Bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides) is an herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family used throughout history as medicinal herbal tea by the people of South Africa. Many studies stated that the plant has an ability to be commercialized as a medicinal herbal tea. But vegetative propagation of this type of plant by stem cutting, survival ability of the rooted cuttings, response to different hormone concentrations and the requirement of the seeds for germination has not been studied. In this investigation, different features aimed at effective propagation of bush tea were studied. These comprised: cutting position (apical vs. basal), media (pine bark vs. sand), hormone (Seradix No. 2), season (summer, autumn, winter and spring), transplanting survival of rooted apical and basal cuttings, response of basal cuttings to three hormone concentration levels (Seradix No. 1, 2 and 3) and light and temperature requirement for bush tea seed germination. In vegetative propagation, apical cuttings rooted to higher percentage and produced high root number as well as longer roots than basal cuttings. Pine bark improved the number of roots developed but had no effect on rooting percentage as well as root length. Application of rooting hormone (Seradix No. 2) increased root numbers but not rooting percentage or root length. Rooting of cuttings was improved when propagated in autumn (longer roots) and spring (more number of roots) than in summer or winter. There was higher survival percentage (67.5%), high root number as well as longer roots from apical cuttings than from basal cuttings (50%) two months after transplanting. Propagation in pine bark with hormone application increased root number after transplanting. Application of hormone also improved root and shoot length after transplanting. Apical cuttings propagated in pine bark with hormone developed more number of roots. Cuttings propagated in sand with hormone and in pine bark without hormone also produced longer shoots after transplanting. Regarding response of basal cuttings to hormone concentration, high number of roots was produced in pine bark with Seradix No. 2 at 10 days after planting (DAP) but at 15 DAP more roots were produced in pine bark with Seradix No. 1. With sand, more roots were produced with Seradix No. 3 than Seradix No. 1 and 2. Number of roots were also higher with 0.3% IBA concentration (Seradix No. 2) and 0.1% IBA concentration (Seradix No. 1). Similarly, cuttings with lower IBA concentration (0.1%, Seradix No. 1) rooted to higher percentage followed with 0.3% IBA concentration (Seradix No. 2). Germination percentage of bush tea seeds differed with the temperature treatments and the highest was 75.5% at 20 and 25°C followed by 15°C with 64.5% and low percentage at 30 and 10°C with 36 and 47% respectively. There was a high germination percentage in constant temperatures than alternate temperatures and in continuous light than alternate light: dark or continuous dark. Germination percentage was also higher in continuous light at constant temperatures than with alternated light: dark with constant temperatures. In addition, there was more differences in germination percentage with variation in light exposure than variation in temperatures. At low temperature (10°C), longer time was required to start germination and germination rate was high at 20°C continuous light and low at 30:30°C alternate light: dark. Based on this investigation, better vegetative propagation and survival of bush tea can be attained from apical cuttings with Seradix No. 2 but basal cuttings rooted better with Seradix No. 1 in pine bark. Seeds germinated to higher percentage and rate at 20°C constant temperature and continuous light. / Dissertation (MSc (Agric) Horticulture)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

