The efficiencies of different solvents in the extraction of phenolics from bagged and loose leaves of white
and green tea, after different extraction times, as well as the antioxidative capacity of the obtained
extracts, were investigated. The developed HPLC method has the potential to separate and determinate
17 phenolics widely distributed in plants, but in investigated tea extracts only four catechins and traces
of three flavonols and one flavone were separated and detected based on comparison with authentic
standards. The extraction efficiency of phenolics depended strongly on the time of extraction and the solvents
used. The extraction of catechins from green tea was significantly affected by the form (bagged or
loose) of the tea, whereas this effect was shown not to be statistically significant for white tea. Green tea
was a richer source of phenolics than was white tea. The extraction of phenolics from white tea by water
could be accelerated by the addition of lemon juice. Aqueous ethanol (40%) was most effective in the prolonged
extraction of catechins. The antioxidative capacity of the investigated tea extracts correlated with
their phenolic content.