CARBOHYDRATES, ORGANIC ACIDS AND PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS IN LEAVES AND INFUSION OF YERBA MATE

Resumo

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) forest may be native (NAT), composed of native trees, spontaneously growing, with variable spacing and shading, or composed of native transplanted and/or plant breeding (PLANT), cultivated in dense form or as a silvicultural consortium with eucalyptus, pinus and others. Some factors such as industrial processing and form of consumption interfere qualitatively and quantitatively in bioactive compounds of yerba mate. The aim of this work was to evaluate the total phenolic compounds contend (TPCs) and antioxidant activity (AA), identify and quantify the sugars, organic acids and minerals present in NAT and PLANT leaves. Also, from the leaves with higher content of TPCs and AA was prepared an infusion to determine the percentage of TPCs and minerals leached, and antioxidant activity. There was identified and quantified the major phenolic acids, flavonoids and methylxanthines in the infusion. A higher content of TPCs and AA was identified in PLANT than NAT mate leaves, in addition to different profiles of sugars and organic acids. That way, the PLANT leaves were chosen for analysis and preparation of infusion. It was found that only part of the content of minerals and TPCs and AA were preserved and compounds with a potential beneficial effect on health, caffeine, theobromine, ascorbic acid, epicatechin and chlorogenic acid, have been leached to the infusion.