A concerning situation has developed over the past few years where several tea estates had to close down due to high labour costs and low profitability. Solutions are desperately required to save these estates from further regression and to prevent others from joining their ranks. One solution is to redirect the tea factories from the current production of black tea to producing a value added commodity such as a high quality green tea extract with an increased market value. The aim of this study was to find an economically viable PPO inactivation method that can be implemented in existing tea factories for the production of high quality instant green tea. Further enhancement of quality may then be achieved by high throughput cultivar screening where those with a higher natural catechin to caffeine content will be favourable. Six different PPO inactivation methods (steaming, blanching, fluid bed drying, panfrying, grilling over direct heat and grilling over indirect heat) were explored. Four independent experiments were performed in duplicate with these six methods using fresh tea leaves donated by a tea estate in Tzaneen, South Africa. All samples were dried in a fluid bed drier and milled after PPO inactivation. Biochemical analysis of specific quality parameters followed where extractions from these green tea leaf samples were tested for theaflavin content, caffeine content, flavan-3-ol content, total free amino acid content, colour and taste. The six PPO inactivation methods were compared by data evaluation of the individual quality parameters where certain quality parameters carried a higher weight than others. For the purpose of this project, the catechin to caffeine ratio was the most important quality determinant to yield a high value IGT. Also, to prove effectiveness of the PPO inactivation method, low TF content was compulsory. All PPO inactivation methods explored proved successful in rapidly inactivating PPO enzyme. As hypothesised, a significant difference in biochemical composition is brought about between green teas produced by employing different PPO inactivation methods. Blanching was found to be the most efficient PPO inactivation method as well as the method resulting in the highest catechin to caffeine ratio (16.67:1 for 4 min blanch vs. 5.72:1 for 17 min FBD as determined by HPLC analysis). A freeze dried extract from a 1.5 minute blanched sample (IGT) was compared with foreign IGTs originating from Sri-Lanka, Kenya, China and India by HPLC analysis. A more than two fold greater catechin to caffeine ratio was obtained for the sample originating from the blanching method (9.08:1 vs. 2.81-5.02:1). A high quality, naturally low caffeine, instant green tea can therefore be produced by utilizing the blanching method of PPO inactivation. To allow for inter and intra cultivar screening, tentative identification of novel catechins (digallated catechins) and their HPLC retention times was done using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Potential HPLC retention times for EC-digallate were detected at tR 62.0 ± 0.2, 70.7 ± 0.1 and 76.7 ± 0.2 minutes while tR 64.6 ± 0.1 and 65.8 ± 0.1 minutes were detected for EGC-digallate. With this information at hand, cultivars of a higher quality, hence increased economical potential, can be identified upon confirmation by NMR. HPLC-ESI-MS/MS screening coupled with NMR confirmation is to be continued to detect several other novel flavan-3-ols that could not be detected in the 4 IGTs of different origin used in this study. This study gives an overview of the biochemical differences between green tea leaves prepared using six different PPO inactivation methods. The aim of this study was met by identification of the significant increase in quality brought about by PPO inactivation using the blanching method, which is also economical for use in Africa. Blanching of tea leaves caused a significant decrease in caffeine. Therefore, the 1st hypothesis, stating that the six polyphenol oxidase inactivation methods investigated will produce instant green teas with different catechin to caffeine ratios, is accepted. Also, a means to perform large scale screening of individual tea trees in Africa for their novel flavan-3-ol content was provided by tentative identification of these novel catechins by LC-MS. Thus, the 2nd hypothesis, stating that application of LC-MS will aid in the identification of HPLC retention times of compounds (novel catechins) from a crude extract, is also accepted. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Biochemistry / unrestricted

Abstract available on the file 00front / Thesis (PhD (Plant Production and Soil Science))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

Thesis (M. Sc. (Medical Sciences)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / This study investigated the effect of rooibos tea on human sperm in vitro. Semen samples from 50 healthy men and 50 patients were treated with aqueous extracts of fermented rooibos (0 µg/ml, 0.10 µg/ml, 1.0 µg/ml, 10 µg/ml, 100 μg/ml) and unfermented rooibos (0 µg/ml, 0.15 µg/ml, 1.5 µg/ml, 15 µg/ml, 150 μg/ml) for one hour at 37ºC. Thereafter, sperm parameters were analysed. Exposure to unfermented rooibos had no effect on sperm motility, vitality and DNA fragmentation in both groups (P>0.05). However, this treatment significantly increased the production of reactive oxygen species, thus influencing the acrosome reaction, and demonstrated a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential in the donor group (P<0.05). Treatment with fermented rooibos increased progressive motility in the donor group (P<0.05) but had no effect on sperm vitality, reactive oxygen species and the acrosome reaction in either group (P>0.05). A decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA fragmentation was observed in the donor group and the patient group (P<0.05). Rooibos tea maintains certain sperm functional parameters, and this may positively affect fertility rate. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

No description available.

