Cromatografia líquida de ultra performance combinada com espectrometria de massas de alta resolução (UPLC-HRMS) para avaliação do perfil metabólico da erva-mate

Abstract

The yerba mate, Ilex paraguariensis, is used in the preparation of beverages such as mate, mate tea and tereré. Currently, it is also being used in the pharmaceutical, food and chemical industry because of its diversity of chemical compounds present in its constitution, such as: phenolic compounds, methylxanthines, saponins, flavonoids. These bioactive compounds have several therapeutic properties, such as high antioxidant potential, anti-cancer, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity actions. In addition, some of these metabolites in yerba mate are responsible for imparting bitterness and astringency to the yerba mate's teas. Therefore it is important to develop robust methodologies for the identification of these metabolites. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the metabolic profile of the leaves and branches mixtures of the yerba mate by analyzing the teas of the UPLC-QTOF-MSE, using the positive ionization mode (ESI +). Nineteen compounds were tentatively identified, among which we can highlight saponins, methylxanthines, flavonoids, caffeic acid and chlorogenic derivatives. The identifications of all molecules were corroborated by data on plant chemotaxonomy, in the other two molecules were tentatively identified for the first time in Ilex paraguariensis, thus adding an important contribution to the understanding of the metabolic profile of the species.