Ilex paraguensis

Mate tea is consumed in South America as a stimulant drink. Mate or Paraguay tea consists of the leaves of Ilex paraguensis (Aquifoliaceae), South American shrubs of the holly genus. The dried leaf contains 0.8-1.7% caffeine and smaller amounts of theobromine (0.3-0.9%) with little or no theophylline. Considerable amounts (10-16%) of chlorogenic acid (see page 132) are also present. 

Aquifoliaceae Ilex paraguensis Caffeine Theophylline Theobromine... 

These two methylated xanthines are found in quite a number of plants and have been extracted and widely used for centuries. Indeed, they very hkely have been, and remain today, the predominant stimulant consumed by humans. Every time you make a cup of tea or coffee, you perform an aqueous extraction of plant material (tea leaves. Camellia sinenis, 1 %, or coffee beans, Coffea spp., 1-2%) to obtain a dose of 25-100 mg of caffeine. Caffeine is also the active substance (—2%) in mate (used in Paraguay as a tea) made from the leaves of Ilex paraguensis. In coffee and tea, caffeine is the dominant member of the pair, whereas in Theobroma cacao, from which we obtain cocoa, theobromine (1-3%) is the primary source of the biological response. Caffeine acts to stimulate the central nervous system with its main impact on the cerebral cortex, and as it makes one more alert, it is no surprise that it is the chief constituent in No-Doz pills. 

N.A. Ilex aquifolium L. I. paraguensis st. Hil. Triterpenoids, salicylic acid, caffeine, isophthalic acid.147 Relieve menstrual cramps, calm nervous stomach. 

Isophthalic acid Ilex aquifolium, I. paraguensis, Iris versicolor, I. pseudacorus... 

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