by Cheung Pui Kay, Michelle, Lo Yuk Yi, Angel. / Includes Chinese questionnaire. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [12]-[15] (2nd group)). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF EXHIBITS --- p.vi / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.viii / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- RESEARCH OBJECTIVES --- p.6 / Chapter III. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.8 / Definition of New Product --- p.11 / Stages of New Product Development Process --- p.13 / Opportunity Identification --- p.14 / Ideation --- p.14 / Screening --- p.15 / Development --- p.15 / Commercialization --- p.16 / Concept Testing --- p.16 / New Product Launch --- p.19 / Comparative Market Analysis --- p.20 / Chapter IV. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.21 / Research Design --- p.21 / Data Collection --- p.23 / Secondary Data Collection --- p.23 / Primary Data Collection --- p.24 / Sampling --- p.26 / Sampling Method --- p.26 / Sampling Size --- p.27 / Contruction of Questionnaire --- p.28 / Field Work --- p.30 / Data Analysis --- p.30 / Editing --- p.30 / Coding --- p.31 / Method of Analysis --- p.32 / Chapter V. --- LIMITATIONS --- p.39 / Sampling Control --- p.39 / Information Control --- p.40 / Administration Control --- p.42 / Limitations on Concept Testing --- p.42 / Chapter VI. --- FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS --- p.44 / Market Overview --- p.44 / RTD tea market in USA --- p.44 / RTD tea market in Hong Kong --- p.51 / Current Situation in the Soft Drinks Market --- p.60 / The Preference for Drinks When Water is Not Available --- p.60 / Number of Tea Drinkers in the Market --- p.61 / The Reasons for Not Drinking Tea --- p.62 / General Situation of Tea Market --- p.63 / Consumption Rate of Tea --- p.63 / Hotness of Tea Preferred --- p.64 / Occasions for Drinking Tea --- p.65 / Place Where People Get Tea --- p.66 / Reasons For Drinking Tea --- p.68 / The Type of Tea Frequently Drank --- p.69 / The Types of Drinks Used to Substitute for Tea --- p.71 / General Situation of RTD tea Market --- p.72 / Number of RTD tea Drinker in Hong Kong --- p.72 / Willingness to Try RTD tea for those Non-RTD tea Drinker --- p.73 / Consumption Rate of RTD tea --- p.73 / Popularity of Various Types of RTD tea --- p.75 / Evaluation of the Perception of RTD tea's Attributes --- p.76 / Attributes Considered for Selecting Tea --- p.76 / Perception Towards RTD tea --- p.79 / Perceptions of RTD tea's Attributes and Their Importance to Their Customers --- p.81 / Attitudes Towards RTD tea --- p.82 / General Attitudes Towards RTD tea --- p.82 / Relationships Between Attitudes and Personal Attributes --- p.83 / Appropriate Product Lines For RTD tea --- p.89 / Tea with Added Flower Flavors --- p.90 / Tea with Added Fruit Flavors --- p.96 / Suggested Types of Tea to be Launched in RTD Version --- p.101 / Difficulties of Launching New RTD tea --- p.102 / Product --- p.102 / Promotion --- p.103 / Distribution --- p.104 / Chapter VII. --- RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.106 / Timing --- p.106 / Product --- p.107 / Price --- p.109 / Promotion --- p.109 / Packaging --- p.110 / Distribution --- p.111 / Conclusion --- p.113 / APPENDICES / RTD Tea Participants in USA / Questionnaires / BIBLIOGRAPHY

No description available.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006.

The present study was carried out to examine the chemopreventive effects of curcumin and green tea polyphenols on the hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis model. This model of oral carcinogenesis has been widely used in chemoprevention studies, however, these studies have been limited to the use of DMBA as the carcinogenic agent. We have developed a protocol of carcinogenesis in the hamster cheek pouch using B[a]P, a broadly distributed environmental carcinogen, formed as a by-product of the combustion of organic materials including cigarette smoke. B[a]P- induced tumors in the hamster cheek pouch are primarily endophytic squamous cell carcinomas that closely resemble squamous cell carcinomas of the human oral mucosa. The cheek pouch of male Syrian hamsters were treated topically for eight weeks with 0.6% curcumin, 6.0% curcumin, 2.5% green tea polyphenols, or 5.0% green tea polyphenols, 3 times per week 30 minutes prior to the application of 2.0% B[a]P. The animals were sacrificed 24 hours and 72 hours after the last treatments. Short-term mechanistic markers of malignant progression were used to determine effects of each compound. Cellular proliferation, assessed by bromodeoxyuridine (Brdu) incorporation, p53 protein accumulation, and apoptotic activity were evaluated. The results of the present study demonstrated that 0.6% curcumin and 2.5% green tea polyphenols had strong inhibitory effects on cellular proliferation and p53 protein accumulation. And 6.0% curcumin and 5.0% green tea polyphenols appeared to induce apoptosis. Our data suggest that curcumin and green tea polyphenols may have a plausible chemopreventive effect on oral carcinogenesis in the hamster cheek pouch model.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.