Camellia sinensis
Tea plant
Camellia sinensis, commonly known as the tea plant, is a versatile evergreen shrub central to global beverage culture. Beyond its role in producing green, black, and oolong teas, it offers significant medicinal benefits. Rich in antioxidants like catechins, it supports metabolic health, enhances cognitive function, and promotes cardiovascular wellness.
- Scientific name: Camellia sinensis
- Family: Theaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Ericales, it is a member of the family Theaceae and is classified under the genus Camellia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Ericales | WCVP |
| Family | Theaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Camellia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Camellia sinensis, is known by various common names depending on the linguistic and regional context. In Simplified Chinese, it is referred to as 茶树 (zh-hans), 茶树 (zh-cn), and 茶树 (zh-sg), while in Traditional Chinese, it is written as 茶樹 (zh-hant) and 茶樹 (zh-hk).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 茶树 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 茶樹 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 茶樹 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 茶树 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 茶树 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 茶樹 | Wikidata |
| pl | herbata chińska | Wikidata |
| qu | Tiy yura | Wikidata |
| bs | Čaj | Wikidata |
| ta | தேயிலை | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several key regions in Africa and the Indian Ocean. In West Tropical Africa, it can be found within the borders of Guinea. Its range extends to West-Central Tropical Africa, specifically around the Gulf of Guinea Islands. Moving toward the northeast, the species is also located in Ethiopia. Finally, it inhabits parts of the Western Indian Ocean, including the islands of Mauritius and Réunion.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Gulf of Guinea Is. | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Mauritius | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Réunion | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Seychelles | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Türkiye | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Camellia sinensis, is primarily valued for its foliage, as the most significant medicinal and commercial component is the leaf. Specifically, the young leaves and terminal buds are harvested to produce high-quality tea leaves, which contain a wealth of antioxidants and bioactive compounds. While the entire leaf can be utilized in various preparations, the tea leaves themselves are the most common medium for infusion. Beyond the foliage, the roots of the plant also contain specific chemical constituents that contribute to its overall pharmacological profile.- Total parts
- 34
- Scientific sources
- 59
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 16 | ★★★★★ |
| leaf | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| young leaves | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tea leaves | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| roots | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| powder | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flowers | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flower buds | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| young shoot | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tender stem | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Camellia sinensis has 260 reported phytochemicals identified across 589 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include catechins, caffeine, flavonoids, epigallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin-3-gallate.
- Total chemicals
- 260
- Scientific sources
- 589
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| catechins | 40 | ★★★★★ |
| caffeine | 24 | ★★★★★ |
| flavonoids | 23 | ★★★★★ |
| epigallocatechin gallate | 17 | ★★★★★ |
| epigallocatechin-3-gallate | 17 | ★★★★★ |
| polyphenols | 15 | ★★★★★ |
| EGCG | 14 | ★★★★★ |
| catechin | 12 | ★★★★★ |
| epicatechin | 10 | ★★★★★ |
| epicatechin gallate | 10 | ★★★★★ |
Activities
Camellia sinensis has 35 reported activities identified across 107 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Anticancer, Antidiabetic.
- Total activities
- 35
- Scientific sources
- 107
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 35 | ★★★★★ |
| Antibacterial | 9 | ★★★★☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| Anticancer | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antihypertensive | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antiinflammatory | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Hypoglycemic | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Neuroprotective | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Camellia sinensis has 202 reported medicinal uses identified across 378 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, obesity, breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation.
- Total uses
- 202
- Scientific sources
- 378
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 37 | ★★★★★ |
| obesity | 18 | ★★★★★ |
| breast cancer | 11 | ★★★★★ |
| cardiovascular diseases | 11 | ★★★★★ |
| inflammation | 9 | ★★★★☆ |
| oxidative stress | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| diabetes mellitus | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| hypertension | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| atherosclerosis | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| insulin resistance | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |