yerba mate
Ilex paraguariensis · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (438 studies) · ★★★★★
Yerba mate, scientifically known as Ilex paraguariensis, is a stimulating medicinal plant native to subtropical forests in South America. Renowned for its antioxidant properties, it serves as a traditional infusion used to boost energy, enhance mental focus, and support digestive health through its rich profile of bioactive compounds.
- Family
- Aquifoliaceae
- Native range
- Pacific
- Parts used
- Leaf · Stem
- Common names
- Yerba Mate · Brazilian-Tea · 2 more
- Scientific synonyms
- Not available
Names
Common Names
- yerba mate
- Brazilian-tea
- Paraguayan-tea
- Yerba Maté
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Ilex paraguayensis
- Yerba de los jesuitas
- Yerba mate
- Ílex paraguayensis
- Kaá
- Yerba
- Kaa
- Yerba del Paraguay
- maté
- yerba mate
German:
- Mate-Strauch
- Chimarrao
- Maté
- Ilex paraguensis
- Mate-Baum
- Mate-Tee
- Ilex paraguayensis
- Yerba
- Matetee
- Chimarrão
- Yerba Mate
- Mate
- Mateteestrauch
- Mate-Strauch
- Matebaum
French:
- Yerba Maté
- Thé des Jésuites
- Thé du Paraguay
- Thé du Brésil
- Yerba mate
- thé du Paraguay
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Ilex paraguariensisTaxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Aquifoliales, it is classified under the family Aquifoliaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement within the genus Ilex.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Aquifoliales | WCVP |
| Family | Aquifoliaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Ilex | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a fascinating and wide-reaching geographical distribution across several distinct regions. Within South America, it is prominently found throughout various parts of Brazil, including the Northeast and Southeast territories. Its presence is also well-documented in the Brazil West-Central and Brazil South regions. Beyond the South American continent, the species extends its range into the North-Central Pacific. Specifically, this unique distribution includes the islands of Hawaii.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| North-Central Pacific | Hawaii | WCVP |
| Brazil | Brazil West-Central | WCVP |
| Brazil | Brazil Northeast | WCVP |
| Brazil | Brazil Southeast | WCVP |
| Brazil | Brazil South | WCVP |
| Southern South America | Argentina Northeast | WCVP |
| Southern South America | Paraguay | WCVP |
| Southern South America | Uruguay | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as yerba mate, utilizes various components for its medicinal and traditional uses, though the most significant parts are the leaves. The fresh leaves are harvested from the shrub, but they are most frequently consumed in the form of dried leaves, which are processed to preserve their chemical properties and flavor. While the stems are part of the plant's overall structure, they are typically removed during the harvesting process to ensure a high-quality infusion composed primarily of the nutrient-rich foliage.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | Journal of food science (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| stem | Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Ilex paraguariensis has 39 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include caffeine, Flavonoids, RUTIN, Ursolic acid, theobromine.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| caffeine | 4 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Flavonoids | 3 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| RUTIN | 3 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Ursolic acid | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| theobromine | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| theophylline | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 2,5-Xylenol | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 4-Oxolauric acid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-O-Caffeoylquinic acid | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ash | 1 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
caffeine
- Dr. Duke
- Food & function
- Phytotherapy research : PTR
- Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
Flavonoids
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
- Phytotherapy research : PTR
- Food chemistry
RUTIN
- Dr. Duke
- Journal of ethnopharmacology
- Phytotherapy research : PTR
Ursolic acid
- Dr. Duke
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
theobromine
- Dr. Duke
- Phytotherapy research : PTR
theophylline
- Dr. Duke
- Phytotherapy research : PTR
2,5-Xylenol
- Dr. Duke
4-Oxolauric acid
- Dr. Duke
5-O-Caffeoylquinic acid
- Dr. Duke
Ash
- Dr. Duke
Activities
Ilex paraguariensis has 344 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Analgesic, Antinociceptive, Diuretic, Hepatoprotective.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antinociceptive | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Diuretic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypocholesterolemic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Stimulant | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (+)-Inotropic | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-HT-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Ilex paraguariensis has 23 reported medicinal uses identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include obesity, hypertension, inflammation, Glioblastoma, Gliomas.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| obesity | Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| hypertension | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Glioblastoma | Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Gliomas | Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Parkinson's disease | Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| appetite | Complementary therapies in medicine (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arthritis | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| blood pressure | Pharmacological research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancers | Journal of food science (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| dried leaves | Journal of chromatography. A (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| "erva mate" | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ryupunghwan (RPH) | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Standardized extracts | Chemical research in toxicology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Yerba Mate tea | Journal of food science (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| butanol extract | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| herbal tea | Life sciences (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hydroalcohol extract | Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| infusion | Journal of food science (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |