40
3 Chemical Profiles of Yerba Mate Infusions Across …
of the dried products. Naturally, several factors influence the aqueous extraction of
bioactive principles.
The following list shows the approximate quantitative composition, without
percentages, of the main bioactive classes found in yerba mate infusions (Barbosa
et al. 2015; Bastos et al. 2007; Heck and De Mejia 2007; Matta 2019):
(1) Polyphenols
(2) Xanthines (purine alkaloids)
(3) Saponins (a group of natural glycosides)
(4) Minerals
(5) Vitamins.
More in detail, this composition can be described with concern to (1) molecular
classes and (2) the most important representative compounds per class, when possible
(Botanical-Online 2019; Schneider 2017):
(a) Polyphenols. Main representative compounds: chlorogenic acid, gallic acid,
4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, quercetin, and rutin
(b) Xanthines (purine alkaloids). Main representative compounds: caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, and trigonelline
(c) Saponins (a group of natural glycosides)
(d) Minerals. Main representative compounds: potassium, magnesium, manganese
iron, aluminium, and zinc
(e) Vitamins. Representative compounds: choline, riboflavin, vitamin C,
panthotenic acid, and pyridoxine.
The following sections discuss in detail the quail–quantitative profiles of yerba
mate infusions in relation to four groups: polyphenols; xanthines; saponins; and
mineral trace elements (vitamins are excluded in this ambit).
Once more, it has to be remembered that variable results concerning yerba mate
infusions have to be taken into account: the temperature and water volumes can
remarkably influence the solubility of minerals and other bioactive principles.
3.1.1 Polyphenols
In general, the quantity of extractable polyphenols from yerba mate leaves depends
on the quality of leaves themselves (Chaps. 1 and 2), the dimension of particles
(the direct relationship between superficial area and extractability of water should be
taken into account), and the possible mixture of different yerba mate selections. In
the last situation, the possible fraud concerning addition or replacement of authentic
I. paraguariensis leaves with Ilex spp non-yerba mate raw materials is not considered
(Chap. 2).
It has been reported that the quantity of polyphenols should be around 92 mg
equivalents of chlorogenic acid per each gram of dried, except for the possibility
of homogeneous selections of yerba mate (Bastos et al. 2007; Matta 2019). The
3 Chemical Profiles of Yerba Mate Infusions Across …
of the dried products. Naturally, several factors influence the aqueous extraction of
bioactive principles.
The following list shows the approximate quantitative composition, without
percentages, of the main bioactive classes found in yerba mate infusions (Barbosa
et al. 2015; Bastos et al. 2007; Heck and De Mejia 2007; Matta 2019):
(1) Polyphenols
(2) Xanthines (purine alkaloids)
(3) Saponins (a group of natural glycosides)
(4) Minerals
(5) Vitamins.
More in detail, this composition can be described with concern to (1) molecular
classes and (2) the most important representative compounds per class, when possible
(Botanical-Online 2019; Schneider 2017):
(a) Polyphenols. Main representative compounds: chlorogenic acid, gallic acid,
4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, quercetin, and rutin
(b) Xanthines (purine alkaloids). Main representative compounds: caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, and trigonelline
(c) Saponins (a group of natural glycosides)
(d) Minerals. Main representative compounds: potassium, magnesium, manganese
iron, aluminium, and zinc
(e) Vitamins. Representative compounds: choline, riboflavin, vitamin C,
panthotenic acid, and pyridoxine.
The following sections discuss in detail the quail–quantitative profiles of yerba
mate infusions in relation to four groups: polyphenols; xanthines; saponins; and
mineral trace elements (vitamins are excluded in this ambit).
Once more, it has to be remembered that variable results concerning yerba mate
infusions have to be taken into account: the temperature and water volumes can
remarkably influence the solubility of minerals and other bioactive principles.
3.1.1 Polyphenols
In general, the quantity of extractable polyphenols from yerba mate leaves depends
on the quality of leaves themselves (Chaps. 1 and 2), the dimension of particles
(the direct relationship between superficial area and extractability of water should be
taken into account), and the possible mixture of different yerba mate selections. In
the last situation, the possible fraud concerning addition or replacement of authentic
I. paraguariensis leaves with Ilex spp non-yerba mate raw materials is not considered
(Chap. 2).
It has been reported that the quantity of polyphenols should be around 92 mg
equivalents of chlorogenic acid per each gram of dried, except for the possibility
of homogeneous selections of yerba mate (Bastos et al. 2007; Matta 2019). The