Review Article | Volume: 14, Issue: 5, May, 2024

An overview of the chemical constituents, pharmacological properties, and safety evaluation of Camellia sinensis flowers

Eric Wei Chiang Chan   

Open Access   

Published:  May 05, 2024

DOI: 10.7324/JAPS.2024.176860
Abstract

The young leaves of Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze is most studied in vitro and in vivo with little attention on other parts of the plant. This overview is focused on the chemical constituents and pharmacological properties of the lesser-known flowers of C. sinensis with brief descriptions of their morphology, reproductive biology, and uses. Studies on the chemical constituents and pharmacological properties of C. sinensis flowers are on flower buds and not on open flowers. Chemical compounds found in tea flowers include flavonols, catechins, polysaccharides, saponins, proteins, alkaloids, spermidine derivatives, and anthocyanins. Major pharmacological properties of C. sinensis flowers include hypoglycemic, anti-cancer, antioxidant, hypolipidemic, modulation of gut health, antimicrobial activities, and anti-inflammatory activities. Other pharmacological properties are hepatoprotective, immunoregulatory, β-amyloid aggregation inhibitory, gastroprotective, nephroprotective, anti-obesity, anti-allergic, anti-cholesterol, pancreatic lipase inhibitory, melanin synthesis inhibitory, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activities. The potentials and challenges of the development of health supplements and other commercial products from tea flowers are discussed.


Keyword:     Tea flowers catechins polysaccharides saponins anti-cancer hypoglycemic


Citation:

Chan EWC. An overview of the chemical constituents, pharmacological properties, and safety evaluation of Camellia sinensis flowers. J Appl Pharm Sci. 2024;14(05):022–029. http://doi.org/10.7324/JAPS.2024.176860

Copyright: © The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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INTRODUCTION

The tea plant Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze belongs to the family Theaceae. The species has two varieties, namely, C. sinensis var. sinensis (China tea) and C. sinensis var. assamica (Assam tea) [1,2]. The former is grown in China, Japan and Taiwan, while the latter predominates in South and Southeast Asia, including Australia and Africa. Tea is mostly planted in the highlands and rarely in the lowland [2].

Tea var. sinensis is an evergreen, multi-stemmed shrub that grows up to 3 m in height while tea var. assamica can grow up to 10−15 m tall with one main stem [1,3]. Under cultivation, young leaves of C. sinensis are regularly picked and tea plants are pruned and trained to a low profusely branching and spreading bush of 1.0−1.5 m in height. Leaves are alternate and obovate-lanceolate in shape with a short petiole, serrate margin, and pubescent on the lower surface. In var. sinensis, leaves are dark green, leathery, narrower, and marginal veins are indistinct. In var. assamica, leaves are lighter green, thinly leathery, wider, and longer, with distinct marginal veins. Tea flowers are axillary, occurring as single flowers or as clusters of 2−4 flowers and emit a mildly sweet fragrant. Flower petals are white or light pink and stamens bear many yellow anthers (Fig. 1a). Styles are free (var. sinensis) or partly fused (var. assamica) with stigmatic lobes [1,3]. Between varieties of C. sinensis, flowers possess different morphology and fruit yield [4]. Phenotypic traits include pistil length, stamen length, and stigma width.

In China, tea flower buds are produced in May with flowers blooming from September to December [5]. In Sri Lanka, flowering periods of C. sinensis occur from February to April, and from July to November [6]. The tea plant is a facultative outbreeder, i.e., cross-pollination results in a higher fruit set than self-pollination [7]. Most pollen has the ability to germinate on the cross-pollinated stigma [4].

Flies and bees have been observed to be the pollinators of the tea plant and fruiting is from February to May [8]. Another study in Sri Lanka reported that the major flowering season is from September to December and the major fruiting season occurs from April to August [9]. Tea flowers can be classified into four development stages, namely, green or young buds, white or mature buds (Fig. 1b), half-open flowers, and full bloom flowers (Fig. 1a) [10]. The yield of tea flowers varies from 3−12 tons/ha/year [11], with 8.8 tons/ha/year as the average [5]. It has been estimated that China produces 4−12 million tons of tea flowers each year [5,11]. An added advantage of removing the tea flowers is that the yield and quality of tea leaves are enhanced by ~30% the following year [11].

