Yerba Mate
Botanical Description & Habitat
Ilex paraquariensis
Family
Aquifoliaceae (Iliaceae)
Common Names
Jesuit's tea
Mate
Paraguay tea
South American holly
St. Bartholomew's tea
Description:
Mate is the drink, rather than a plant. It is prepared from a species of holly. Berries may be red but also yellow or black.
It is aromatic and the flavor is astringent and smoky.
Habitat
Wild in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Brazil; cultivated in Paraguay.
Medicinal Parts
The leaves, harvested from May to September.
Historical Properties & Uses
This has been a beverage of indians since ancient times.
This is now as close to a national drink as you can get in Argentina. The tea is made from the leaves steeped in hot water. Actually, a large quantity of ground leaf is first soaked in cold water, then the hot water is added, over and over again, until all has been extracted. In between each addition of hot water the tea is ingested through a special wood or metal straw, called a bombilla, filtering out the leafy material. Yerba mate is also used as a cold beverage.
Mate is mainly used as a stimulant, like Americans use coffee and the English use tea. The herb has definite medicinal applications, also. Natives believe mate invigorates the mind and body in a non-addicting manner. The government of Argentina has funded a program to promote the use of mate with milk in children as a form of nutrition.
In the Guarani Indian herbal medicine, mate is used to boost natural immunity, cleanse and detoxify the blood, tone the nervous system, restore youthful hair color, retard aging, combat fatigue, stimulate the mind, control the appetite, reduce the effects of debilitating disease, reduce stress, fight insomnia, etc.
In addition to the above uses, mate is used by South Americans in different areas, variously as astringent, diuretic, anti-diabetic, cardiotonic, carminative and stomachic.
Among the uses of most interest to Americans are the anti-allergy, anti-hay fever, anti-headache applications.
Maté has approval status by the German Commission E as a stimulant in fatigue conditions.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Method of Action
Up until the early 1980's, the active stimulant component of mate was held to be caffeine, pure and simple. That wasn't exactly true. Actually, mate contains mateine, which is more of a stereo isomer of caffeine as well as caffetannin.
The leaves contain rutin.
Oil from the seeds contains a variety of fatty acids e.g. oleic and linoleic.
Traditional thought has been blind-sided by this revelation, resorting to such tactics as saying the mateine is just a South American term for caffeine, or maintaining, in perfect knowledge of a hundred thousand examples to the contrary, that two substances so similar chemically must have the same pharmacological properties.
What we do know is mate contains a substantial amount of nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin B-1 and vitamin B-2, vitamin A and various minerals. It is therefore a source of good nutrition. This may have helped prevent vitamin deficiencies associated with a primarily carnivorous diet prevalent during colonial times.
The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia recognizes mate as a stimulant to the central nervous system, thymoleptic, diuretic, antirheumatics, and mild analgesic for use in the treatment of psychogenic headache and fatigue, nervous depression and rheumatic pains; specifically indicated for headache associated with fatigue.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
Known Interactions
Yerba mate, insofar as its diuretic action increases the renal excretion of sodium and chloride, may potentiate the hyperglycemic and hyperuremic effects of glucose elevating agents.
The effects of dopamine and diuretic agents are additive. Diuretics may potentiate the action of antihypertensive drugs, ganglionic or peripheral adrenergic blocking drugs, tubocurarine and norepinephrine.
Possible Interactions
In conjunction with ACTH or corticosteroids, this diuretic is more prone to produce hypokalemia. The use of diuretics may require dosage adjustments of antidiabetic drugs.
The diuretic action of yerba mate may reduce renal clearance of lithium. An initial dose of captopril (an antihypertensive) may cause a severe drop in blood pressure within three hours if also using a strong diuretic. Yerba mate and sparteine may have synergistic oxytocic activity.
Cyclopropane or halogenated hydrocarbon anesthetics may sensitize the myocardium to the cardiotonic effects of this herb, though the chances are very few of this happening.
Yerba mate is synergistic with parenteral calcium salts, pancuronium, succinylcholine, rauwolfia alkaloids, ephedrine, epinephrine, and other adrenergic agents.
The inotropic action of this herb may be reduced by propranolol, but the effects of the two substances on av are additive.
