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Mycotoxins are natural food contaminants, associated with adverse health effects due to acute intoxication and, what is much more common, chronic exposure. The most hazardous and widespread mycotoxins are subjected to regulation in food in most countries. Alongside with regulated, a wide list of mycotoxins is monitored in various foods. Traditionally mycotoxins in tea are determined in a dry sample, not taking into account their transfer rate into the infusion. This study was aimed at the determination of the transfer rate of several mycotoxins from naturally contaminated herbal tea samples into an infusion. Seven of the most contaminated samples were pre-selected during the monitoring of mycotoxins in Camellia sinensis and herbal tea available in the Russian Federation. Ochratoxin A (OTA), sterigmatocystin (STE), mycophenolic acid (MPA), tentoxin (TTX), alternariol (AOH), its methyl ether (AME), zearalenone (ZEN), enniatins A and B (ENN A and B), beauvericin (BEA) were detected in these samples in the range of several μg/kg to several mg/kg. HPLC-MS/MS was used for dry tea samples and their infusion analysis. Mycotoxin polarity and infusion pH (for analytes possessing carboxylic groups) appeared to be factors determining transfer rate. STE transferred into infusion at the average rate of 10%. Average transfer of Alternaria toxins varied from 73% (TTX) to 45% (AOH) and about 11% (AME). A third part of ZEN was detected in the infusion. Transfer of ENNs and BEA was low and did not exceed 7%. Infusion pH affected MPA transfer rate; it increased from 23% to 96% in the pH range from 5.5 to 6.3. 83% of OTA was detected in the infusion of a single contaminated sample. Consideration of the mycotoxin transfer rate to herbal tea infusions resulted in the change of the model herbal tea input into mean chronic dietary exposure for most studied mycotoxins.

Vine tea has been used as an herbal tea by several ethnic minorities for hundreds of years in China. Flavonoids, a kind of indispensable component in a variety of nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, are identified to be the major metabolites and bioactive ingredients in vine tea. Interestingly, vine tea exhibits a wide range of significant bioactivities including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antidiabetic, neuroprotective and other activities, but no toxicity. These bioactivities, to some extent, enrich the understanding about the role of vine tea in disease prevention and therapy. The health benefits of vine tea, particularly dihydromyricetin and myricetin, are widely investigated. However, there is currently no comprehensive review available on vine tea. Therefore, this report summarizes the most recent studies investigating bioactive constituents, pharmacological effects and possible mechanisms of vine tea, which will provide a better understanding about the health benefits and preclinical assessment of novel application of vine tea., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Vine tea has been consumed as a folk herbal tea for hundreds of years. • Flavonoids were the major bioactive ingredients in vine tea. • Dihydromyricetin and myricetin are major bioactives in vine tea. • Vine tea exhibits a wide range of significant bioactivities. • Vine tea may be a potential, functional herbal tea.

Tea is the second most widely used drink all over the world after water. It has several health benefits. The aqueous and methanolic extracts of black, green and herbal teas for the treatment of hyperglycemia and its associated complications were investigated. Nine tea samples including black, green and herbal teas namely Lipton black tea (LBT), Supreme black tea (SBT), Tapal black tea (TBT), Jasmine green tea (JGT), Lemon grass green tea (LGrT), Lemon green tea (LGT), Berginia ciliata, Bistorta affinis and Paeonia emodi were selected for the study. Total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), antioxidant properties including inhibitory activity against 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical (ABTS•+), iron chelation and enzymes inhibitory potential for alpha glucosidase and alpha amylase were analyzed based on in vitro assays. The percentage yield of extracts was in the range of 7.2 to 47 %. Methanolic extracts showed greater TPC values (μg GAE/g) while aqueous extracts showed greater TFC values (μg Rutin E/g). The aqueous extracts of most of the studied tea samples showed strong biological activities with very low IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) values (0.2-69.0 μg/ml) for ABTS•+ radical scavenging, Fe2+ chelation and alpha glucosidase inhibition assays. For amylase inhibition activity, some aqueous extracts including LBT, SBT, JGT and P. emodi exhibited greater IC50 values. Bangladesh J. Bot. 50(3): 491-498, 2021 (September)

The present study aims to develop an herbal tea formulation from leaves of Moringa oleifera incorporating with rhizomes of Alpinia galanga and the inflorescence of Elsholtzia communis with an insight to improve its sensory attributes and also enhancing the nutritional value. The ingredients were processed and three herbal teas HT1, HT2, HT3 were formulated by mixing them at different levels of incorporation. Acceptability trials for color, aroma, taste and overall aceptability revealed that HT2 was the most liked infusion with highest scores for color (7.8), taste (8.04) and overall acceptability (7.96). The total antioxidant capacity of HT2 was determined by the DPPH scavenging activity test by the method of Blois. The methanolic extracts of the herbal tea sample showed 76.12% radical scavenging activity whereas the sample extracted with DMSO showed a lower antioxidants capacity of 62.45%. The shelf life of the herbal tea was studied by storing in different packaging materials. HDPE Zip loc bags, tea bags (packed in paper cartons) and HDPE containers stored the product without spoilage over a period of six months. The developed herbal tea has a good market potential with significant health benefits.

