title: Organic and Conventional Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil) Improves Metabolic Redox Status of Liver and Serum in Wistar Rats.
abstract: Organic and conventional yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is widely used in South America to prepare nonalcoholic drinks rich in polyphenols. These compounds are able to prevent the generation of reactive species, thus minimizing the incidence of several diseases. In this perspective, we hypothesized that yerba mate may have protective effects against pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced oxidative damage in liver and serum of rats. Animals (n = 42) received distilled water (control) or yerba mate (organic or conventional) for fifteen days. Then, half of the rats of each group received 60 mg/kg PTZ intraperitoneally or saline solution. After 30 min the animals were euthanized and the liver and blood were collected. The results showed that organic and conventional yerba mate avoided PTZ-induced oxidative damage and nitric oxide production in the liver and serum of the rats. Moreover, both kinds of yerba mate prevented the decrease in enzymatic (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and non-enzymatic (sulfhydryl protein content) defenses in the liver and serum. In addition, histopathologic analysis of the liver showed that yerba mate reduced PTZ-induced cell damage. These findings indicate that yerba mate provides hepatoprotection and improves antioxidant status in the serum, which may contribute to the development of new therapeutic strategies using nutraceuticals drinks.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, University of Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, RS 95070-560, Brazil. csbranc1@ucs.br.
authors.forename: Cátia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Branco
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, University of Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, RS 95070-560, Brazil. gustavo.scola@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scola
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, University of Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, RS 95070-560, Brazil. adry.dr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Adriana D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Products and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Republic, Montevideo 11800, Uruguay. veronicacesio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cesio
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Products and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Republic, Montevideo 11800, Uruguay. heihoracio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Horacio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heinzen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Center for Health Sciences, University of Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, RS 95070-560, Brazil. aeggodoy@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Godoy
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Laboratory, Methodist University Center IPA, Porto Alegre, RS 90420-060, Brazil. csfunchal@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Funchal
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90050-170, Brazil. acoitinho@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Adriana S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Coitinho
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, University of Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, RS 95070-560, Brazil. msalvado@ucs.br.
authors.forename: Mirian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvador
keywords: antioxidant; nutraceutical; polyphenols; yerba mate