Antibacterial and laxative activities of strictinin isolated from Pu'er tea ( Camellia sinensis )
Hsieh SK, Xu JR, Lin NH, Li YC, Chen GH, Kuo PC, Chen WY, Tzen JTC · Journal of Food and Drug Analysis · 2016 October
DOI 10.1016/j.jfda.2016.03.014
Objective
To investigate the antibacterial and laxative activities of strictinin, the major phenolic compound in Pu'er teas produced from young leaves and buds of wild trees.
Conclusions
The study concludes that strictinin has antibacterial activities against Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and also exhibits laxative activity by accelerating small intestinal transit in rats.
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Insights
Strictinin, the major phenolic compound in Pu'er teas, shows potential as a natural antibiotic and laxative but has greater inhibitory concentrations than some commercial antibiotics.
The study isolated strictinin from the young leaves and buds of wild Pu'er tea trees to evaluate its antibacterial and laxative properties. Its minimum inhibitory concentrations against two types of bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis) were measured and compared to typical antibiotics. The study also tested the effects of combining strictinin with commercial antibiotics. Moreover, rat feeding tests were conducted to observe laxative effects.
The results showed that strictinin does have antibacterial properties albeit requiring higher concentrations compared to some conventional antibiotics. Its use in tandem with other antibiotics demonstrated additive and synergistic effects in inhibiting bacterial activity. Additionally, a laxative effect was confirmed in rats, which was likely caused by increased small intestine transit but not diarrhea or increased food intake. This suggests strictinin could be one potential ingredient in Pu'er tea responsible for antiviral, antibacterial, and laxative effects.
