Methylxanthines of Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. var. vestila Loes. and var. paraguariensis

ABSTRACT

Methylxanthine contents of maté (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.) plants of two varieties (vestita Loes. and paraguariensis) are reported. The plants were cultivated in Ivaí, Paraná, southern Brazil (20º 00' S 50º 50' W), and leaves were gathered in two different harvest times October, 1998, and February, 2000. Methylxanthine content was found higher in February, 2000, for the two varieties. The var. vestita exhibited lower caffeine contents than the var. paraguariensis in both harvest times. No differences on the theobromine contents between the two varieties were found. The developed HPLC method showed reliable resolution to theobromine, an important feature since we observed some plants with higher theobromine...