Bu çalışmada, tıbbi adaçayı (Salvia officinalis L.) infüzyon ve dekoksiyon çaylarının mineral içeriği üzerine en verimli örnek miktarı (2 ve 3 g) ve uygulama süresinin (5 ve 10 dk) belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bitki yaprağının ve herbal çayların mineral analizi ICP-MS tarafından gerçekleştirilmiştir. Yaprak içerisindeki mineral içerikleri yüksekten aza doğru Zn (63163.7 µg kg-1), Cu (31369.6 µg kg-1), Mn (24052.4 µg kg-1), Se (7910.8 µg kg-1), Cr (443.6 µg kg-1) ve Cd (27.0 µg kg-1) olarak kaydedilmiştir. Analiz edilen minerallerin transfer oranları dekoksiyon örneklerinde daha yüksek gözlenmiştir. Tüm mineraller arasından en yüksek transfer oranına Cd (%21.23-22.63), en düşük ise Se (%0.02) mineralinde tespit edilmiştir. Fakat herbal çaylardaki mineral verimi üzerine örnek miktarı ve uygulama süresinin etkisi infüzyon ve dekoksiyon uygulamasına göre farklılık göstermiştir. Tüm mineraller üzerine infüzyon çaylarında uygulama süresi daha etkili olmasına rağmen, dekoksiyon çaylarında örnek miktarı bulunmuştur. Sonuç olarak, infüzyon ve dekoksiyon çaylarında en verimli örnek miktarı 3g bulunmuş ve uygulama süresi açısından infüzyon çayları için 5 dk, dekoksiyon çayları için uygulama süresinin önemsiz olduğu gözlenmiştir. İnfüzyon ve dekoksiyon örnekleri arasında en verimli çayların gün içerisinde fazla tüketimi, günlük diyetle yeterli alıma katkısı en yüksek olan Cr (%20.4-61.9) açısından toksik etki gösterebileceği tespit edilmiştir., This study was aimed to determine the most efficient sample amount (2 and 3 g) and application time (5 and 10 min) for the mineral content of Salvia officinalis infusion and decoction herbal teas. Mineral analysis of the leave and herbal teas was carried out by ICP-MS. The mineral contents in the leaf are listed from high to low as Zn (63163.7 µg kg-1), Cu (31369.6 µg kg-1) , Mn (24052.4 µg kg-1), Se (7910.8 µg kg-1), Cr (443.6 µg kg-1) and Cd (27.0 µg kg-1). Transfer rates of analyzed minerals were observed higher in decoction teas. Among all minerals, Cd (21.23-22.63%) had the highest transfer rate whereas Se (0.02%) had the lowest. But, the effect of sample amount and application time on mineral yield differed according to the infusion and decoction application. The application time is more effective on all minerals in infusion teas, and sample amount was found in decoction teas. As a result, the most efficient sample amount was 3g for infusion and decoction teas. The most efficient application time for infusion teas was found to be 5 minutes, and insignificant for decoction teas. The excess consumption of the most efficient teas among the infusion and decoction samples during the day may have toxic effects in terms of Cr (20.4-61.9%), which contributes to the sufficient intake with daily diet.

Increasing the body's resistance to various environmental pollutants' adverse effects is one of medicine's essential tasks. In this regard, an active search for antimutagens to eliminate or weaken mutagens' effect in the body is currently underway. One of the promising sources of antimutagenic compounds is the medicinal plant Rosa majalis Herrm (rosehips). The genotoxic and antigenotoxic activity of rosehips was studied on cells of bone marrow, spleen, liver, and kidneys of laboratory mice using an alkaline variant Comet assay. It was found that rosehip infusions in various concentrations (infusion, diluted infusion and herbal tea) do not have a genotoxic effect on the cells of the studied organs of laboratory animals. The medicinal rosehip's combined action with classical mutagen MMS significantly reduced (p

The worldwide influence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic compelled the global health organizations to prioritize the situation over all other related community health issues. The lack of specific treatment modalities against COVID-19 is a major concern nowadays. Here is a case of a 44-year-old man of 176 cm height and 87 kg body weight, who took some powdered mixture equally composed of bitter kola, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, and turmeric sweetened with three teaspoons full of honey. All ingredients were dissolved in 100 ml hot water and taken three times a day during isolation as a positive COVID-19 patient and reversed all associated signs and symptoms after 7 days as confirmed with rapid diagnostic techniques (RDTs). This case revealed that homogenized herbal tea in Jos Nigeria possesses a potential therapeutic that could be a treatment protocol against COVID-19.

Aspalathin (2′,3,4,4′,6′-pentahydroxy-3′-C-β-D-glucopyranosyldihydrochalcone) is a natural C-linked glucosyl dihydrochalcone present in Aspalathus linearis (Burm.f.) R.Dahlgren (rooibos), a South African endemic plant, popularly consumed globally as a herbal tea. Aspalathin is reported to possess potent anti-oxidant properties that are believed to be responsible for the health benefits of rooibos. Other pharmacological properties ascribed to the molecule include antidiabetic, antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. The role of aspalathin in limiting the progression of metabolic disorders and preventing diabetes-induced cardiovascular complications has been reported. The aforementioned potential health benefits of aspalathin have rendered it a popular natural ingredient that is incorporated in various nutraceutical and cosmeceutical products for protection against different conditions. Percutaneous permeation studies revealed some degree of absorption through the skin, supporting its use in cosmetic preparations. To perform an in-depth assessment of the scientific literature available on aspalathin, a bibliometric analysis was carried out on publications for the period 1965–2020, using the Scopus database. A total of 140 articles were retrieved, indicating that South African authors are major contributors to aspalathin research. The most common areas of investigation were identified as anti-oxidation, chemistry/chemical profiling, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities. A comprehensive literature search showed that there are currently only two available reviews on aspalathin. Hence, the present review aims to explore the history and fill gaps with regards to collating aspects of the synthesis, quality control, metabolism and various biological activities of the molecule.

Herbal tea is one of the types of drinks that is in demand by the public because herbal tea is one of the functional food types that has many benefits. In addition, herbal teas are also made from natural ingredients so that it is safe and easy to consume. Herbal tea is a term for beverage products made from ingredients other than tea leaves (Camellia sinensis). Therefore, there are many natural ingredients in the surrounding environment that can potentially be processed into herbal tea products. One of them is by utilizing moringa leaves, cinnamon, roselle and secang that known for it beneficial health effect.To increase the benefits for health also added fish collagen that can support the antioxidant and protein content in this moringa leaf herbal tea product. The purpose of this study is to find out which additional ingredients have the highest antioxidant activity and are best suited to support the content in moringa leaf herbal tea and to know the best concentration of fish collagen added.From the results of the study obtained the formulation of herbal tea drinks moringa leaves which is the best treatment in this study is the formulation of moringa: cinnamon (75:25) as well as the addition of fish collagen by 3% with a total phenol yield of 10.52 mgTAE/g; antioxidant activity of DPPH method 92.16%; antioxidant activity method FRAP 9,92 mgAAE/g; total dissolved protein 16.32%, taste value 1.95 and calcium content 94.29 ppm.

