Yerba Mate: Potential Source of Novel Products.

ROSANA FILIP

Simposio; XII SIMPÓSIO DE PLANTAS MEDICINAIS DO BRASIL; 2012

Yerba Mate: Potential Source of Novel Products   The increasing demand of yerba mate (maté) and the raw material (I. paraguariensis) on the markets of North America, Europe and Asia is, largely, the results of the investigations and scientific publications on this species during the last decades. At present maté is included in the main Pharmacopeas and in the scientifically recognized Official Codes, due to its food, medicinal and functional properties. Oxidative damage has been implicated in aging processes and in the pathogenesis of several degenerative diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and inflammation among others. In this work the changes in the phytochemical composition of yerba mate submitted to different conditions of processing  will be presented. The extracts and the main compounds responsible for the antioxidant activity will be identified. Interrelated strategies for the research and the developing of new products from yerba mate using the new technologies tools, will be discussed.