGCG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG), with sparse amounts of theaflavins. We discovered that PDCe scavenges ABTS•+ and DPPH• free radicals in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, PDCe can significantly induce apoptosis of MDA-MB231 cells, mainly through the death-receptor-mediated extrinsic apoptotic pathway. Internalized PDCe can not only downregulate intracellular reactive oxygen species levels but also induce oxidative damage to mitochondria in MDA-MB231 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Phoenix Dan Cong tea may act as a substitute for natural antioxidants and as a promising anticancer agent due to its protective effect on human health.