Herbal teas composed of locally occurring plant species have long been used as the primary form of health care in Qingtian County, Zhejiang Province, China. However, large-scale emigration overseas and an aging population threaten the conservation of traditional knowledge of these herbal teas. Traditional knowledge about the plants used for these herbal teas is not well documented in Qingtian, despite their widespread use. The aim of this study was to assess the plant-cultural diversity of plants used as herbal teas, and to point out the prospective value of herbal teas used by Qingtian people. This study was conducted using semi-structured interviews, as well as field and market surveys. Forty-three local informants were interviewed. We recorded plant resources, plant parts used, local names, and medicinal uses. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including cognitive salience (CS), frequency of citation (FC), index of informant consensus (Fic) and use value (UV), were calculated to analyze the level of representativeness and relative importance of plants used in herbal teas. One hundred and twenty-nine species belonging to 75 families and 113 genera were reported to be used in herbal tea, with Compositae being the richest family. Whole plants are most commonly used to make herbal teas (66.7%). In this study, informants reported that 92.2% of plant species used in herbal teas are wild. The most utilized herbal preparation form is dry/fresh. Informants reported that herbal teas are used to treat 31 ailments. Our results show that the highest representativeness, based on CS and FC, was recorded for species Actinidia eriantha. Based on UV, the top five most used species are Goodyera schlechtendaliana, Plantago asiatica, Prunella vulgaris, Lophatherum gracile and Leonurus japonicus. The highest Fic was cited for dental medicine. This study helps document the status of current herbal teas in Qingtian. The use value and traditional knowledge of herbal teas have provided basic data for further research focused on bioactivity studies and sustainable utilization of the most important species.

Aims: Herbal medicines are widely used because of its health benefits and minimum side effects. There are many underutilized medicinal herbs in Sri Lanka which are not subjected to any scientific study to prove their health benefits. The present study attempted to identify the health benefits and possibility to develop herbal teas from selected herbs; Solanum trilobatum, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Cardiospermum halicacabum, Acalypha indica and Plectranthus amboinicus. Study Design: Complete Randomized Design was employed. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in Agricultural Chemistry Laboratory of Uva Wellassa University, Badulla, Sri Lanka From November 2018 to March 2019. Methodology: Leaf samples of these herbs were oven dried for 12 hours at 50 . Infusions were prepared by boiling varying amounts of leaf samples from 1g to 5g in 100 ml of distilled water and tested for antioxidant activity with DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) assay and α-amylase inhibition activity using Dinitrosalicylic acid method. Sensory evaluation was conducted for the same infusions with ISO-3103 specifications to select the best amounts of samples for consumption. The selected amounts were subjected to chemical analysis. Results: The best antioxidant activity and α-amylase inhibition activity were observed in C.halicacabum with 7.71 mg ml-1 and 45.51 mg ml-1 IC50 values respectively. Results confirmed that all leaf infusions contain Anthocyanin (4.20-0.11mg dm-3), Polyphenols (120.49-32.93 mg dm-3 and Free Sugar (262.95-24.67mg dm-3). Conclusion: Selected herbs show positive responses towards selected biochemical properties and there is a very good potential to develop herbal teas with interesting health benefits with high customer attraction. C. halicacabum shows the best potential among selected herbs. However, it is suggested to carry out further studies to confirm these results and find out any adverse effects of overconsumption.

Medicinal plants, which are used as drugs to prevent diseases, maintain health or cure diseases, take place in areas such as nutrition, cosmetics, body care, incense or religious ceremonies, while aromatic plants are used in different industrial areas to give fragrance and taste are used. Flora of Turkey has a rich plant diversity. Secondary metabolites such as essential oils, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins etc. are the most basic products of the industry directly or indirectly. The vast majority of medicinal and aromatic plants rich in secondary metabolites exhibit strong biological activity (antioxidant, antibacterial, etc.). Therefore, these secondary metabolites are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. The most common and practical use of secondary metabolites, which are also used as natural insecticides, is in the form of herbal tea. In recent years, the more side effects of synthetic origin substances, especially the resistance of organisms against synthetic drugs used as antimicrobials, have increased the importance of natural herbal resources and medicinal plants carrying these substances. Therefore, there is no doubt that the demand for secondary metabolites, which are natural products, will increase in the future. Flora of Turkey is an important source for natural products which will be developed newly.

Summary Plants have been used to prepare herbal infusions for centuries. Production of herbal tea consists of several steps, beginning with harvesting, cleaning form residues, drying, storage of herb in a suitable material, grinding, and blending. Te plants grow in different regions and climatic conditions, varying by their physical properties. They are consumed for different purposes and due to their chemical constituents. Many of them have therapeutic effects. Besides their various benefits and even antimicrobial effects, they also carry some microorganisms. Thus, the botanical characteristics and effects on the health of frequently consumed herbal teas and recommendations on their consumption with considered microbial risks are reviewed in this article.

Helichrysum stoechas has been conventionally used as herbal tea due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and diuretic activities. Ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of the plant (HSE) afforded a lanostane triterpenoid glycoside. The isolated compound was characterized as Lanostan-3β-olyl-26-oic acid 3-O-α-D-glycopyranoside (HS-01) with the help of UV, IR, 1H, 13C NMR and MS spectroscopic techniques. HSE (at 100 and 200 mg/kg doses) and the isolated compound, HS-01 (at 10 mg/kg dose) has been investigated for anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities against chemically challenged experimental animal. Both the HSE as well as HS-01 showed a substantial decline in paw volume when compared with the relevant control groups (p

Sweet tea (Lithocarpus polystachyus Rehd.) has been consumed as herbal tea to prevent and manage diabetes for a long time. Recent studies indicate that sweet tea is rich in a variety of bioactive compounds, especially a class of nonclassical flavonoids, dihydrochalcones. In order to provide a better understanding of sweet tea and its main dihydrochalcones on human health, this review mainly summarizes related literature in the recent ten years, with the potential molecular mechanisms emphatically discussed. Phlorizin, phloretin, and trilobatin, three natural sweeteners, are the main dihydrochalcones in sweet tea. In addition, sweet tea and its dihydrochalcones exhibit plenty of health benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects, which are associated with the regulation of different molecular targets and signaling pathways. Therefore, sweet tea, as a rare natural source of dihydrochalcones, can be processed and developed into nutraceuticals or functional foods, with the potential application in the prevention and management of certain chronic diseases.

