YERBAMATE: AN HERB FOR WHAT AILS YOU By Daniel Mowrey, Ph.D.

Yerbamate, or mate as it is often called, is a South American herb that has won many admirers in wide-ranging parts of

the world. In the search for a natural stimulant devoid of side effects and toxicity, mate currently holds the most hope. An invigorator of the mind and body, a natural source of nutrition, and a health promoter par excellence, mate deserves the attention of every person interested in optimum health.

Yerbamate was introduced to colonizing and modern civilizations by the primitive Guarani Indians of Paraguay and Argentina. It has seemingly always been the most common ingredient in household cures of the Guarani. 111 modern Argentina and Paraguay, how- ever, mate tea has become almost pathologically ritualized in a manner reminiscent of coffee and tea abuse in Western and Eastern countries. Among the native Guarani, on the other hand, the natural use of mate for healthful purposes has persisted. They use it to boost immunity, cleanse and detoxify the body combat fatigue, stimulate the mind, control \.!he appetite, reduce the effects of debilitating disease, reduce stress, and eliminate insomnia.

Mate (I1ex paraguariensis) is an ever- green member of the holly family. It grows wild in Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Brazil, but is most abundant in

Paraguay where it is also cultivated. The plant is classified vaguely, according to Western herbal medicine, as aromatic, stimulant, bitter, aperient (laxative), astringent; diuretic, purgative, sudorific (sweat inducing), and febrifuge (fever reducing).

Mate contains numerous vitamins and minerals. There is the usual array of resins, fiber, volatile oil, and tannins that characterize many plant substances. And there is also carotene; vitamins A. C, E, 8-l, 8,-2 and 8-complex; riboflavin; nicotinic acid; pantothenic acid; biotin; magnesium; calcium; iron; sodium; potassium; manganese; silicon phosphates; sulphur; hydrochloric acid; chlorophyll; chorine; and inositol.

In 1964 one group of investigators from the Pasteur Institute and the Paris Scientific Society concluded that mate contains practically all of the vitamins necessary to sustain life.

In addition to the regular nutrients, mate contains a substance belonging to a specialized class of chemical com- pounds called xanthines. Though only small amounts of 1hese substances occur in mate, their presence has generated a huge amount of attention. The primary xanthine in yerbamate is called mateine. The substance probably con- tributes little, if anything, to the overall activity of the plant, but has drawn a disproportionate share of speculation.

Some xanthines are obviously less desirable, such as caffeine. Others, such as theophylline and theobromine, have specialized action and a characteristic set of side effects. Although the xarlthines have similar chemistries, each has a unique set of properties.

Researchers at the Free Hygienic Institute of Hamburg, Germany, concluded that even if there were caffeine in mate, the amount would be so tiny that it would take 100 tea bags of mate in a 6-ounce cup of water to equal the caffeine in a 6-ounce serving of regular coffee. Consequently, the actitprinciple in yerbamate is not caffeine!

There is only one effect that seems to be shared by all xanthines: smooth muscle relaxation. It is this action that makes them (with the exception of caffeine, in which smooth muscle relaxant effects are diminished by other side effects) good clinical dilators of the bronchi and hence useful in the treatment of asthma.

.Mateine appears, then, to possess the best combination of xanthine properties possible. For example, like other xanthines, it stimulates the central nervous system; but unlike most, it is not habituating or addicting. Likewise, unlike caffeine, it induces better, not worse, attributes of sleep. It is a mild, not a strong, diuretic, as are many xanthines. It relaxes peripheral blood vessels, thereby reducing blood pressure, without the strong effects on the medulla oblongata (end part of the brain connecting to the spine) and heart exhibited by some xanthines. We also know that it improves psychomotor performance with- out the typical xanthine-induced depressant aftereffects.

Dr. Jose Martin, Director of the National Institute of Technology in Paraguay, writes, "New research and better technology have shown that while mateine has a chemical constituency similar to caffeine, the molecular binding is different. Mateine has none of the ill effects of caffeine:' And Horacio Conesa, professor at the University of Buenos Aires Medical School, states, "There is not a single medical contraindication" for ingesting mate. Clinical studies show, in fact, that even individuals with caffeine sensitivities can ingest mate without adverse reactions.

GASTRO INTESTINAL PROPERTIES

Perhaps the main area to benefit from mate is the gastrointestinal tract. Reported effects range from immediate improvement in digestion to the ability to repair damaged and diseased gastrointestinal tissues. Constipation, acute or chronic, can easily be overcome through the use of mate. Mate appears to work mainly by softening the fecal mass, but it also appears to stimulate normal movement of the intestines to some de- gree.

EFFECTS ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Better than any other xanthine alkaloid, mate has the ability to increase mental alertness and acuity and to do it without any side effects such as nervousness and jitters. It seems to act like tonic, stimulating a weakened and depressed nervous system and sedating an overexcited one. Our knowledge of mate's effects is currently limited to observations of behavior changes such as more energy and vitality; better ability to concentrate; less nervousness, agitation, and anxiety; and increased resistance to both physical and mental fatigue. Improvement in mood, especially in cases of depression, often follows drinking the tea. This may be a direct or indirect result of increased energy.