60
5 Safety and Health Effects Ascribed to Yerba Mate Consumption
possible cardiovascular diseases and other illnesses can be contrasted with the action
of phenolics, including the powerful chlorogenic acid (and its isomers). Interestingly, the effect of mate consumption appears more pronounced in the human being
if compared with the consumption of red wine (with concern to the ‘French Paradox’)
and green tea.
5.3 Protection Against Diabetes, Cancer, and Lipid
Peroxidation
As mentioned above, polyphenols have a plethora of anti-oxidant features related
to oxidation and reduction reactions. The claimed reduction of lipid peroxidation is
ascribed to polyphenols, including the powerful chlorogenic acid.
The protective action of polyphenols includes also useful effects against type2 diabetes. A possible explanation may be partially linked with the relationship
between yerba mate extracts and the dose-dependent inhibition of dicarbonyl action
(dicarbonyls are involved in the production of advanced glycation end products,
while oxidation is correlated to glycation) (Heck and De Mejia 2007).
With reference to cancer treatments, yerba mate has been reported to have interesting inhibitory properties against several mechanisms involved in tumours. Actually, the efficacy of these properties seems to be dependent on the concomitant
presence of different molecules, including chlorophyll and ursolic acid (group of
triterpenoid saponins) (Heck and De Mejia 2007).
Finally, the reductions of lipid peroxidation, and also the reduction of absorption
of cytotoxic lipid peroxidation products, have been always reported when speaking
of polyphenols in red wines, as an attempt to clarify protection mechanisms in
the ‘French Paradox’ and the usefulness of Japanese and Mediterranean diet styles
(Gorelik et al. 2008). Yerba mate effects can be partially explained in this way.
References
Aguilera JM (2015) Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate) infusions and risk of oral cancer: a structured literature review. University of Ottawa, Ottawa. Available https://ruor.uottawa.ca/bitstream/
10393/33451/1/Yerba%20Mate%20and%20Oral%20Cancer.pdf. Accessed 10 Dec 2020
Arenas P, Azorero R (1977) Plants of common use in Paraguayan folk medicine for regulating
fertility. Econ Bot 31(3):298–300. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02866879
Baeza G, Sarriá B, Bravo L, Mateos R (2017) Polyphenol content, in vitro bioaccessibility and
antioxidant capacity of widely consumed beverages. J Sci Food Agric 98(4):1397–1406. https://
doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.8607
Barbera M (2020) Reuse of food waste and wastewater as a source of polyphenolic compounds to
use as food additives. J AOAC Int 103(4):906–914. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaocint/qsz025
Barbieri G, Bergamaschi M, Saccani G, Caruso G, Santangelo A, Tulumello T, Vibhute B, Barbieri
G (2019) Processed meat and polyphenols: opportunities, advantages, and difficulties. J AOAC
Int 102(5):1401–1406. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaoac/102.5.1401
5 Safety and Health Effects Ascribed to Yerba Mate Consumption
possible cardiovascular diseases and other illnesses can be contrasted with the action
of phenolics, including the powerful chlorogenic acid (and its isomers). Interestingly, the effect of mate consumption appears more pronounced in the human being
if compared with the consumption of red wine (with concern to the ‘French Paradox’)
and green tea.
5.3 Protection Against Diabetes, Cancer, and Lipid
Peroxidation
As mentioned above, polyphenols have a plethora of anti-oxidant features related
to oxidation and reduction reactions. The claimed reduction of lipid peroxidation is
ascribed to polyphenols, including the powerful chlorogenic acid.
The protective action of polyphenols includes also useful effects against type2 diabetes. A possible explanation may be partially linked with the relationship
between yerba mate extracts and the dose-dependent inhibition of dicarbonyl action
(dicarbonyls are involved in the production of advanced glycation end products,
while oxidation is correlated to glycation) (Heck and De Mejia 2007).
With reference to cancer treatments, yerba mate has been reported to have interesting inhibitory properties against several mechanisms involved in tumours. Actually, the efficacy of these properties seems to be dependent on the concomitant
presence of different molecules, including chlorophyll and ursolic acid (group of
triterpenoid saponins) (Heck and De Mejia 2007).
Finally, the reductions of lipid peroxidation, and also the reduction of absorption
of cytotoxic lipid peroxidation products, have been always reported when speaking
of polyphenols in red wines, as an attempt to clarify protection mechanisms in
the ‘French Paradox’ and the usefulness of Japanese and Mediterranean diet styles
(Gorelik et al. 2008). Yerba mate effects can be partially explained in this way.
References
Aguilera JM (2015) Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate) infusions and risk of oral cancer: a structured literature review. University of Ottawa, Ottawa. Available https://ruor.uottawa.ca/bitstream/
10393/33451/1/Yerba%20Mate%20and%20Oral%20Cancer.pdf. Accessed 10 Dec 2020
Arenas P, Azorero R (1977) Plants of common use in Paraguayan folk medicine for regulating
fertility. Econ Bot 31(3):298–300. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02866879
Baeza G, Sarriá B, Bravo L, Mateos R (2017) Polyphenol content, in vitro bioaccessibility and
antioxidant capacity of widely consumed beverages. J Sci Food Agric 98(4):1397–1406. https://
doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.8607
Barbera M (2020) Reuse of food waste and wastewater as a source of polyphenolic compounds to
use as food additives. J AOAC Int 103(4):906–914. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaocint/qsz025
Barbieri G, Bergamaschi M, Saccani G, Caruso G, Santangelo A, Tulumello T, Vibhute B, Barbieri
G (2019) Processed meat and polyphenols: opportunities, advantages, and difficulties. J AOAC
Int 102(5):1401–1406. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaoac/102.5.1401