Effects of Ilex paraguariensis beverages on in vivo triglyceride and starch absorption in mice

The purpose of this work was to characterize the inhibition of fat absorption by the four most popular beverages prepared with yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis): (a) a hot water infusion of the dry green leaves (chimarrao); (b) a room temperature aqueous infusion of dry green leaves (terere); (c) a hot water infusion of previously roasted leaves (mate tea); (d) a variant of the latter form, called instant or soluble mate tea. Triglyceride and starch tolerance were measured in vivo using mice and complemented by in vitro enzymatic assays and in silico simulations. All extracts diminished triglyceride absorption in vivo to similar extents at the doses of 250 mg/kg. No such effect was detected for starch absorption. The pancreatic lipase was strongly inhibited by the hot and room temperature-water extracts of the green dried leaves but less strongly by mate tea and instant mate. Among the substances that can be found in the extracts, docking simulations revealed that the strongest inhibitors of the pancreatic lipase were isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside > kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside > 3,4-O-dicafeoylquinic acid > quercetin-3-O-rutinoside > 3,5-O- dicaffeoylquinic acid. Considering the amounts in the various extracts, however, the most important inhibitors were the mono-and di-caffeoylquinic acids. The inhibitory activity on tri-glyceride absorption is a property that fits well into the general and widespread notion that yerba mate can help to reduce weight gain and to stabilize the overall lipid metabolism at a health beneficial level.

Automated summary

The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhibition of fat absorption by four popular yerba mate beverages. The results showed that all extracts had similar effects in reducing triglyceride absorption at the same dosage, while no significant effect was observed on starch absorption. Pancreatic lipase was strongly inhibited by the hot and room temperature-water extracts, but less strongly by mate tea and instant mate. The most important inhibitors were found to be mono- and di-caffeoylquinic acids.