Skip to main content

Effects of Yerba Mate (IIex paraguariensis) on Histomorphometry, Biomechanics, and Densitometry on Bones in the Rat

Calcified Tissue International volume 97, pages 527–534 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a xanthine-containing beverage, which is also rich in caffeine. Because caffeine has a negative impact on bone mineral density (BMD) mainly associated with low calcium (Ca) diets, there would be expected a negative effect of yerba mate on bone. In this study, Sprague-Dawley rats were used and randomly assigned into four groups (n = 6/group): Control + Ca 0.2 g %; Control + Ca 0.9 g %; Yerba + Ca 0.2 g %; Yerba + Ca 0.9 g %. At the end of the experiment, tibias and femurs were obtained for BMD, morphometric, histomorphometric, and biomechanical analyses. While there was no difference in bone parameters between rats with and without yerba mate consumption, a negative effect of low Ca diet was observed in BMD, morphometric, histomorphometric, and biomechanical results. Interaction between Ca content in the diet and yerba mate was only found in trabecular bone volume, which would indicate that the negative effect of low Ca intake on bone volume is reversed in part by yerba mate infusion. However, yerba mate was not able to reverse the negative effect of low Ca content on biomechanical properties and trabecular connectivity. In summary, at least in our study, yerba mate would not have a negative effect on bone and would be safe for the bone health of consumers.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1

References

  1. Bracesco N, Sanchez AG, Contreras V, Menini T, Gugliucci A (2011) Recent advances on Ilex paraguariensis research: minireview. J Ethnopharmacol 136:378–384

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bravo L, Mateos R, Sarriá B, Baeza G, Lecumberri E, Ramos S, Goya L (2014) Hypocholesterolaemic and antioxidant effects of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) in high-cholesterol fed rats. Fitoterapia 92:219–229

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. de Morais EC, Stefanuto A, Klein GA, Boaventura BC, de Andrade F, Wazlawik E, Di Pietro PF, Maraschin M, da Silva EL (2009) Consumption of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) improves serum lipid parameters in healthy dyslipidemic subjects and provides an additional LDL-cholesterol reduction in individuals on statin therapy. J Agric Food Chem 57:8316–8324

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Arçari DP, Bartchewsky W, dos Santos TW, Oliveira KA, Funck A, Pedrazzoli J, de Souza MF, Saad MJ, Bastos DH, Gambero A, Carvalho Pde O, Ribeiro ML (2009) Antiobesity effects of yerba maté extract (Ilex paraguariensis) in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Obesity (Silver Spring) 17:2127–2133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Arçari DP, Santos JC, Gambero A, Ribeiro ML (2013) The in vitro and in vivo effects of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) extract on adipogenesis. Food Chem 141:809–815

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Puangpraphant S, de Mejia EG (2009) Saponins in yerba mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil) and quercetin synergistically inhibit iNOS and COX-2 in lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages through NFkappaB pathways. J Agric Food Chem 57:8873–8883

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Pimentel GD, Lira FS, Rosa JC, Caris AV, Pinheiro F, Ribeiro EB, Oller do Nascimento CM, Oyama LM (2013) Yerba mate extract (Ilex paraguariensis) attenuates both central and peripheral inflammatory effects of diet-induced obesity in rats. J Nutr Biochem 24:809–818

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Arçari DP, Bartchewsky W Jr, dos Santos TW, Oliveira KA, DeOliveira CC, Gotardo ÉM, Pedrazzoli J Jr, Gambero A, Ferraz LF, Carvalho Pde O, Ribeiro ML (2011) Anti-inflammatory effects of yerba mate extract (Ilex paraguariensis) ameliorate insulin resistance in mice with high fat diet-induced obesity. Mol Cell Endocrinol 335:110–115

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Filip R, Davicino R, Anesini C (2010) Antifungal activity of the aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis against Malassezia furfur. Phytother Res 24:715–719

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Strassmann BB, Vieira AR, Pedrotti EL, Morais HN, Dias PF, Maraschin M (2008) Quantitation of methylxanthinic alkaloids and phenolic compounds in mate (Ilex paraguariensis) and their effects on blood vessel formation in chick embryos. J Agric Food Chem 56:8348–8353

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Harris SS, Dawson-Hughes B (1994) Caffeine and bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 60:573–578

