“Ilex brasiliensis: Phytochemical composition and mechanism of action against proliferation of a limphoma cell line

ROSANA FILIP, GRACIELA FERRARO, MARÍA GABRIELA MANUELE AND CLAUDIA ANESINI..

JOURNAL OF FOOD BIOCHEMISTRY

Año: 2008 vol. 32 p. 752 - 756

0145-8884

Ilex paraguariensis St. Hilaire (Aquifoliaceae), a plant which grows naturally in NE Argentina, Uruguay, SE Brazil and E Paraguay, is processed industrially to produce “Yerba Mate". Ilex brasiliensis (Sprengel) Loes grows in the same habitat and is often used as substitute or adulterant of I. paraguariensis. In this study, an aqueous extract of I. brasiliensis exerted antiproliferative and apoptosis activity on a lymphoma cell line,. Results suggest that nitric oxide could be involved in the effect of the extract. Were identified and quantified: A) caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid; flavonoids such as rutin; quercetin and kaempferol and methylxanthines were not detected. Chlorogenic acid proved  to be one of the  compounds associated to this activity. These results lead to the possibility of the development of a new “Yerba Mate” and/or phytomedical product, with  antiproliferative activity but without CNS stimulant activity.