Abstract: The purpose of this experiment was to study the effects of different tenderness of dark brick tea on gastric emptying, intestinal propulsion and intestinal microflora flora in Kunming purebred white mice by analyzing the correlation of physicochemical components of dark brick tea on indicators of intestinal function in mice. Results showed that the contents of EGC, CG and malic acid increase with the growth of tea leaves, while the contents of free amino acids, total tea polyphenols, caffeine, theaflavins, lactic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid and gallic acid decrease among dark brick tea with different tenderness. In the experiment of intragastric administration of dark brick tea to mice for 15 days, dark brick tea made from tea leaves with different tenderness not only can significantly promote gastric emptying and intestinal peristalsis, but also improve intestinal microbial environment, and promote bifidobacteria and significantly inhibit enterobacteria remarkably. The effect of dark brick tea on gastric emptying, small intestinal propulsion, and intestinal microflora are consistently with the same order： single bud, a bud and two leaves, and a bud and four leaves. The improvement of raw material tenderness will not reduce the intestinal function of dark brick tea.

Key words: dark brick tea, tenderness, gastric emptying, intestinal propulsion, intestinal microflora