Siraitia grosvenori fruits are used as a sweetener and in traditional medicine. Their composition is more frequently studied contrary to flowers or herbal tea made of this plant. Infusions or decoctions of S. grosvenori flowers and herbal tea, commercially available products for daily use, are ingested into our body in terms of herbal medicine with potentially health beneficial impact. Mogrosides are supposed to be responsible for biological activities of S. grosvenori; however, it is well known that polysaccharides can also exhibit interesting biological activities. Composition of purified polysaccharidic complex matrices, isolated from S. grosvenori flowers and herbal tea by infusion and decoction, was the target of our study performed mainly by GC–MS and NMR. Characteristic NMR spectral features allowed an identification of the arabinogalactan type II and acidic biopolymers, homogalacturonan and highly esterified homogalacturonan in infusions of the herbal tea and flower and decoction of flowers. In the decoction sample of herbal tea inulin was found as the dominant polysaccharide. Comparison of compositional and linkage analyses data with those of 2D NMR spectra allowed an identification of fine structural elements of arabinogalactan polymers.

Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L.) is the most widely consumed citrus fruit in Côte d'Ivoire. They are rich in bioactive compound. Also, their peels or flavedo rejected during consumption have a high content of polyphenols, flavonoids, and essential oils. However, in Côte D'Ivoire, studies are limited to the characterization of orange peel (Citrus sinensis). Our study therefore aims to determine the phytochemical composition of herbal teas obtained from the orange peel (Citrus sinensis) in order to contribute to their valorisation as herbal teas. The Citrus sinensis zests were collected in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) in Adjamé community. An herbal tea was produced and subjected to phytochemical and physicochemical tests. The results showed that the moisture content of the different batches varies from 14.13±0.41 to 7.2%±0.2; the oven-dried batches showed the lowest value. In addition, the ash content remains statistically different between batches. The herbal teas studied had an average ash content of 6.53%. The pH values negatively correlated to acidity range from 3.92±0.2 to 3.21±0.15. Also, these herbal teas contain several secondary metabolites such as polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins and saponins. This study shows that herbal teas made from orange peel contain several phytochemicals including antioxidants. In addition, their high ash content suggests a high mineral content. Therefore, orange peels can be used in the form of herbal teas as a dietary supplement.

Background.Thunbergia laurifolia(TL) is a commonly used herbal medicine in Thailand and in other Asian countries. TL has been approved as a Thai traditional medicine for detoxifying poisons, and the list of possible adverse effects includes hypoglycemia. TL showed hypoglycemic effect in animals possibly due to antioxidant effect and beta-cell preservation. However, the safety of TL herbal tea and its effects on glucose homeostasis have never been investigated in humans.Methods. Twenty healthy volunteers (10 men and 10 women) drank TL herbal tea 3 times/day for 2 weeks. Ten subjects took TL herbal tea 9 grams daily. After the safety of TL herbal tea was established, 10 more subjects took TL 12 grams daily. Clinical and biochemical tests were assessed at baseline and at 2 weeks.Results. Mean age was 34.9 ± 10.2 years, and mean body mass index was 27.5 ± 5.8 kg/m2. Baseline and posttreatment plasma concentrations were as follows: fasting plasma glucose (89 ± 6 vs.89 ± 7 mg/dL), fructosamine (213 ± 32 vs.212 ± 33 μmol/L), fasting insulin (8.8 [IQR: 5.9–18.4] vs.10.4 [IQR: 7.4–15.2]μU/mL), HOMA-B (101.6 [IQR: 82.3–189.8] vs.120.4 [IQR: 93.2–153.2]), and HOMA-IR (1.1 [IQR: 0.8–2.3] vs.1.4 [IQR: 0.9–2.0]), all respectively. There were no significant changes in these parameters, including body weight, blood pressure, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein. No serious adverse events were observed during the study period.Conclusions. TL herbal tea at doses of 9 and 12 grams daily had good tolerability without any significant adverse effects on fasting plasma glucose level or other glucose homeostasis parameters measured.

Background : Diets that contain lots of antioxidants will reduce the risk caused by degenerative diseases. Based on this, many people develop food or health products that contain antioxidants. Jempiring leaves ( Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) and Secang wood ( Caesalpinia sappan L.) contain bioactive and antioxidant compositions that are beneficial to health, so they are developed into herbal products. Purpose : To analyze phytochemical reserves, antioxidant capacity and conduct organoleptic tests for Ring Cang tea, describing the benefits of ring rings based on laboratory test results and literature studies on jempiring leaves and secang wood. Method : This research is a descriptive study by conducting phytochemical testing laboratory tests and DPPH antioxidant methods and conducting organoleptic tests with 15 panelists. Results : Ring tea can contain flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids and polyphenols. Ring Cang tea has an antioxidant capacity of 291.43 mg / L and IC50 1.53 μg / mL which shows the antioxidant activity of ring cang tea in the very strong category. Ring tea can be tested organoleptically accepted by panelists in terms of color, taste, and aroma, so that it can be developed into herbal teas for the community. Conclusion: Cang tea is an antioxidant tea that can be used in handling generative or degenerative diseases, such as diabetes, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and other diseases.

Xia Sang Ju (XSJ) granule, a Chinese drug and herbal tea made up of Prunellae spica (Xia Ku Cao), Mori folium (Sang Ye), and Flos Chrysanthemi Indici (Ye Ju Hua), is commonly used for fever, headache, and sore throat. The underlying pharmacological mechanism of XSJ on hypertension treatment is described here, based on network pharmacology.

