## 2 Results
### Terpenoid Profile  
The analysis of terpenoids from two cultivars of European _Ilex_, i.e., _I. aquifolium_ and _I. meserveae_, showed the presence of 12 compounds, of which the seven main ones are presented in Table 2 (in addition, Table S2 showing all compounds is available in the Supplementary Data). The study showed similarities in the terpenoid profiles of the European cultivars. The dominant compounds in both _I. aquifolium_ and _I. meserveae_ were unsolic acid (7.29-16.11 mg g\({}^{-1}\)), oleanolic acid (2.03-6.62 mg g\({}^{-1}\)), \(\alpha\)-amyrin (0.36-3.22 mg g\({}^{-1}\)), lupeol (0.42-2.53 mg g\({}^{-1}\)) and uvaol (0.37-2.48 mg g\({}^{-1}\)). For comparison, the reference sample was _I. paraguariensis_, whose terpenoid profile was similar to those of the European varieties, with the difference being that a significantly lower content of unsolic acid (1.23 mg g\({}^{-1}\)) was observed in Yerba mate leaves. Previous studies have also reported the presence of tritepenes in other _Ilex_ cultivars. Lupeol, betulonic acid, uvaol, ursolic acid, and \(\alpha\)-amyrin have been identified in the leaves of _I. cornuta_ and _I. latifolia_[13]. Compounds from the terpenoid group were also documented in _I. centrochinensis_ and _I. macropoda_. In the first species, the presence of lupeol and oleanolic acid was revealed, and in the second, betulin was isolated in addition to lupeol [14]. Plants with a high content of pentacyclic tritepenes are often used in phytotherapy due to their valuable medicinal properties. Additionally, they are widely distributed in the plant world and are the subject of phytochemical and pharmacological research. One of them is _Ficus carica_, a traditional plant in folk medicine used to combat pneumonia, diarrhoea, inflammation, and indigestion. [PERSON] et al. [15] began to identify the constituents of the nonpolar fraction using GC-MS, and the results of their study show that pentacyclic triterpenoids \(\alpha\)-Amyrin, \(\beta\)-amyrin and lupeol are present in focus leaves. [PERSON] et al. [16], in their study of the quats and leaves of _Prunus spinosa_, which is known as a tea substitute, proved that more triterpene acids are present, and these are mainly unsolic acid (9.5 mg g\({}^{-1}\)) and oleanolic acid (2.3 mg g\({}^{-1}\)). Conversely, [PERSON] [17] obtained similar values for unsolic acid (14.98 mg g\({}^{-1}\)) and oleanolic acid (approximately 5 mg g\({}^{-1}\)) [17] in the leaves of _Silplium integrifolium_, whose infusion was used to treat urinary tract disorders. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [18], in _Prunella vulgaris_ spikes, identified mainly betulinic acid, unsolic acid, and oleanolic acid, whose amounts were 4.7, 4.0 and 0.9 mg g\({}^{-1}\), respectively. A terpenoid fraction was also isolated from the herb _Hieracium pilosella_[19], used, in the treatment of skin diseases, among others, due to its stringent, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory activities. This fraction consists of \(\beta\)-amyrin, lupeol, and \(\alpha\)-amyrin. In conclusion, terpenoids are a widely distributed group among medicinal plants that show promise for the development of new, multifunctional bioactive agents. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{3}{*}{ \begin{tabular}{c} **Compound,** \\ **TMS 1** \\ \end{tabular}  } & \multirow{3}{*}{**RI Exp. 2** **} & & \multicolumn{3}{c}{_I.