Optimized Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, Ilex paraguariensis, and Aspalathus linearis blend presents high antioxidant and antiproliferative activities in a beverage model

A statistical optimization study was conducted to obtain a tea containing fermented rooibos (Aspalathus linearis), white tea (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis), and roasted mate (Ilex paraguariensis). An optimal combination of these species was proposed. This optimized tea inhibited 64% the lipoperoxidation in vitro and presented a high phenolic content, especially kaempferol, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, rutin, (−)-epigallocatechin, and (−)-epicatechin-2-O-gallate. Indeed, the antioxidant effect was confirmed by decreasing 30% the reactive oxygen species generation in human hepatoma carcinoma cells (HepG2, 100 and 240 µg/mL). In the cell viability assay, the GI₅₀ for human colorectal adenocarcinoma epithelial cells (Caco-2) was about 547 µg/mL and 481 µg/mL for HepG2. The pasteurization process (65 °C/30 min) did not affect the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the optimized tea formulation. The sensory test indicated an acceptability index of 78%, showing that the analytical approach adopted was feasible to develop a phenolic-rich beverage.