Previously, tea plantations in China were focused on producing tea from the young leaves [5]. Tea flowers were discarded or sprayed with chemicals to induce foliage production and not floral growth. Plant growth regulators such as ethephon, paclobutrazol, and chlormequat have shown to be effective in promoting the abscission of tea flower buds and flowers in tea plantations [12].

In recent years, tea flowers in China have been used to manufacture food, beverage, and cosmetics [5]. Tea flowers are dried (Fig. 1c) and consumed as a tea beverage when steeped in hot water [13]. The drying process involves hot-air drying or in combination with microwave drying [14,15]. Beverage produced from white or mature flower buds is the best, yielding a tea that is bright orange-yellow in color, and has a flowery or chestnut aroma, and a sweet and mellow taste. Black tea produced from tea leaves has been scented with dried tea flowers [16]. A fermentation technology for producing cider from tea flowers has been formulated [17]. Tea flowers can also be used to make a weak alkaline soap with a creamy white color and tea flower fragrance [18]. The tea flower soap has a strong ability in cleaning and protecting the skin. A facial cream from tea flower has been formulated and patented in China [19]. In Japan, tea flowers have been used as preservative for traditional soya products such as miso (fermented soybean paste) and tsukudani (boiled food in sweetened soy sauce) [20]. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) pollinating tea flowers are known to produce quality honey [21]. The honey contains theanine, a very rare amino acid derived from tea flowers. Furthermore, the nectar of tea flower has the highest concentration of caffeine that the activated the brain function of honeybees to produce the honey.

In the past 15 years or so, tea flowers have generated scientific and commercial interest [11]. The importance of this alternative resource has led to the establishment of the International Institute of Tea Flowers in Japan and the International Research and Development Center of Tea Flowers in China. In 2013, the Ministry of Health of China has recognized tea flowers as a new food source.

Figure 1. Fresh flowers of C. sinensis bear white petals with a pinkish tinge and produce numerous yellow stamens (a), white or mature flower buds (b), and dried tea flowers (c).

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Most review articles on the chemical constituents and pharmacological properties of C. sinensis are focused on its young leaves [2224], with little attention on other parts of the plant. This article is confined to the lesser-known flowers of C. sinensis with some emphasis on their chemical constituents, pharmacological properties, and safety evaluation. Their morphology, reproductive biology, and uses are briefly mentioned.


CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

Chemical compounds reported in tea flowers include catechins, polysaccharides, saponins, proteins, alkaloids, spermidine derivatives, flavonol glycosides, and anthocyanins [25,26]. The aqueous extract of tea flowers contains carbohydrates (34%), crude proteins (28%), phenolic compounds (12%), and saponins (2.8%) [26].

In recent years, tea flower polysaccharides (TFPS) have attracted great interest because of their α-glucosidase inhibitory and α-amylase inhibitory activities [11,27]. In general, the molecular weights of TFPS are greater than polysaccharides of tea leaves. Tea flowers contain acid polysaccharides, comprising rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid [11,27].

Isolated from tea flowers are flavonols (kaempferol, kaempferol glycosides, quercetin, quercetin glycosides, myricetin glycoside, and rutin), and catechins (catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, gallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate) [11,28−30]. The total concentration of epicatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate was 70% of the total concentration of catechins in the ethanol tea flower extract [31]. The contents of total catechins and caffeine ranged from 10 to 38 mg/g and from 3 to 8 mg/g, respectively [32]. The contents of catechins in tea leaves are generally more than 12% higher than those in tea flowers [11].

Caffeine and theobromine are purine alkaloids found in tea flowers with highest contents in the stamens and petals of flower buds [33]. The contents of caffeine are 23.6 and 24.2 kBq/g and the contents of theobromine are 20 and 9.7 kBq/g, respectively [34]. Four spermidine derivatives (tricoumaroyl, triferuoyl, feruoyl dicoumaroyl, and coumaroyl diferuoyl spermidines) have been isolated from tea flowers for the first time [35]. The content of tricoumaroyl spermidine, the major compound, is highest in flower buds (181 μg/g) reducing to 92 μg/g in open flowers. Recently, hydroxycinnamic acid amides (phenolamides) have been reported from tea flowers [36]. All 12 varieties of tea flowers studied possessed p-coumaroyl-spermidine.

