Sugar compositions, α-glucosidase inhibitory and amylase inhibitory activities of polysaccharides from leaves and flowers of Camellia sinensis obtained by different extraction methods.

The sugar compositions, α-glucosidase inhibitory and α-amylase inhibitory activities of polysaccharides from leaves and flowers of green tea (Camellia sinensis) obtained by hot water extraction (HWE), boiled water extraction (BWE) and enzymatic extraction (EE) were investigated. The yields, sugar contents and monosaccharide compositions of tea leaves polysaccharides (TLPS) and tea flower polysaccharides (TFPS) were all significantly affected by extraction methods. The contents of acidic polysaccharides (APS) extracted by BWE and EE were both much more than those by HWE. The yields of TLPS and TFPS were determined as EE>BWE>HWE. Enzyme and higher temperature could improve the contents of APS and yields of TLPS and TFPS. TLPS and TFPS were all mainly composed of Rha, Ara, Gal, Glu and GalA, very little molar contents of GluA, Xyl and Man. It seemed that enzyme extraction could be more conducive to increase the content of Ara, Gal and GaLA. The molecular weights of TFPS were larger than those of TLPS. The molecular weights of polysaccharides obtained by EE decreased. Proteins in tea leaves and tea flowers might be decomposed by EE by observing UV peaks and IR absorption. peaks. The α-glucosidase inhibitory and amylase inhibitory activities of TLPS and TFPS obtained by EE were lower than those by water extracted method. The inhibitory percentages of TLPS and TFPS against α-amylase were all lower than α-glucosidase for different extractions.