Phytochemicals and bioactive properties of Ilex paraguariensis: An in-vitro comparative study between the whole plant, leaves and stems

• Distinct bioactivities of individual parts of yerba mate were observed in in-vitro assays.
• The leaves revealed the highest antioxidant activity and phenolic compound content.
• The stems showed the highest anti-inflammatory and MCF-7/HepG2 inhibitory activity.
• The bioactive formulations could be applied in nutraceuticals and functional foods.

ABSTRACTThe leaves, stems and whole plant of Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate) were characterized in terms of their chemical composition and biological activities in order to determine which part of the plant is more interesting to develop bioactive formulations. The yerba mate samples contain at least five free sugars, five organic acids, eighteen fatty acids, one tocopherol, nine hydroxycinnamoyl derivatives and two flavonols. The leaf extract revealed the highest antioxidant activity, correlating with its highest levels of phenolic compounds. By contrast, the stem extract showed the highest anti-inflammatory potential and was also the most potent against MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines, probably due to the presence of other phytochemicals. The absence of hepatotoxicity in the extracts was confirmed in porcine liver primary cells. Although the yerba mate extracts have been widely studied, this report shows for the first time the distinct potentialities of each individual part of the plant.