Triterpene oligoglycosides or triterpenoid saponins, namely, floratheasaponins (FTS) A−J chakasaponins (CKS) I−VI, and floraasamsaponins (FAS) I−VIII have been isolated from flowers of C. sinensis [10,11,37−41]. FTS A−C and J have been reported from Japan; FTS A−I and CKS I−VI from China; FTS A−F and CKS I−III from Taiwan; and FAS I−VIII from India (Fig. 2). Another group of triterpenoid saponins with highly-substituted oxygen functional groups has been identified as chakasapogenins (CKA) I−III [42]. The contents of saponin in tea flowers range from 9.5 to 79 mg/g [39]. Maximal accumulation of saponins occurs in the green bud stage [10].

The following are some characteristic features of the triterpenoid saponins (Fig. 2). All FTS A−J possess a galactopyranosyl (Gal) component at R6, a H component at R3 and R4 with the exception of FTS I and FTS H that has an acetyl (Ac) component at R3 and R4. Oxyangeloyl (OAng) dominates R1 with the exception of FTS G that has an oxytigloyl (OTig) component instead. FTS C and F have 2 methylbutyryl (2MB) at R2 not found in other FTS.

1. Among CKS I−VI possess a H and Gal component at R4 and R6, respectively. OTig and H dominate R1 and R3 except for CKS IV and CKS VI that have a H and Ac component, respectively.

2. All FAS I−VIII have a H and Rha component at R4 and R7, respectively. Ac dominates R2 except FAS VIII that has a H component instead.

The pink color of tea flowers was attributed to cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, an anthocyanin isolated from the pink petals [41,42]. Earlier studies have reported the presence of cyanidin O-syringic acid, petunidin 3-O-glucoside, and pelargonidin 3-O-β-D-glucoside in pink tea flowers [43,44]. Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of tea flowers accounted for 86.6% of the essential oil with nonadecane (18.7%) and heneicosane (12.2%) as major volatile components [45].


PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

In Table 1, the major pharmacological properties of tea flowers are hypoglycemic (7), anti-cancer (7), antioxidant (4), hypolipidemic (4), modulation of gut health (3), antimicrobial (3), and anti-inflammatory (3) activities. There are two studies each on hepatoprotective and immunoregulatory activities of tea flowers. β-Amyloid aggregation inhibitory, gastroprotective, nephroprotective, anti-obesity, anti-allergic, anti-cholesterol, pancreatic lipase inhibitory, melanin synthesis inhibitory, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activities are minor pharmacological properties of tea flowers, represented by one study each.


SAFETY EVALUATION

A study on the safety evaluation of hot water TFE was conducted by Li et al. [75]. Mutagenicity of the TFE was assessed using the Ames test. Results showed that the extract (up to 5.0 mg/plate) had no mutagenic effect towards four tested strains of Salmonella typhimurium. In the acute toxicity study, a single dose of the flower extract (12 g/kg) was administered by gavage, and monitored for 14 days. In the sub-chronic toxicity study, the rats were administered with the extract by gavage at doses of 1, 2, and 4 g/kg daily for 13 weeks [75]. In the acute toxicity study, all animals gained weight, and appeared active and normal with LD50 value >12 g/kg. In the sub-chronic toxicity study, no dose-related effects on survival, growth, hematology, blood chemistry, organ weights, or pathologic lesions were observed. The results of the safety evaluation study showed that the TFE has no mutagenic potential and exhibits an extremely low acute and sub-chronic toxicity to animals.

Figure 2. Types of acylated oleanane-type triterpene oligoglycosides isolated from flowers of C. sinensis. Ac = acetyl, Ang = angeloyl, CKS = chakasaponin, FAS, floraassamsaponin, FTS = floratheasaponin, Gal = galactopyranosyl, Glc = glucopyranosyl, MB = methylbutyryl, Rha = rhamnopyranosyl, Tig = tigloyl, and Xyl = xylopyranosyl.

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Table 1. Bioactivities, effects, and mechanisms of extracts and bioactive compounds from flowers of C. sinensis.

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CONCLUSION

Some of the chemical components of tea flowers, such as flavonols, catechins, caffeine, and theanine, are similar to those of tea leaves, and they share similar health benefits. Much of the previous work on the chemical constituents and pharmacological properties of C. sinensis flowers was conducted by scientists from the Kyoto Pharmaceutical University in Japan. Acylated oleanane-type triterpene oligoglycosides or saponins were isolated and identified from TFE, and their bioactivities described. Bioactivities include anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-obesity, and gastroprotective effects, together with anti-allergic, pancreatic lipase inhibitory, and β-amyloid aggregation inhibitory activities. Comparisons were made between the chemical constituents of tea flowers from Japan, China, Taiwan, and India.

