A novel technology to reduce astringency of tea polyphenols extract and its mechanism

OBJECTIVE: Tea polyphenols are natural extracts used widely throughout the world. However, the severe astringency of tea polyphenols has reduced patient compliance. Based on the analysis of the formation mechanism of astringency, this paper hopes to propose a new method to control the astringency of tea polyphenols and improve patient compliance without changing its effect. METHODS: Artificial saliva was used to prepare the tea polyphenols solution with different pH, using β-casein to imitate salivary protein, and preparing 1.2 mg/mL β-casein solution. A fluorescence quenching test was used to study the interaction between tea polyphenols and β-casein, combined with the stability test results of the compound, we can choose the pH with weak binding but good stability as the best pH for masking astringency. The taste-masking tablets were prepared under the best pH conditions, and the Xinnaojian Original Tablets were prepared according to the conventional preparation method. The disintegration time limit and solubility were tested respectively. The astringency of Xinnaojian original tablets and taste-masking tablets was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: The result of the fluorescence quenching test prompted that the combination force was the weakest when the pH was 4.9. Further synchronous fluorescence analysis showed that an increase in pH resulted in a decrease of the binding sites between tea polyphenols and β-casein, and this decrease was closely related to changes in tryptophan residues in β-casein. Both original and taste-masking Xinnaojian Tablets were prepared. Volunteers’ VAS scores illustrated that the astringency improved significantly with the masking tablets (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This pH-adjusting masking treatment had little effect on the recovery of polyphenols from the tablets or the dissolution of the tablets. This study provides a novel and feasible astringency masking technology for tea polyphenols and its preparation.