Antioxidant Activity of Theaflavin and Thearubigin Separated from Korean Microbially Fermented Tea

Theaflavins (TF) and thearubigins (TR) were separated from Korean microbially fermented tea leaves. Contents of TF (74.4 $\mu$M/g) and TR (37.2%) were higher than reported for black tea fermented by oxidase. Antioxidant activities of TF, TR and EGCG were analyzed and protective effects of COS-7 cells against copper and cadmium-induced toxicity were investigated. TF and TR exhibited good inhibition rates of about 85$\sim$90% for antioxidant and scavenging activities of free radicals and protected COS-7 cells against apoptosis or damage caused by stress, such as cadmium and copper-oxidative injury, free radicals etc. These results indicate that TF, TR and EGCG have antioxidant and scavenging activities against free radicals and protect COS-7 cells from Cu, Cd induced injury.