Objective The aims of this study was to determine the effect of giving 14 days of African leaf herbal tea to FBG levels of prediabetes teachers. Method A quasi-experimental study using the non-randomized pretest posttest method. There were 30 samples. Levels of FBG, Anthropometry and Recall 24-hours collected had been divided into 3 study groups are dose of 2 grams (group I), 4 g (group II) and controls. Result 5.3% decreases in FBG levels of group I, 5.6% in group II, and 0.5% increase in FBG levels of control group. There was no significant difference in FBG levels before and after intervention in group I (p = 0.057), group II (p = 0.252), and control group (p = 0.928). Conclusion Consumption of 4 g of African leaf herbal tea for 14 days reduces FBG best. It is recommended to consume African leaf herbal tea to reduce blood glucose levels in patients with prediabetes.

Achillea species (Asteraceae) are important medicinal foods widely used as traditional medicine, herbal tea, and food additives. In the present study, the chemical composition, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and enzyme inhibitory activities (α-amylase, α-glucosidase, cholinesterase, and tyrosinase) of the essential oils (EOs) and ethanolic (EtOH) extracts from flowers and leaves of Achillea filipendulina were investigated. The EOs were characterized by the presence of 35 and 38 volatile constituents, representing 98.88% and 97.26% of the flowers and leaves oils, respectively. Chrysanthenyl acetate (19.11% and 16.26%), 1,8-cineole (17.18% and 12.01%), borneol (9.70% and 7.66%), and α-pinene (9.60% and 8.77%) were identified as the major compounds. Phenolics profiling showed 11 phenolic acid and flavonoids are presented in this herb flower and leaves EtOH extracts of which chlorogenic acid (214.95 and 154.54 mg/100 g extract), cinnamic acid (116.67 and 90.41 mg/100 g extract), and apigenin (204.89 and 228.28 mg/100 g extract) were the major ingredients. Moreover, the extracts contained significant amounts of total phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, and saponin compounds. All samples showed moderate to high inhibitory effects against key enzyme linked to Alzheimer’s and diabetes diseases. Furthermore, the extracts exhibited promising antityrosinase activity. Evaluation of antiproliferative activity exerted that flower of the plant had the highest effect on MCF-7 and Hep-G2 cell lines, while the plant essential oil didn’t have significant effect. Overall, our findings indicated that A. filipendulina has great potential for designing novel industrial formulations including pharmaceuticals and cosmeceuticals.

Quercus salicina Blume (QS) is an oak species that is indigenous to Japan and Korea. Historically, extracts of leaves, stems, barks and buds from the QS tree had been extensively utilized as herbal medicines. As rich sources of natural antioxidants, QS extracts could prevent oxidative stress and the occurrence of related neurodegenerative diseases. In pharmaceutical applications, decoction or infusion of comminuted QS powder is prepared as an herbal tea for oral use. Various extraction methods and extracting mediums showed the potential antioxidant activities of QS extracts, as well as the different types and levels of bioactive compounds found in them. Due to their functional properties and possibly low-level of cytotoxicity, the potential application of QS extracts as a novel food ingredient could be considered. In this review paper, a brief overview about QS extracts and their bioactive components, antioxidant activities, toxicity and technological applications is described based on previous works.

The occurrence of wide spectrum of mycotoxins has been studied in C. sinensis and herbal tea available in the Russian Federation by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS). The batch of 77 samples consisted of 54 samples of bulk loose (prepacked) and packed C. sinensis tea and 23 individual and mixed herbal teas. The list of determined analytes included 29 mycotoxins: regulated in food (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, deoxinivalenol, fumonisins, T-2 toxin and zaeralenone), their derivatives and structural analogues (A- and B-trichothecenes, mycotoxins of zearalenone group) and emerging mycotoxins (sterigmatocystin, mycophenolic acid, enniatins, beauvericin, Alternaria toxins). Samples of green and black C. sinensis tea were almost negative or contaminated at about LOD levels. Herbal teas, especially multi component, proved to be the most contaminated. Co-occurrence of several analytes (over five), including regulated and emerging mycotoxins, has been detected. The most frequent pattern was mycopenolic acid, Alternaria mycotoxins (tentoxin, alternariol and its methyl ether), enniatin B, beauvericin and sterigmatocystin. Beauvericin, enniatin B and mycophenolic acid were common for all types of studied tea samples. The study of the toxinogenic properties of tea mycoflora in vitro showed the ability of toxigenic species of molds to produce significant quantities of several types of mycotoxins, including emergent, simultaneously. The production of mycotoxins by molds on a substrate of C. sinensis green tea leaves has been 290 and 5600 μg/kg of fumonisins B1 and B2 correspondingly, 130 μg/kg of zearalenone, 14 μg/kg of sterigmatocystin and 160 μg/kg of alternariol methyl ether. These results indicate a potential risk of herbal teas to human health associated with wide spectrum of mycotoxins, especially emerging ones. Their regular monitoring in tea and data accumulation is necessary to assess the safety of this type of food products. The present study is the first attempt to estimate contamination of tea available in Russia with toxigenic mold and their secondary metabolites.

In the traditional medicine of Iran, some herbal medicines are used for treating of high blood sugar. In this study, the concentration of Ca, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mn, V and Zn in eight of famous herbal medicines were measured using neutron activation technique. The comparison of the total intake of each element through consumption of two cups of herbal tea and the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for adults shows that, the effectiveness of these herbal plants does not have any relationship with the high concentrations of Ca, Cr, Mg, Mn, V and Zn.

The Lime Basra (Citrus aurantifolia Linn., Rutaceae) plant also known as dried lime, and Limoo Omani, is used both as a spice in meals and as an herbal tea in the treatment of some diseases in the Middle East. It was aimed to determine the biological activity screening of the 70% methanol, ethanol extracts and infusion which were prepared from dried fruits. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPHBLACK CIRCLE) and 2,2MODIFIER LETTER PRIME-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS+(BLACK CIRCLE)) radical scavenging activities, ferric reducing activity, cytotoxicity on A 549, MCF 7 and L929 cell lines and alpha-amylase inhibitory effects were determined. According to the results, 70% methanol extract was more active in antioxidant activity tests and ethanol extract was more active in cytotoxicity tests. Interestingly both 70% methanol and ethanol extracts were found to have potent hypoglycemic activity. The present findings shed light on the fact that it is important to research and scientifically evaluate plants with traditional medicinal use.

