Enrichment process, structural prediction, isolation, in vitro cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory effects of triterpenoid saponins in Camellia japonica L. leaves water extract through UPLC-Q-TOF based mass spectrometry similarity networking

•The health-enhancing properties of Camellia japonica L. have been neglected.•Triterpenoid saponins (tea saponins) serve as an important class of active substances in C. japonica.•A strategy involved LC-Q-TOF untargeted analysis and spectrum similarity networking was applied.•The enrichment, structural prediction, isolation, and anticancer properties of tea saponins are carried.