The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical effects and antioxidant potential of spray-dried yerba mate extract (SDME) capsules in healthy individuals. Fourteen healthy volunteers consumed three capsules of SDME three times daily. Measurements were carried out at the baseline and after 7, 30, and 60 days of SDME capsules intake. Electrocardiogram, hematological, urinary, and biochemical parameters analyzed remained within the normal values during all the study. SDME capsules ingestion increased significantly serum antioxidant capacity (after 7 and 30 days) and reduced glutathione values (after 7 and 60 days), and the superoxide dismutase (after 7, 30, and 60 days), catalase (after 7 and 30 days), and paraoxonase-1 activities (after 7 days); and decreased lipid hydroperoxides (after 30 and 60 days) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels (after 7 and 30 days). No change was observed for glutathione peroxidase activity after SDME capsules intake. The present study showed that SDME capsules ingestion by healthy individuals did not promote clinical changes and promoted an increase of antioxidant biomarkers with a concomitant decrease of lipid peroxidation biomarkers in a short and prolonged manner.
Keywords: Antioxidants; Bioactive compounds; Capsules; Humans; Ilex paraguariensis; Oxidative stress.