Phytochemical profile, antioxidant and hypolipemiant potential of Ilex paraguariensis fruit extracts

• Extracts from Ilex paraguariensis fruit are rich in phenolic compounds.
• Fruit extracts from I. paraguariensis afforded great amount of anthocyanins, total phenolic and good antioxidant activity.
• Acidified alcoholic extract from yerba mate fruits has hypocholesterolemic effect action.

The main objective of this work to evaluate the antioxidant activity of Ilex paraguariensis (popularly known as yerba mate) and to perform a biochemical analysis in rats using fruit extracts. Usually, yerba mate is consumed as tea leaves in typical drinks in south Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Its fruit has a strong purple color, indicative of the presence of phenolic compounds such as anthocyanins, which have great antioxidant potential. The extract obtained with acidified ethanol afforded the larger amount of anthocyanins (43.79 mg/g), total phenolic (62.25 mg GAE/100 g sample) and provided the best antioxidant activity to catch the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical (IC50 = 3.61 ± 0.045 mg/ml). The extract was effective in reducing 36% and 42% of total cholesterol and triglycerides serum levels, respectively, as well as on maltase activity, though reduction in blood glucose levels or an increase in glycogen content was not observed.