## 1 Introduction  
In contemporary times, people's awareness of the impact of food and dietary supplements on human health is significantly increasing. The results of research on the content of biologically active compounds in food can be used in the rational planning of the daily diet and in the production of functional food [1]. _Ilex paraquariensis_, thanks to its unique content of phenolic compounds, especially chlorogenic acid and its derivatives, has great potential to play an important role in the prevention of lifestyle diseases [2; 3; 4]. _I. paraquariensis_ is an indigenous flora predominantly found in the regions of Argentina, Paraguary, Brazil, and Uruguay. This species, from the Aquifoliaceae family, is an evergreen tree or shrub. The leaves and twigs of this plant serve as the primary constituents for the production of yerba mate, a traditional beverage [2]. As a part of the daily diet for millions of people, mainly in South America [2], in the form of the yerba mate beverage, it is widely consumed. Extracts from _I. paraquariensis_ are increasingly used as an ingredient in dietary supplements, including those with stimulating or slimming effects. Historically, this plant has been utilized for medicinal purposes since the pre-Columbian era, with indigenous populations employing it as a means to alleviate sensations of hunger, fatigue, and stress [5; 6]. The monograph for the leaves of this plant, \"_I. paraquariensis_ [PERSON], folium\", has been included in the European Pharmacopoeia since 2018 [7]. Contemporary scientific investigations have attributed the biological properties of _I. paraquariensis_ to the presence of biologically active compounds within the plant matter. These include amino acids, purine alkaloids, polyphenols, terpenoids, saponins, vitamins, and bioelements. From a health enhancement perspective, phenolic compounds constitute the most crucial category of substances for their antioxidant properties [8; 9]. Quantitative analysis has determined the total phenolic content (TPC) to be approximately 51 mg/g of the plant's dry weight [10]. Among the 46 polyphenic compounds identified in the tested extracts, the most abundant were chlorogenic acids: 3-caffeoylquinic acid (26.8-28.8%), 5-caffeoylquinic acid (21.1-22.4%), 4-caffeoylquinic acid (12.6-14.2%), and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (9.5-11.3%) [11; 12]. The invigorating attributes of the beverage are attributed to the presence of methylxanthines, a class of purine alkaloids encompassing caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. The dried extract of _I. paraquariensis_ leaves contains a caffeine content ranging from 1% to 2% of the dry matter. The caffeine concentration in a single serving of holly infusion (approximately 150 mL) is estimated to be around 78 mg, a value that closely parallels the caffeine content in coffee, which contains approximately 85 mg in an equivalent volume. It is noteworthy that in the context of traditional yerba mate brewing practices, the volume of the infusion can reach up to 500 mL, and this quantity contains about 260 mg of caffeine or potentially more [8; 10; 13]. Yerba mate is also recognized as a source of rutin and astragalin. The isolation of these compounds in substantial quantities, in comparison to other nutraceuticals containing caffeine, suggests the existence of additional mechanisms of action and a beneficial impact on human health [13; 14]. Scientific investigations have demonstrated that the bioactive compounds identified in extracts of _I. paraquariensis_ leaves predominantly possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant [8], antimicrobial [15], and anticancer properties [16; 17; 18]. These properties suggest potential applicability in the management of metabolic disorders, encompassing the regulation of body weight and diabetes [19; 20; 21; 22; 23; 24]. Yerba mate consumption has a protective effect on cardiovascular health and significantly improves blood lipid profiles [25; 26; 27].