Unexpected Occurrence of Caffeine in Sleep-Inducing Herbal Teas

Authors

  • Caroline Mathona Official Food and Veterinary Control Authority of Geneva, Quai Ernest Ansermet 22, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, EPGL, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne Quai Ernest Ansermet 30 CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
  • Patrick Edder Official Food and Veterinary Control Authority of Geneva, Quai Ernest Ansermet 22, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
  • Philippe Christen School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, EPGL, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne Quai Ernest Ansermet 30 CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland. Philippe.Christen@unige.ch
  • Stefan Bieri Official Food and Veterinary Control Authority of Geneva, Quai Ernest Ansermet 22, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2014.705

Keywords:

Caffeine, Herbal tea, Linden, Tilia spp, Uplc-ms/ms

Abstract

Caffeine acts as a weak psychostimulant and is known to cause trouble with sleeping. Therefore, the presence of caffeine in sleep-aid herbal teas was somewhat surprising, and confirmatory investigations were conducted to exclude any possible misidentification. The botanicals of the sedative mixtures were analysed individually by ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with a time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometer (TOF-HRMS), and caffeine was detected in linden (Tilia spp.) extracts. The presence of caffeine was unambiguously confirmed by means of its characteristic mass spectrum acquired during direct analyses of powdered linden by thermal desorption coupled to a GC×GC-TOF-MS. Caffeine content was determined in 11 linden-based samples, with a validated UPLC-MS/MS method using two mass transitions. Concentrations were between traces and 110 mg kg–1 in the herbal material while those in the corresponding prepared sleep-inducing hot beverages ranged from traces to 226 ?g per cup.

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Published

2014-10-29

How to Cite

[1]
C. Mathona, P. Edder, P. Christen, S. Bieri, Chimia 2014, 68, 705, DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2014.705.

Issue

Section

Scientific Articles