For safety of herbal teas for consumers, the veterinary and sanitary expertise of plant raw materials and finished goods including definition of the content of heavy metals, microbiological indicators, mycotoxins, pesticides according to requirements of Technical regulations of the Customs union 021/2011 "About safety of food products" has to be carried out. Data of veterinary and sanitary examination of 50 samples of multicomponent herbal teas on the normalized indicators are provided. The assessment of risk of contamination of herbal raw materials and herbal teas by pathogenic microorganisms and microorganism activators of damage of raw materials and products is carried out. All packed herbal tea samples conformed to the requirements fixed by the existing standards. The maintenance of mold fungi in herbal tea rooibos with cinnamon in 021% of samples from 2011 no more than 48 exceeded the normalized quantity, by 10…100 times. Mold fungi have been provided by not toxicogenic types of Alternaria, Penicillium, Cladosporium. The maintenance of aflatoxin did not exceed norm in all studied samples of herbal teas. Stability at storage of herbal tea depends on quantity and species composition of residual microflora. The raised maintenance of mold fungi of activators of damage can lead to reduction of expiration date of herbal tea.

Objective: Obesity is the most important public health problem of the 21st century. The prevalence of obesity in the community has led people to search for weight loss. In addition to lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity, eating behavior changes, different body weight protection methods are developed and many of these methods are offered under the name of weight loss products. The aim of this study is to determine the herbal product use approaches for weight loss in women and to determine the factors affecting the use of herbal products. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on females aged 18-65, living in Denizli province, attending the sports courses twice a week. The research was carried out with 612 participants. The questionnaire was applied to individuals through faceto-face interviews. Results: Approximately half of females use herbal products (41,3%) and a great majority of the participants (70,4%) do not mention their products to their doctors or pharmacists. More than a half of the participants use of herbal products in the forms of tea 62,9%. Most of the participants (54,6%) buy such products from herbalists. It has been detected that 50,6% of the participants use herbal products everyday. Less than a half of them (35,2%) state that they get the necessary information and usage method from their neighbours and relatives. 26,3% of the participants have nausea-vomiting. 79,4% of the females advise the herbal products they use themselves to others. A great majority of them are married (n:439, %71,7) and have graduated from university (n:227, %37,1). Top five dry herbs are cinnamon (12,6%), flax seed (11,5%), oat (11,2%), black sesame (10,6%) and black pepper (8,5%). Lemon (22,9%), parsley (11,5%), tomato (8,3%), mint (7,8%) and avocado (6,9%) are mostly used as fresh herbs. Green tea (20,6%), sage (7,1%), linden (6,9%), cherry stalk (6,1%) and rosemary (5,2%) are preferred as herbal tees. Lemon (39,3%), cabbage (17,0%), onion (12,8%), garlic (11,7%) and tomato (4,2%) are used as herbal juice. Top six popular imported herbal drogs are herbalife (39,0%), green coffee (11,4%), pepper pill (10,4%), apple chromium (9,5%), golden berry (5,7%) and chocolate slim (5,7%). Conclusion: There are still deficiencies in supporting the effectiveness of the use of these products which are sold on various platforms. These products can lead to many side effects which can lead to death. In addition to the necessary regulations on herbal products, toxicological examinations and evidence-based data should be evaluated. © 2020 Refik Saydam National Public Health Agency (RSNPHA).

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) is a herbaceous plant from family Astereaceae, that has a long history of use in traditional medicine. The first written report of chamomile was found in Ancient Egypt: crushed chamomile flower-heads were used to relieve skin inflammation, prevent dermatitis, and in cosmetic preparations. The subject of this study was to examine the ethnopharmacological application of chamomile in the Pirot County of Serbia. The study was conducted in the form of a population survey on the population of four municipalities: Pirot, Babusnica, Bela Palanka, and Dimitrovgrad. This study shows that chamomile has been one of the ten best known medicinal plant species in Pirot County. The most common way of the application was a herbal tea for oral use against cold, stomach diseases, throat infection, and mild sedation. Externally, in the form of compresses, it has been used against eye swelling, skin inflammation, and infections, while the oily form was used in the treatment of wounds and burns.

Rosa canina, commonly known as the dog rose, is a deciduous shrub from family Rosaceae. The fruit of dog rose has a long tradition of culinary and medicinal use worldwide. The aim of this study was to analyze the ethnopharmacological application of rose in Pirot County (Southeastern Serbia). The study was conducted in the form of surveys among the population in four municipalities: Pirot, Babušnica, Bela Palanka, and Dimitrovgrad. It was noticed that rose is one of the ten best known medicinal plants in Pirot County. The fruit, named rosehip, is usually used in the folk medicine of the County in the form of herbal tea instead of coffee. Fresh rosehip contains a large amount of vitamin C and is thus usually consumed by the people of the Pirot County to prevent and treat colds, influenza, vitamin C deficiencies, and for disease prevention.

The species from genus Thymus are polymorphous plants from the family Lamiaceae, spread in Serbia in many species, subspecies, varieties, and forms. The aerial parts of species from genus Thymus have a long tradition of being used worldwide. The subject of this study was the research of ethnomedicinal application of thyme in Pirot County (Southeastern Serbia). Ethnomedicinal surveys were conducted among the population in four municipalities: Pirot, Babušnica, Bela Palanka, and Dimitrovgrad. It was noticed that 56.9 % of interviewed persons use the species of genus Thymus in the Pirot County. They are usually used in the county's folk medicine in the form of herbal tea against colds to relieve dry and spastic cough, especially in bronchitis and asthma, and for sedation.

This paper discusses how to produce herbal teabags as a source of low-calorie antioxidants made from African leaves and stevia leaves. This study aims to determine the antioxidant content of herbal teabags mixed with African leaves (Vernonia amygdalina Del.) and Stevia leaves (Stevia Rebaudiana) by drying and varying drying time by 90 minutes, 110 minutes, 130 minutes, 150 minutes, 170 minutes and composition of 60:40, 65:35, 70:30, 75:25, 80:20 then the product is analyzed for antioxidants, calories, Fe, organoleptic, microbes, pH, and minerals contained in the mixture. In general, when compared with the SNI 3753: 2014 quality standard regarding teabag, the results of this study are better than the standard as it produces teabags with the highest antioxidant content characteristics at the time of drying 110 minutes with a composition of 65:35. In that condition, tea with the largest antioxidant content was 93.1005%/mg, after being brewed with water at a temperature of 700 ºC the antioxidant content dropped to 51.1345%, pH neutral 7, the organoleptic test that consumers liked was a composition of 65:35, Fe content obtained 12.07 mg/100gram. The group of diabetics who consume Sumatran tea has decreased blood sugar levels which tend to be normal. The results of calorie analysis of brewing tea are 0.2289 kcal/100 grams of sample. Sumatran tea contains minerals Na, Mg, K, Ca and has a durability of 3 months.

Leysera gnaphalodes (L.) L. (viz., Leyssera gnaphalioides L.) is an aromatic, medicinal Cape herbal tea endemic to southern Africa. The plant is known by many different vernacular names, most relating to its use as tea: geelblommetjiestee, duinetee(bossie), skilpadtee(bossie), teringtee(bossie), hongertee and geeltee. According to historical literature and recent ethnobotanical surveys in the Little Karoo, this aromatic shrublet is a treatment for numerous respiratory ailments, especially ‘tering’ (tuberculosis). Previous studies have reported the presence of several diterpenes and triterpenes, but the main essential oil compounds have remained unknown. These were identified as α-pinene, β-pinene, p-cymene, carvacrol and bicyclogermacrene. Multicellular glandular trichomes are present on the leaf surface, which may be the site of oil production and/or accumulation. Leysera gnaphalodes has been reported to exhibit significant anti-mycobacterial activity against three Mycobacterium micro-organisms. The traditional claim of its efficacy as a treatment against tuberculosis, as reflected by the common name teringtee (‘tuberculosis tea’) therefore appears plausible. This activity seems to be primarily associated with the presence of the well-known pentacyclic triterpenoids, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid.

Elsholtzia rugulosa Hemsl., a species of the Labiatae family, has a long history of use as a honey plant, herbal tea, and folk medicine in China. However, little is known about its composition and biological activities. The present study aimed to investigate the total phenol and flavonoid contents, phytochemical composition, and multiple biological activities of this plant. The total flavonoid content of the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) was higher than those of the petroleum ether fraction (PEF), n-butanol fraction (NBF), and water fraction (WF). The EAF also had much stronger antioxidant, cytotoxic, hepatoprotective, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities than the PEF, NBF, and WF. More importantly, the IC50 values of the EAF and NBF against α-glucosidase were much lower than that of the positive control acarbose, indicating their potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. The isolation of the EAF led to the acquisition of 9 compounds, four of which (β-daucosterol, methyl rosmarinate, betulinic acid, and oleanolic acid) possessed significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Maltol 6'-O-(5-O-p-coumaroyl)-β-D-apiofuranosyl-β-D-glucopyranoside and rosmarinic acid were the major phenolic compounds in the EAF according to the HPLC-DAD analysis. All these findings indicate that the EAF, NBF, and some isolated compounds have the potential to be developed as antidiabetic drugs. Moreover, the dual inhibition of AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) of certain fractions indicates their potential in the development of anti-Alzheimer's disease drugs. The present study provides a new understanding of the phytochemistry and bioactivity of E. rugulosa.

Clinacanthus nutans Lindau (Family: Acanthaceae) is a medicinal herb widely distributed in the tropic and subtropic areas of Asia. C. nutans is traditionally consumed as vegetable or herbal tea, as well as a folk medicine for anticancer and antifungal activities. However, to date, chemical constituent responsible for observed health beneficial effects of this medicinal plant is not clear. In the current study, 32 compounds (1−32), including three new megastigmanes (1–3) were isolated from the aerial parts of C. nutans. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of comprehensive NMR, MS, and CD spectroscopic data analysis, as well as chemical hydrolysis. Among the isolates, cycloartane triterpenoids (9, 10, and 12) displayed moderate anti-proliferative effects against HepG2 cell growth with IC50 values ranging from 9.12 to 19.89 μM. Data obtained from flow cytometry analysis and western blotting assays revealed that compounds 9 and 12 induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells by modulating the expression of proteins associated to mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathway. Furthermore, megastigmanes 1, 2, 7, and 8 enhanced the anti-Candida albicans activity of amphotericin B (AmB), supporting the synergistic effects between megastigmanes and AmB. This is the first report of anticancer and antifungal potential of cycloartane triterpenoids and megastigmanes in C. nutans, which shed useful insights on the relationship between C. nutans's chemical constituent and its beneficial effects to health. Findings from this study support further development of this medicinal plant for potential pharmaceutical applications.

Equiseti herba has been traditionally indicated in bacterial diseases of the efferent urinary tract or bad healing wounds in many regions worldwide. Most of the plant material used for medical purposes comes from collections of wild growing plants. The European Pharmacopoeia requires that Equiseti herba should consist of a minimum of 95% Equisetum arvense and a maximum of 5% foreign ingredients. This includes Equisetum palustre, which is known for its potentially toxic alkaloid palustrine. However, both Equisetum species are quite common, look morphologically very similar, and share similar habitats, hence, are therefore often confused. Recently, several structurally related Equisetum alkaloids have been identified in E. palustre but not in E. arvense. We have established a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for the detection of these E. palustre-specific Equisetum alkaloids in order to quantify the contamination of Equiseti herba (E. arvense) by E. palustre plant material. In a second, independent approach, the results of the HPLC-MS/MS analysis were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, looking for the species-specific characteristics of the stoma apparatus of E. palustre. Thirty-four Equiseti herba products obtained from different pharmacies, drug stores, supermarkets, and web stores were analyzed. The majority of the products (26 out of 34) were Equisetum alkaloid positive, with contents ranging from 0.29 – 21.7 mg of Equisetum alkaloids/kg (d. w.). In addition, the transfer of Equisetum alkaloids into tea infusions was investigated, demonstrating a 42 to 60% transfer rate for cold and hot water extraction of Equisetum alkaloid-contaminated Equiseti herba, respectively.

