Quantificação de compostos fenólicos e avaliação da ação antioxidante de extratos aquosos de erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis)

Abstract

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a tree of the family Aquifoliaceae broadly consumed in south Brazil as tea or chimarrão, when prepared with hot water, or tereré when prepared with cold water. Their therapeutic properties are acknowledged and new scientific discoveries arise regarding the variance of its components and the effects of it in the production, processing and consumption of Yerba mate. This study aimed to quantify of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity through the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2picryhydrazyl) capture of Yerba mate. The samples were classified as male and female plants came from two environments with different luminosities (sun and shadow). The female Yerba mates presented a significant difference in the concentration of phenolic compounds, the sun plant had a higher concentration than the shadow plant. The male plants not have presented a significant difference in the concentration of phenolic compounds. The antioxidant activity showed higher in the male yerba mate than in the female ones. However, the shadow plants presented higher capture power of DPPH radicals. In conclusion, there is a need of more studies about sexual dimorphism of Yerba mate and its relation with the plant’s composition.