## 2 Results
### Fatty Acid Profile in _Ilex_ Leaves
It follows that the higher the PUFA/SFA ratio, the more positive the effect  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline  & & & & \multicolumn{3}{c}{_I. paraguriensis_} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{_I. aquifolium_} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{_I. meserveate_} \\ \cline{4-10}
**Fatty Acid 1** & **RI Exp. 2** & **RI Litt. 3** & **_I. paraguriensis_** & **Alaska** & **Ferox** & **Rubricaulis** & **Blue** & **Blue** & **Golden** \\  & & & & & & & **Aureena** & **Angel** & **Boy** & **Girl** \\ \hline Palmitic acid & C16:0 & 1599 & 1600 & 18.08  & 12.05  & 12.66  & 14.03  & 13.04  & 12.51  \\ Stearic acid & C18:0 & 1801 & 1800 & 6.39  & 2.37  & 4.17  & 2.50  & 4.12  & 2.56  & 2.60  & 2.60  & 2.60  & 2.60  & 2.60  & 2.61  & 3.37  \\ Linoleic acid & C18:20e & 1867 & 1874 & 4.23  & 8.40  & 5.84  & 5.63  & 8.21  & 10.08  & 10.08  & 10.08  \\ \(\alpha\)-linolenic acid & C18:30a & 1933 & 1928 & 5.92  & 21.31  & 9.72  & 21.31  & 9.72  & 21.31  & 9.72  & 21.34  & 0.71  & 0.54  & 1.84  & 0.40  & 0.58  \\ Docosahexaenoic acid & C22:60a & 2419 & 2416 & 1.67  & 0.53  & 1.73  & 0.66  & 1.73  & 0.66  & 0.93  & 0.45  & 0.66  \\ \hline  & & \(\Sigma\)SFA & 48.27  & 30.38  & 43.26  & 32.85  & 40.78  & 30.26  & 30.82  & 30.82  \\  & & \(\Sigma\)UFA & 51.74  & 69.64  & 56.74  & 67.15  & 59.24  & 66.75  & 69.21  \\  & & \(\Sigma\)MUFA & 25.31 [FOOTNOTE:8]Footnote 9: UI, Unsaturation Index. [ENDFOOTNOon the cardiovascular system. The most beneficial plants were _I. meserveae_ Golden Girl (1.90), _I. aquifolium_ Alaska (1.96) and _I. aquifolium_ Rubricaulis Aurea (1.70), showing the highest indices; thus, compared to _I. paraguariensis_ (0.57), they can be considered more beneficial to the circulatory system. However, the PUFA/SFA ratio is too general and does not allow for an assessment of atherogenicity. Therefore, an atherogenicity index (IA) is used, which reveals the ratio of the sum of SFAs and the sum of unsaturated acids (UFAs). SFAs (C12:0, C14:0, C16:0) promote lipid adhesion to the cells of the circulatory and immune systems. However, UFAs inhibit the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaques and influence the reduction of phospholipids, cholesterol, and esterified fatty acids, which is why they are considered anti-atherosclerotic [27]. According to this rule, products with lower IA may contribute to the reduction of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in plasma. The values of the IA index in different _Ilex_ cultivars range from 0.42 to 0.77. The lowest and most similar values are shown by _I. aquifolium_ Alaska (0.42), _I. aquifolium_ Rubricaulis Aurea (0.43), _I. meserveae_ Blue Boy (0.44), and _I. meserveae_ Golden Girl (0.50). In contrast, the IA indices of _I. aquifolium_ Ferox Argentea (0.69) and _I. meserveae_ Blue Angel (0.62) are similar to that of the reference sample of _I. paraguariensis_ (0.77). This suggests that European cultivars may have a more beneficial effect than _I. paraguariensis_ in lowering plasma cholesterol levels. An indicator that shows the tendency to form thrombi in blood vessels is the thrombogenicity index (IT). It characterizes the relationship between FAs that are considered prothrombinogenic (C12:0, C14:0 and C16:0) and antithrombinogenic (n-3, n-6 and MUFA). Therefore, a diet containing products with a lower IT ratio is more beneficial for the cardiovascular system [28]. The index of thrombogenicity in _Ilex_ samples oscillates in the range of 0.20-0.69. The most favorable IT values, and thus indicating the most positive effect on the cardiovascular system, are observed in four European cultivars: _I. aquifolium_ Alaska (0.20), _I. aquifolium_ Rubricaulis Aurea (0.23), _I. meserveae_ Golden Girl (0.22), and _I. meserveae_ Blue Boy (0.22). However, the index of one of the European varieties of _I. aquifolium_ Ferox Argentea (0.62) is similar to that of _I. paraguariensis_ (0.69). In summary, both of these indices (IA and IT) can be used as a means to assess the effect of the composition of Fas on the cardiovascular system.