Although commercial products such as functional food are being developed from tea flowers, some issues need to be addressed. They include the high cost of harvesting tea flowers that are only available periodically. We envisage that rapid, selective, and mechanized harvesting techniques need to be developed as the flowering season is short, and the picking of white or mature flower buds is preferred over open flowers.

Additionally, the cost of manufacturing tea flower products is high, requiring efficient drying, extraction, and isolation. Post-harvest drying has to be rapid and efficient as fresh flowers containing high moisture content would quickly turn brown due to oxidation of polyphenol oxidases. The development of health supplements from tea flower buds is promising requiring clinical studies to ascertain their effectiveness, dosage, and side-effects. More studies on the safety evaluation of tea flowers are needed, although a preliminary study has shown that TFE has no mutagenic potential, and possesses an extremely low acute and sub-chronic toxicity to animals.

An added advantage of removing the tea flowers is that the yield and quality of tea leaves are enhanced the following year. The recognition of the importance of tea flowers is reflected in the established of the International Institute of Tea Flowers in Japan, and International Research and Development Center of Tea Flowers were established in China. Once considered a waste resource, tea flowers are now recognized as a new food source by the Minister of Health of China in 2013.


AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

The author made substantial contributions to the conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; agreed to submit to the current journal; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. The author is eligible to be an author as per the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJEs) requirements/guidelines.


FINANCIAL SUPPORT

The Lead and Sole Author declares that the funds for publication of this review (Article Processing Charges) in Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science (JAPS) are from World’s Top 2% Scientist Research Grant, CERVIE, UCSI University (Grant Code: T2S-2023/004). He is grateful for the financial support provided by UCSI University.


CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The authors have no conflicts of interest regarding this investigation.


ETHICAL APPROVALS

This study does not involve experiments on animals or human subjects.


DATA AVAILABILITY

All data generated and analyzed are included in this research article.


PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This journal remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published institutional affiliation.


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57. Tu YY, Chen LF, Ren N, Li B, Wu YY, Rankin GO, et al. Standardized saponin extract from Baiye no. 1 tea (Camellia sinensis) flowers induced S phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via AKT-MDM2-p53 signaling pathway in ovarian cancer cells. Molecules. 2020;25(15):3515. CrossRef

58. Wang Y, Xia C, Chen L, Chen YC, Tu Y. Saponins extracted from tea (Camellia sinensis) flowers induces autophagy in ovarian cancer cells. Molecules. 2020;25(22):5254. CrossRef

59. Chen D, Chen G, Ding Y, Wan P, Peng Y, Chen C, et al. Polysaccharides from the flowers of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) modulate gut health and ameliorate cyclo-phosphamide-induced immunosuppression. J Funct Foods. 2019;61:103470. CrossRef

60. Chen D, Ding Y, Ye H, Sun Y, Zeng X. Effect of long-term consumption of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) flower polysaccharides on maintaining intestinal health in BALB/c mice. J Food Sci. 2020;85(6):1948−55. CrossRef

61. Chen D, Chen G, Chen C, Zeng X, Ye H. Prebiotics effects in vitro of polysaccharides from tea flowers on gut microbiota of healthy persons and patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Int J Biol Macromol. 2020;158:968−76. CrossRef

62. Eksi S, Ejder NE, Üreyen Ü, Uzunok B, Yazici Z, Beris FA. Screening antiproliferative and antimicrobial effects of ethyl acetate extract driven from Camellia sinensis flowers. J Pharm Drug Res. 2020;3(2):319−28.

63. Sharma R, Kapoor S, Padwad Y, Kumar D. GC-MS based profiling, antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity studies of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze flower extract. J Biol Active Prod Nat. 2022;12(2):137−45. CrossRef

64. Chen F, Chen YP, Wu H, Li Y, Zhang S, Ke J, et al. Characterization of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) flower extract and insights into its antifungal susceptibilities of Aspergillus flavus. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2023;23:286. CrossRef

65. Yoneda T, Nakamura S, Ogawa K, Matsumoto T, Nakashima S, Matsumura K, et al. Oleanane-type triterpenes with highly-substituted oxygen functional groups from the flower buds of Camellia sinensis and their inhibitory effects against no production and HSV-1. Nat Prod Commun. 2018;13(2):131−6.

