Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity and Polyphenols Content of Ilex paraguariensis (Mate) During Industrialization

The fresh leaves and stems of Ilex paraguariensis (Aquifoliaceae) (green maté) are industrialized to prepare the commercial product named “yerba mate” used in South America as a tea-like beverage. It is exported to the US, Europe and Asia as vegetal drug or extracts used in complementary and alternative medicine and in formulations for functional foods. The aims of this study were: a) to evaluate if the antioxidant activity (DPPH free radical scavenging activity and the prevention of lipid peroxidation) of I. paraguariensis is affected by the industrial processing and if so, b) to determine which stages of the industrial process could provide the most useful material with antioxidant properties to be used in food and pharmaceutical industries. Leaves at different stages of the industrial process (green, zapecado, dried and forced aging) were used to prepare aqueous extracts. The total polyphenols content was determined by spectrophotometry (Folin Ciocalteu's method). The main bioactive compounds were identified and quantified by HPLC-DAD. The results obtained in this work demonstrated that maté green leaves could provide the most useful material with antioxidant properties to be used in formulations for food and pharmaceutical industries.