Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) shows a strong neuroprotective effect on cultured dopaminergic neurons

TARAVINI, IRENE; FERRARIO, MARIANA; GUERRERO, SANDRA; BERNARDI, ALEJANDRA; FERRARIO, JUAN E.; SCHENK, MARCELA

Paris

Congreso; ISN international meeting; 2017

International Society of Neurochemistry (ISN)

Parkinson?s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by the selective death of nigral dopaminergic neurons by causes still unknown. Changes in calcium homeostasis and/or neuronal activity plays a key role in determining their death or survival. Stimulants such as nicotine and caffeine have been indirectly correlated with the development of PD and prevent the death of cultured dopaminergic neurons, likely, through mechanisms involving calcium regulation. Yerba mate, an infusion made from the leaves of the tree Ilex paraguariensis, is a widely-consumed beverage in South America. Recently, it was determined in Argentina that PD patients who consume large amounts of yerba mate show a slower progression of PD. However, nothing is known about the potential mechanism by which it may prevent the progression of the disease. We sought to explore the putative protective role of Yerba mate extracts over dopaminergic neurons. To explore this hypothesis, we have reproduced a primary culture from mice embryonic mesencephala, which include dopaminergic neurons that spontaneously degenerate in a 2 weeks period. We have treated cultures with different doses of yerba mate extract obtained directly from leaves and compared its effect with that of commercially available caffeine at equivalent doses. The extract preparation of yerba mate was analized by HPLC with the typical home-made mate preparation showing both a similar profile, including the pick of caffeine. Cultures were fixed on days 4, 8 and 12 and immunostained for TH to determine the number and morphology of dopaminergic neurons. We found that yerba mate dramatically increase the number of dopaminergic neurons survival and their dendritic development. This effect was even stronger than the observed with caffeine, suggesting a neuroprotective effect in vitro mediated by any compound rather than caffeine or acting synergically. Ongoing work is focused to determine the mechanism by which Mate leaves extracts protect dopaminergic neurons in vitro.