66. Chen BT, Li WX, He RR, Li YF, Tsoi B, Zhai YJ, et al. Anti-inflammatory effects of a polyphenols-rich extract from tea (Camellia sinensis) flowers in acute and chronic mice models. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2012;2012:537923.

67. Han Q, Xiong CY, Shi J, Gao Y, Chen YS, Ling ZJ, et al. Isolation, chemical characterization and antioxidant activities of a water-soluble polysaccharide fraction of tea (Camellia sinensis) flower. J Food Biochem. 2012;36(1):46−55. CrossRef

68. Avarave S, Thomas J, Radha V, Altaff K. Synergistic protective effect of Camellia sinensis leaf buds and Camellia sinensis flowers against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats and characterization of its bioactive compounds. Nat Prod Res. 2022;36(17):4470–4.

69. Hamao M, Matsuda H, Nakamura S, Nakashima S, Semura S, Maekubo S, et al. Anti-obesity effects of the methanolic extract and chakasaponins from the flower buds of Camellia sinensis in mice. Bioorg Med Chem. 2011;19(20):6033−41. CrossRef

70. Yoshikawa M, Nakamura S, Kato Y, Matsuhira K, Matsuda H. Medicinal flowers. XIV. New acylated oleanane-type triterpene oligoglycosides with antiallergic activity from flower buds of Chinese tea plant (Camellia sinensis). Chem Pharm Bull. 2007;55(4):598−605.

71. Gao, Y, Han Z, Xu YQ, Yin JF. Chemical composition and anti-cholesterol activity of tea (Camellia sinensis) flowers from albino cultivars. Front Nutr. 2023;10:1142971. CrossRef

72. Yoshikawa M, Sugimoto S, Kato Y, Nakamura S, Wang T, Yamashita C, et al. Acylated oleanane-type triterpene saponins with acceleration of gastrointestinal transit and inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase from flower buds of Chinese tea plant (Camellia sinensis). Chem Biodivers. 2009;6(6):903−15.

73. Dissanayake CY, Moon HH, Yang KM, Lee Y, Han CH. The effects of green tea (Camellia sinensis) flower extract on melanin synthesis in B16-F10 melanoma cells. Korean J Vet Res. 2018;58(2):65−72. CrossRef

74. Zhang X, Gao Y, Xu J, Liu X, Jin F, Li B, et al. Inhibitory effect of tea (Camellia sinensis L. O. Kuntze, Theaceae) flower extracts on oleic acid-induced hepatic steatosis in HepG2 cells. J Food Nutr Res. 2014;2(10):738−43. CrossRef

75. Li B, Jin Y, Xu Y, Wu Y, Xu J, Tu Y. Safety evaluation of tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) flower extract:assessment of mutagenicity, and acute and sub-chronic toxicity in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011;133(2):583−90. CrossRef

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55. Wang Y, Ren N, Rankin GO, Li B, Rojanasakul Y, Tu Y, et al. Anti-proliferative effect and cell cycle arrest induced by saponins extracted from tea (Camellia sinensis) flower in human ovarian cancer cells. J Funct Foods. 2017;37:310−21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2017.08.001

56. Ren N, Chen L, Li B, Rankin GO, Chen YC, Tu Y. Purified tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) flower saponins induce the p53-dependent intrinsic apoptosis of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(12):4324. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms

57. Tu YY, Chen LF, Ren N, Li B, Wu YY, Rankin GO, et al. Standardized saponin extract from Baiye no. 1 tea (Camellia sinensis) flowers induced S phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via AKT-MDM2-p53 signaling pathway in ovarian cancer cells. Molecules. 2020;25(15):3515. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25153515

58. Wang Y, Xia C, Chen L, Chen YC, Tu Y. Saponins extracted from tea (Camellia sinensis) flowers induces autophagy in ovarian cancer cells. Molecules. 2020;25(22):5254. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25225254

59. Chen D, Chen G, Ding Y, Wan P, Peng Y, Chen C, et al. Polysaccharides from the flowers of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) modulate gut health and ameliorate cyclo-phosphamide-induced immunosuppression. J Funct Foods. 2019;61:103470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2019.103470

60. Chen D, Ding Y, Ye H, Sun Y, Zeng X. Effect of long-term consumption of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) flower polysaccharides on maintaining intestinal health in BALB/c mice. J Food Sci. 2020;85(6):1948−55. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.15155

61. Chen D, Chen G, Chen C, Zeng X, Ye H. Prebiotics effects in vitro of polysaccharides from tea flowers on gut microbiota of healthy persons and patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Int J Biol Macromol. 2020;158:968−76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.04.248

62. Eksi S, Ejder NE, Üreyen Ü, Uzunok B, Yazici Z, Beris FA. Screening antiproliferative and antimicrobial effects of ethyl acetate extract driven from Camellia sinensis flowers. J Pharm Drug Res. 2020;3(2):319−28.