Wedelia chinensis, which belongs to the Asteraceae family, is a procumbent, perennial herb. It has medicinal anti-inflammatory properties and has been traditionally used as folk medicine in East and South Asia for treating fever, cough and phlegm. In Taiwan, W. chinensis is a common ingredient of herbal tea. Previous studies showed that the plant leaves contain four major bioactive compounds, wedelolactone, demethylwedelolactone, luteolin and apigenin, that have potent antihepatoxic activity, and are thus used as major ingredients in phytopharmaceutical formulations. In this study, we set up optimal conditions for induction of ploidy in W.&nbsp, chinensis. Ploidy can be an effective method of increasing plant biomass and improving medicinal and ornamental characteristics. By using flow cytometry and chicken erythrocyte nuclei as a reference, the DNA content (2C) or genome size of W. chinensis was determined to be 4.80 picograms (pg) in this study for the first time. Subsequently, we developed the successful induction of five triploid and three tetraploid plants by using shoot explants treated with different concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 g/L) of colchicine. No apparent morphological changes were observed between these polyploid plants and the diploid wild-type (WT) plant, except that larger stomata in leaves were found in all polyploid plants as compared to diploid WT. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was used to quantify the four index compounds (wedelolactone, demethylwedelolactone, luteolin, apigenin) in these polyploid plants, and fluctuating patterns were detected. This is the first report regarding polyploidy in the herbal plant W. chinensis.

The article presents the results of a study on the level of 210Pb efficiency extraction in Polish herbal teas as a possible additional source of this radioactive isotope in the human diet. The twel...

The present work summarises preliminary results of an ethnobotanical study in the Rhodope Mountains. The aim was to assess the traditional home use of medicinal plants for herbal tea by local people and to estimate the threats to the Balkan endemic Clinopodiumdalmaticum. Semi-structured interviews with local informants from 15 localities in Central and Eastern Rhodope Mountains were performed in 2015 and 2018. As a result, the most used plant species were listed. The major source of plants was recorded as being gathered from the wild. The plants, known with the local names “wild mint” and “white mint”, were identified as Clinopodiumdalmaticum from dried specimens presented by informants in Central Rhodopes. A frequent collection from wild populations of C.dalmaticum in Central Rhodope Mts. (Smoljan region) was revealed along with just a few cases of cultivation close to the studied sites.

Rooibos tea ( Aspalathus linearis) is a well-known South African herbal tea enjoyed worldwide. Limited reports indicate the potential of rooibos tea to alter the activity of certain cytochrome P450 (CYP450) isozymes. In this study, the phytochemical investigation of MeOH extract of A. linearis (leaves and stems) resulted in the isolation and characterization of 11 phenolic compounds. The MeOH extract exhibited significant inhibition of the major human CYP450 isozymes (CYP3A4, CYP1A2, CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19). The strongest inhibition was observed by the extract for CYP3A4 (IC50 1.7 ± 0.1 μg/mL) followed by CYP2C19 (IC50 4.0 ± 0.3 μg/mL). Among the tested phytochemicals, the most potent inhibitors were isovitexin on CYP3A4 (IC50 3.4 ± 0.2 μM), vitexin on CYP2C9 (IC50 8.0 ± 0.2 μM), and thermopsoside on CYP2C19 (IC50 9.5 ± 0.2 μM). The two major, structurally related compounds aspalathin and nothofagin exhibited a moderate pregnane-X receptor (PXR) activation, which was associated with increased mRNA expression of CYP3A4 and CYP1A2, respectively. These results indicate that a high intake of nutraceuticals containing rooibos extracts may pose a risk of herb-drug interactions when consumed concomitantly with clinical drugs that are substrates of CYP enzymes.

Over the last two decades there has been a substantial increase of the number of studies on the species of genus Sideritis. Species of section Empedoclia, occurring in the Eastern Mediterranean region and in part of Western Asia possess some remarkable characteristics and are known as valuable medicinal plants used by local people in the traditional medicine and for herbal tea. The objective of the review is to make a survey on the recent studies on the ethnopharmacology and biological activity of the species in Southeastern Europe and in Turkey, which is the center of distribution and their main occurrence.The review focuses on the ethnopharmacology and biological activities of the species of interest. The survey revealed that a total of 47 species belonging to section Empedoclia have been studied either in ethnopharmacological aspect, or in relation to their biological activities, or both. Most species have been used traditionally by the local people as herbal tea or for treatment of various health problems, most frequently flu, cold and respiratory diseases. Sideritis species demonstrate numerous biological activities and are promising for use in the therapy of many diseases and health disorders. Antioxidant activity was found in 40 species, antimicrobial and antibacterial activity - in 27 species, anti-inflammatory - in 14 species, antifungal - in 8 species, cytotoxic - in 7 species. There were also some other, more specific biological activities, found in a few species, but considered promising for further studies and application.The species of genus Sideritis, section Empedoclia have been used by local people as herbal tea and in traditional medicine since long time ago. People are taking advantage of the high species diversity and are aware of their useful properties. Much more information is available on the biological activities of the target species than on their traditional uses. Most species demonstrate various biological activities and are of substantial interest for further studies on their pharmacological properties and their potential for pharmacy and medicine. Graphical abstract Schematic illustration of traditional uses and biological activities of some Sideritis species. Arrows with different colors represent biological activities of different species. The species and their corresponding color can be seen at the right part of the figure. The colors correspond also to the squares placed in the different parts of human body.