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Kiel DP, Felson DT, Hannan MT, Anderson JJ, Wilson PW (1990) Caffeine and the risk of hip fracture: the Framingham Study. Am J Epidemiol 132:675–684

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Barrett-Connor E, Chang JC, Edelstein SL (1994) Coffee-associated osteoporosis offset by daily milk consumption. The Rancho Bernardo Study. JAMA 271:280–283

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Ilich JZ, Brownbill RA, Tamborini L, Crncevic-Orlic Z (2002) To drink or not to drink: how are alcohol, caffeine and past smoking related to bone mineral density in elderly women? J Am Coll Nutr 21:536–544

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Liu H, Yao W, Zhang W, Zhou J, Wu T, He C (2012) Coffee consumption and risk of fractures: a meta-analysis. Arch Med Sci 8:776–783

    PubMed Central  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Huang TH, Yang RS, Hsieh SS, Liu SH (2002) Effects of caffeine and exercise on the development of bone: a densitometric and histomorphometric study in young Wistar rats. Bone 30:293–299

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Lacerda SA, Matuoka RI, Macedo RM, Petenusci SO, Campos AA, Brentegani LG (2010) Bone quality associated with daily intake of coffee: a biochemical, radiographic and histometric study. Braz Dent J 21:199–204

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Liu SH, Chen C, Yang RS, Yen YP, Yang YT, Tsai C (2011) Caffeine enhances osteoclast differentiation from bone marrow hematopoietic cells and reduces bone mineral density in growing rats. J Orthop Res 29:954–960

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Olmos V, Bardoni N, RidolfiAS Villaamil-Lepori EC (2009) Caffeine levels in beverages from Argentina’s market: application to caffeine intake assessment. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess 26:275–281

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Conforti AS, Gallo ME, Saraví FD (2012) Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) consumption is associated with higher bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. Bone 50:9–13

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Moreno H, Lombarte M, Di Loreto VE (2009) Bones and bone tissue. In: Rigalli A, Di Loreto V (eds) Experimental surgical models in the laboratory rat, vol 1. CRC Press, Routledge, pp 229–232

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  22. Parfitt AM, Drezner MK, Glorieux FH, Kanis JA, Malluche H, Meunier PJ, Ott SM, Recker RR (1987) Bone histomorphometry: standardization of nomenclature, symbols, and units. Report of the ASBMR Histomorphometry Nomenclature Committee. J Bone Miner Res 2:595–609

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Harrar K, Hamami L (2012) An interconnectivity index for osteoporosis assessment using X-ray images. J Med Biol Eng 33:569–575

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Brun LR, Pera L, Rigalli A (2010) Bone morphometry and differences in bone fluorine containing compounds in rats treated with NaF and MFP. Biomed Pharmacother 64:1–6

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Turner CH, Burr DB (1993) Basic biomechanical measurements of bone: a tutorial. Bone 14:595–608

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Hogan HA, Ruhmann SP, Sampson HW (2000) The mechanical properties of cancellous bone in the proximal tibia of ovariectomized rats. J Bone Miner Res 15:284–292

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Picotto G, Massheimer V, Boland R (1997) Parathyroid hormone stimulates calcium influx and the cAMP messenger system in rat enterocytes. Am J Physiol 273:C1349–C1353

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Brun LR, Brance ML, Lombarte M, Lupo M, Di Loreto VE, Rigalli A (2014) Regulation of intestinal calcium absorption by luminal calcium content. Role of intestinal alkaline phosphatase. Mol Nutr Food Res 58:1546–1551

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. R Development Core Team (2011). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. ISBN 3-900051-07-0, URL http://www.R-project.org/

  30. Nawrot P, Jordan S, Eastwood J, Rotstein J, Hugenholtz A, Feeley M (2003) Effects of caffeine on human health. Food Addit Contam 20:1–30

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. de Andrade F, de Albuquerque CA, Maraschin M, da Silva EL (2012) Safety assessment of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) dried extract: results of acute and 90 days subchronic toxicity studies in rats and rabbits. Food Chem Toxicol 50:328–334

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Dew TP, Day AJ, Morgan MR (2007) Bone mineral density, polyphenols and caffeine: a reassessment. Nutr Res Rev 20:89–105

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Bojić M, Simon Haas V, Sarić D, Maleš Z (2013) Determination of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and xanthines in mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis St.-Hil.). J Anal Methods Chem 2013:658596

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Bastos Deborah H, Fornari AC, Queiroz YS, Torres EA (2006) Bioactive compounds content of chimarrão infusions related to the moisture of yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) leaves. Braz Arch Biol Technol 49:399–404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Devine A, Hodgson JM, Dick IM, Prince RL (2007) Tea drinking is associated with benefits on bone density in older women. Am J Clin Nutr 86:1243–1247

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Chen Z, Pettinger MB, Ritenbaugh C, LaCroix AZ, Robbins J, Caan BJ, Barad DH, Hakim IA (2003) Habitual tea consumption and risk of osteoporosis: a prospective study in the Women’s Health Initiative observational cohort. Am J Epidemiol 158:772–781

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Johnell O, Gullberg B, Kanis JA et al (1995) Risk factors for hip fracture in European women: the MEDOS Study. Mediterranean Osteoporosis Study. J Bone Miner Res 10:1802–1815

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Fung KF, Zhang ZQ, Wong JW, Wong MH (1999) Fluoride contents in tea and soil from tea plantations and the release of fluoride into tea liquor during infusion. Environ Pollut 104:195–205

    Google Scholar 

  39. Lau KH, Farley JR, Freeman TK, Baylink DJ (1989) A proposed mechanism of the mitogenic action of fluoride on bone cells inhibition of the activity of an osteoblastic acid phosphatase. Metabolism 38:858–868

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Farley JR, Wergedal JE, Baylink DJ (1983) Fluoride directly stimulates proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity of bone-forming cells. Science 222:330–332

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Delaissé JM, Eeckhout Y, Vaes G (1986) Inhibition of bone resorption in culture by (+)-catechin. Biochem Pharmacol 35:3091–3094

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Vali B, Rao LG, El-Sohemy A (2007) Epigallocatechin-3-gallate increases the formation of mineralized bone nodules by human osteoblast-like cells. J Nutr Biochem 18:341–347

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Ko CH, Lau KM, Choy WY, Leung PC (2009) Effects of tea catechins, epigallocatechin, gallocatechin, and gallocatechin gallate, on bone metabolism. J Agric Food Chem 57:7293–7297

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Kwak SC, Lee C, Kim JY, Oh HM, So HS, Lee MS, Rho MC, Oh J (2013) Chlorogenic acid inhibits osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption by down-regulation of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand-induced nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 expression. Biol Pharm Bull 36:1779–17786

    CAS  Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Canadian Council on Animal Care Guidelines. Guide to the care and use of experimental animal. 2nd ed. 1998

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Candela Retamozo, Damián Lescano, and Hilda Moreno for their technical assistance. This work was funded by a grant from Alberto J. Roemmers Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bone Biology Laboratory, School of Medicine, Rosario National University, Rosario, Argentina

    Lucas R. Brun, María L. Brance, Mercedes Lombarte, María Cielo Maher, Verónica Elina Di Loreto & Alfredo Rigalli

  2. National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Lucas R. Brun, María L. Brance, Mercedes Lombarte & Alfredo Rigalli

  3. Rosario National University Research Council, Rosario, Argentina

    Alfredo Rigalli

  4. Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Santa Fe 3100, (2000) Rosario, Argentina

    Lucas R. Brun

Authors
  1. Lucas R. Brun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. María L. Brance
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mercedes Lombarte
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. María Cielo Maher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Verónica Elina Di Loreto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Alfredo Rigalli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lucas R. Brun.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Lucas R. Brun, María L. Brance, Mercedes Lombarte, María Cielo Maher, Verónica Elina Di Loreto, and Alfredo Rigalli have reported no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

All the experiments were conducted in accordance with international guidelines for animal care [45] and have been approved by the Bioethics Committee of School of Medicine, Rosario National University.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Brun, L.R., Brance, M.L., Lombarte, M. et al. Effects of Yerba Mate (IIex paraguariensis) on Histomorphometry, Biomechanics, and Densitometry on Bones in the Rat. Calcif Tissue Int 97, 527–534 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-015-0043-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-015-0043-0

Keywords

  • Ilex paraguariensis
  • Yerba mate
  • Bone