63. Sharma R, Kapoor S, Padwad Y, Kumar D. GC-MS based profiling, antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity studies of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze flower extract. J Biol Active Prod Nat. 2022;12(2):137−45. https://doi.org/10.1080/22311866.2022.2049643

64. Chen F, Chen YP, Wu H, Li Y, Zhang S, Ke J, et al. Characterization of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) flower extract and insights into its antifungal susceptibilities of Aspergillus flavus. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2023;23:286. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-023-04122-5

65. Yoneda T, Nakamura S, Ogawa K, Matsumoto T, Nakashima S, Matsumura K, et al. Oleanane-type triterpenes with highly-substituted oxygen functional groups from the flower buds of Camellia sinensis and their inhibitory effects against no production and HSV-1. Nat Prod Commun. 2018;13(2):131−6. https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X1801300206

66. Chen BT, Li WX, He RR, Li YF, Tsoi B, Zhai YJ, et al. Anti-inflammatory effects of a polyphenols-rich extract from tea (Camellia sinensis) flowers in acute and chronic mice models. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2012;2012:537923. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/537923

67. Han Q, Xiong CY, Shi J, Gao Y, Chen YS, Ling ZJ, et al. Isolation, chemical characterization and antioxidant activities of a water-soluble polysaccharide fraction of tea (Camellia sinensis) flower. J Food Biochem. 2012;36(1):46−55. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4514.2010.00512.x

68. Avarave S, Thomas J, Radha V, Altaff K. Synergistic protective effect of Camellia sinensis leaf buds and Camellia sinensis flowers against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats and characterization of its bioactive compounds. Nat Prod Res. 2022;36(17):4470-4. https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2021.1984469

69. Hamao M, Matsuda H, Nakamura S, Nakashima S, Semura S, Maekubo S, et al. Anti-obesity effects of the methanolic extract and chakasaponins from the flower buds of Camellia sinensis in mice. Bioorg Med Chem. 2011;19(20):6033−41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2011.08.042

70. Yoshikawa M, Nakamura S, Kato Y, Matsuhira K, Matsuda H. Medicinal flowers. XIV. New acylated oleanane-type triterpene oligoglycosides with antiallergic activity from flower buds of Chinese tea plant (Camellia sinensis). Chem Pharm Bull. 2007;55(4):598−605. https://doi.org/10.1248/cpb.55.598

71. Gao, Y, Han Z, Xu YQ, Yin JF. Chemical composition and anti-cholesterol activity of tea (Camellia sinensis) flowers from albino cultivars. Front Nutr. 2023;10:1142971. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2023.1142971

72. Yoshikawa M, Sugimoto S, Kato Y, Nakamura S, Wang T, Yamashita C, et al. Acylated oleanane-type triterpene saponins with acceleration of gastrointestinal transit and inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase from flower buds of Chinese tea plant (Camellia sinensis). Chem Biodivers. 2009;6(6):903−15. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.200800153

73. Dissanayake CY, Moon HH, Yang KM, Lee Y, Han CH. The effects of green tea (Camellia sinensis) flower extract on melanin synthesis in B16-F10 melanoma cells. Korean J Vet Res. 2018;58(2):65−72. https://doi.org/10.14405/kjvr.2018.58.2.65

74. Zhang X, Gao Y, Xu J, Liu X, Jin F, Li B, et al. Inhibitory effect of tea (Camellia sinensis L. O. Kuntze, Theaceae) flower extracts on oleic acid-induced hepatic steatosis in HepG2 cells. J Food Nutr Res. 2014;2(10):738−43. https://doi.org/10.12691/jfnr-2-10-13

75. Li B, Jin Y, Xu Y, Wu Y, Xu J, Tu Y. Safety evaluation of tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) flower extract:assessment of mutagenicity, and acute and sub-chronic toxicity in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011;133(2):583−90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2010.02.030

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