Ilex paraguariensis

Mate is the beverage prepared from the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, a member of the holly family. The leaves from a number of other members of the Ilex genus are sometimes used along with those from paraguariensis. The species exists in several varieties and, like Camellia sinesis, there is a divergence of opinion concerning their identity and nomenclature. 

Ilex paraguariensis var. genuina is an evergreen tree that grows to a height of 20 to 30 m unattended but under cultivation is kept at 4 to 6 m. The leaves are oval or elliptical, 3 to 20 cm in length, 2 to 9 cm in width, dark green in color. Flowers form in the leaf axils and at the base of the small branches. They bear four or five petals and produce a small fruit in racemes that usually contain four seeds.1... 

Panek, A. D., Peroxidase in leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, Bol Inst Quim Agric, 39, 7, 1955. 

Ceccon, O., Berner, R. and Wendler, O., Mate (Ilex paraguariensis). II. Inorganic salts in aqueous extracts, Arq Biol Tecool Inst Biol Pes quisas Tecnol, 8, 407, 1953. 

Saldana MDA, Mazzafera P and Mohamed RS. 1999. Extraction of purine alkaloids from mate (Ilex paraguariensis) using supercritical CO2. J Agric Food Chem 47 3804-3808. 

Caffeine Caffeine [l,3,7-trimethyl-l//-purine-2,6(3/7,7//)-dione], molecular formula C8H10N4O2, is a xanthine (purine) alkaloid, found mainly in tea leaves Camellia sinensis) and coffee beans (Coffea arabica). Caffeine is sometimes called guaranine when found in guarana (Paullinia cupana), mateine when found in mate (Ilex paraguariensis) and theine when found in tea. Caffeine is found in a number of other plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide. It is odourless white needles or powder. Apart from its presence in the tea and coffee that we drink regularly, caffeine is also an ingredient of a number of soft drinks. 

K. Wrobel, E. M. Urbina, Determination of total aluminum, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, and nickel and their fractions leached to the infusions of black tea, green tea, Hibiscus sabdariffa, and Ilex paraguariensis (mate) by ETA-AAS, Biol. Trace Elem. Res., 78 (2000), 271-280. 

Paullinia cupana), and mate Ilex paraguariensis). All of these species are used in various parts of the world to produce beverages that reduce fatigue. 

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a perennial shrub of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family native to certain regions of South America (Paraguay and Brazil). It is known to the Guarany people, native to these regions since time immemorial, by several names all of which refer to the sweet taste of the leaf, and especially to its use in mate tea Ilex paraguariensis). It is often referred to as the sweet herb of Paraguay . 

Caffeine in guarana (Paullinia cupana), mate (Ilex paraguariensis), or concentrated green tea (Camelia sinensis) elicits a wide range of excitatory symptoms, particularly if it is present in excess. These plant products are frequently present in slimming preparations, and consumers should be aware of their potential to cause palpitations, sweating, insomnia, restlessness, agitations, tremors, headache, polydipsia and polyuria (DeSmet, 2004 Elvin-Lewis, 2001). 

Gaultheria procumbens Ilex paraguariensis Corynanthe yohimbe... 

The family includes 440 species distributed all over the world with centres in China (112 species) and Brasil (75 species). Ilex aquifoliutn is the most abundand species in Central Europe where it may be found in forests, but it is also very popular as ornamental plant in houses and gardens. The poisonous parts are the berries, and to a lesser extent also the leaves they contain ursolic acid, uvaol, jt-amyrin, and a bisnor-monoterpene. Ilex-lactone (12), as well as 27-p-cumaroxy-ursolic acid (13). The South American Ilex paraguariensis contains also coffein and theobromin, and is therefore used as tea. 

Intoxication with belladonna was reported in several families that had consumed tea labeled as mate Ilex paraguariensis) and later discovered to be belladonna leaf. Symptoms of poisoning were consistent with belladonna intoxication, including agitation, flushing, mydriasis, hallucinations, disorientation, tachycardia, nausea, and vomiting (Hsu et al. 1995). 

Alves, R.J.V., G.P Jotz, V.S. do Amaral, et al. 2008. The evaluation of mate (Ilex paraguariensis) genetic toxicity in human lymphocytes by the cytokinesis-block in the micronucleus assay. Toxicol. In Vitro 22 695-698. 

Gonzalez de Mejia, E., Y.S. Song, M.V. Ramirez-Mares, and H. Kobayashi. 2005. Effect of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) tea on topoisomerase inhibition and oral carcinoma cell proliferation. J. Agric. Food Chem. 53(6) 1966-1973. 

Heck, C.L, E.G. de Mejia. 2007. Yerba Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis) A comprehensive review on chemistry, health implications, and technological considerations. /. Food Sci. 72(9) R138-51. 

Leitao, A.C., and R.S. Braga. 1994. Mutagenic and genotoxic effects of mate (Ilex paraguariensis) in prokaryotic organisms. Braz. J. Med. Biol. Res. 27(7) 1517-1525. 

Pereira Jotz, G., H, Sampaio Menezes, C. Galleano Zetter, et al. 2006. Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) as an etiological agent of neoplasia in the aerodigestive tract. Int. Arch. Otorhinolaryngol. Sao Paulo 10 306-311. 

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