A process is disclosed for the production of polyphenol oligomers having n polyphenol monomeric units, n being an integer from 2-18. The process includes coupling of a protected polyphenol, having protected phenolic hydroxyl groups, with a C-4 functionalized polyphenol monomer. The protected polyphenol may be a protected polyphenol monomer or a protected polyphenol oligomer having 2-17 monomeric units. Advantageously, polyphenol monomeric units forming the polyphenol oligomers may be the same or...

A process is described for selectively extracting cocoa procyanidins from an aqueous mixture of cocoa polyphenols by using a particular sequence of solvents to extract selected procyanidin monomers and/or oligomers. The solvents are n-butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, diethyl ether, or mixtures of methyl acetate and diethyl ether. Preferably, the aqueous mixture of cocoa polyphenols is first extracted with n-butyl acetate. The mixtures of methyl acetate and diethyl ether are between ...

A process is provided for making (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) by subjecting a green tea extract to chromatography on a macroporous polar resin, eluting EGCG from the resin with a polar elution solvent, optionally concentrating the eluate, optionally regenerating the resin by desorbing the remaining catechins, and optionally concentrating the desorbed catechins.

Process for production of tea catechins selected from (-) epicatechin, (-) epigallocatechin, (-) epicatechin gallate and (-) epigallocatechin gallate comprising extracting tea leaves with hot water or an aqueous solution of methanol, ethanol or acetone, washing the extract containing solution with chloroform, transferring the washed solution into an organic solvent, removing the solution and passing the resulting solution through a reversed phase column in the presence of an eluting solution. Te...

The invention relates to a process for obtaining procyanidol oligomers according to which: an appropriate plant is treated by means of an extractive mixture composed of water, of a water-miscible organic solvent capable of dissolving the procyanidol oligomers and of sodium chloride, the crude mixture of procyanidol oligomers obtained is purified by removal of the extractive mixture and extraction of the residue, the extractive mixture optionally being recycled in the stage of treatment of the pl...

A process is provided for producing delphinidin which comprises reacting a compound of formula ##STR1## wherein each Pg represents a hydroxyl protecting group, and Lg represents a leaving group with a compound of formula ##STR2## wherein Pg' represents a hydroxyl protecting group characterized in that the compound of formula VII is produced from an intermediate of formula ##STR3## wherein each Pg" represents a hydroxyl protecting group and each Alk represents lower alkyl, by (i) subjecting the i...

A process for producing catechins from tannic substance which has been extracted from tea leaves. An aqueous solution of the extract is admixed with an aqueous solution of caffeine to form a liquid-containing mixture of free catechins and a precipitated mixture of ester-type catechins. The caffeine is then removed from the aforesaid mixtures, and the respective mixtures fractionated to obtain epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate.

A salt of (+)-catechin formed of the reaction product of (+)-catechin with at least a basic amino-acid, such as L-lysine and L-arginine; a hydrosoluble double salt is formed by the reaction product of (+)-catechin with a basic amino-acid, such as L-lysine and L-arginine, and another inorganic or organic acid.

The present invention aims at enhancing purity of the proanthocyanidin extracts by acting yeast to the proanthocyanidin extracts for fermenting them to thereby assimilate the impurities such as saccharides with yeast to reduce them.

The pharmacological activity of epicatechin and of certain novel esters and ketals of catechin and of epicatechin is described. The use of said compounds in order to ellicit a choleretic, hypocholesterolimic, hypolipaemic or hepatoprotective effect is described along with pharmaceutical compositions for use in these treatments.