The effect of natural antioxidants, pH, and green solvents upon catechins stability during ultrasonic extraction from green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis)

Background: This is a first-time report to evaluate the effect of natural antioxidants, pH, and green solvents upon catechins yield and stability during the active process of extraction from green tea leaves. Methodology: Green solvents (model-A) augmented with piperine (PPN) and quercetin (QT) as natural antioxidants (model-B) at different pH 2–6 (model-C) were used to extract catechins from green tea leaves using an ultrasonic extraction process (USE). For quantification of catechins (EC; epicatechins, ECG; epicatechin gallate, and EGCG; epigallocatechin gallate), a green and sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated. Results: The UHPLC-MS/MS method showed an accuracy of 98.3–102.6 % within the linearity range of 1–500 ppb for EC (m/z) 289 → 245 → 109, ECG (m/z) 441.2 → 169 → 289, and EGCG (m/z) 457.1 → 169 → 125.1. The general yield (ppb) for EC, ECG, and EGCG was observed with the ranges and sum of (N = 180) 0.06–157.80 and 6696.83, 0.04–316.93 and 12632.60 and, 0.12–584.11 and 26144.83, respectively. Model-C revealed the highest yield for catechins at the lowest pH-2 with an individual catechin yield of EGCG (584.11) > ECG (316.93) > EC (157.80) in CW2. In terms of stability, EGCG was the most unstable catechin whereas, catechins extracted in model-B exhibited more stability (%recovery of 14.70 for EC, 10.55 for ECG, and 5.36 for EGCG in BEP). Moreover, model-B showed the minimal degradation for catechins within the range of 11.81–94.64 (BEP); even the most degradable EGCG was seen with the smallest %loss of 11.81–94.64 at time 24–70 h, as compared to the loss of > 95 % in model-A and C. The ANOVA score for catechins yield was; F11,168 = 61.06 (EC), F11,168 = 66.53 (ECG), and F11,168 = 48.92 (EGCG) (P = 0.00) with mean scores of (M = 94.63, SD = 25.46) for EC, (M = 194.87, SD = 51.41) ECG, and (M = 357.57, SD = 96.80) EGCG in CE2. Conclusion: A significant effect on catechins yield and stability was observed with the use of natural antioxidants and lowest pH-2.