Colchicine may increase sensitivity or enhance the response to this herb.
The antacid nature of this herb may decrease or delay the absorption of nalidixic acid and the sulfonamides. Yerba mate's analgesic effects may be additive with other analgesics and anesthetics. It may be inhibited by barbiturates even though CNS depressant effects may occur.
The analgesic property of this herb may be reversed or eliminated by p-chlorophenylalanine, cyproheptadine HCl, and phenobarbital. The CNS depressant tendency of this analgesic may be potentiated by chlorprothixene HCl, haloperidol, and tranquilizers.
Comments.
In the absence of other hard data, it may still be assumed observable interactions may occur between the many central nervous system drugs and the psychoactive principles in yerba mate.
The psycho- and physicostimulant property of this herb may be assumed to interact in presently unknown ways with other psychoactive central and peripheral nervous system stimulants and depressants. Prolonged use of this diuretic may affect certain lab test results such as electrolytes (esp. potassium and sodium), bun, uric acid, glucose, and pbi.
Strong diuretics such as this in conjunction with indomethacin may produce natriuretic effects.
The antidiabetic ability of this herb may be decreased by concomitant use of acetazolamide, oral contraceptives, corticosteroids, dextrothyroxine, epinephrine, ethanol, glucagon, guanethideine, and marijuana. The antidiabetic effects of this herb may be decreased when used in conjunction with phenothiazines, rifampin, thiazide diuretics, and thyroid hormones.
The antidiabetic action of this herb may be enhanced when it is used with allopurinol, anabolic steroids, chloramphenicol, clofibrate, fenfluramine, guanethidine, MAOI's, phenylbutazone, probenecid and phenyramidol. The antidiabetic action of this herb may be enhanced when used in conjunction with salicylates, sulfinpyrazone, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines.
The ability of yerba mate to increase insulin production and secretion may be antagonized by heparin.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
The Pharmacology and Toxicology of Yerba Mate
Few herbs have stimulated as much controversy in recent years as mate.
Up until the early 1980's, the active stimulant component of mate was held to be caffeine, pure and simple. That wasn't exactly true. Actually, mate contains mateine, which is more of a stereo isomer of caffeine.
Traditional thought has been blind-sided by this revelation, resorting to such tactics as saying the mateine is just a South American term for caffeine, or maintaining, in perfect knowledge of a hundred thousand examples to the contrary, that two substances so similar chemically must have the same pharmacological properties.
This kind of professional defensiveness has occurred mainly because the revelation on mateine came from certain factions of the herb industry, not from the scientific community where it should have. A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the comparative attributes of mateine and caffeine has not been conducted. Therefore, claims mate is a stimulant, without addiction, caffeine-sensitive persons can use mateine without reaction, and the mateine stimulates the adrenal cortex to produce corticosterone -- these claims and others remain unvalidated at this time.
One study in Uruguay found an increased prevalence of esophageal cancer. The men also consumed alcohol and tobacco. (Vassalo, 1985)
Contaminants have also induced hepatic disease.
Many other holly species are poisonous.
Preparation & Administration
Use three times daily
Infusion
Use 2-4g of dried leaves
Liquid Extract
Use 2-4ml of 1:1 in 25% alcohol
Maté has approval status by the German Commission E.
Recommended daily dosages in Germany are as follows:
1.5 - 3 g root.
1.5 - 3 g fluid extract.
2.5 - 7.5 g tincture.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, British Herbal Medicine Association, 1983.
Braun, H. & Frohne, D. Heilplanzen-Lexikon Fuer Aerzte und Apotheker. Gustav Fisher Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, 1987.
D'amico, M.L. Richerche sulla presenza di sostanze ad azione antibiotica nelle piante sueriori. Fitoterapia, 26(1), 77-79, 1950.
Facts and Comparisons. The Lawrence Review of Natural Products. Feb, 1997.
Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D. Exper. Psych., Brigham Young University. Director of Nebo Institute of Herbal Sciences. Director of Behavior Change Agent Training Institute. Director of Research, Nova Corp.
Vassalo, A et al., J National Cancer Inst. 1985, 75:1,005.
| Signup Free Applied Health Journal |
||||
|
FREE Sample Issue Your email address is all we need to start you on a better path to health. We respect your privacy.
|
