Effect of mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) supplementation on oxidative stress biomarkers and LDL oxidisability in normo- and hyperlipidaemic humans

The effects of mate tea (MT) supplementation on LDL oxidisability and oxidative stress biomarkers in normolipidaemic and hyperlipidaemic volunteers after 60 days of ingestion were investigated. A total of 60 volunteers, of whom 18 were hyperlipidaemic and 42 were normolipidaemic, ingested 200 ml of MT (12.5 mg/ml) per day. The oxidative stress was evaluated by means of comet assay analysis, serum total antioxidant status (TAS), lipid peroxidation products evaluated by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in serum, enzymatic activity of the erythrocytes Cu–Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu–Zn SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and susceptibility to copper-induced in vitro oxidation of LDL was monitored by diene conjugates. It was observed that hyperlipidaemia caused an increase in lipid peroxidation products (P < 0.001), which significantly decreased after mate tea ingestion. The serum TAS level and SOD activity were significantly increased for both groups after supplementation with MT. In addition, the susceptibility of LDL to oxidation and H2O2-induced DNA breakage after supplementation of MT for normo- and hyperlipidaemic volunteers was found to have decreased. These results show that regular ingestion of MT may improve the antioxidant capacity of body and the resistance of LDL particles to oxidation.

► In this study the chronic intervention with mate tea improve the antioxidant capacity of the body.
► We also found an increase of the resistance of LDL to oxidation.
► We support the evidence that mate tea increase the antioxidant-defensive system of an organism.