Comprehensive analysis of maté (Ilex paraguariensis) compounds: development of chemical strategies for matesaponin analysis by mass spectrometry.

Ilex paraguariensis (maté) is an important plant from southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, where its leaves are widely used in hot or cold beverages. We now present a comprehensive ULPC-PDA-MS analysis of the compounds found in its leaves. The analysis was rapid, less than 13 min and many compounds were identified, among these, the chlorogenic acid series, and other quinic acid derivatives, xanthines, and several saponins, many of which have not been previously described, including many isomers. The isomerism could occur in the aglycone moiety, namely ursolic or oleanolic acid, or in the carbohydrate moiety. Additionally, many acetylated saponins were detected. The structure of known and novel saponins was determined using per-O-methylation with ESI-MS analysis, as well as with GC-MS of their partially O-methylated alditol acetate (PMAA) derivatives, along with ESI-MS analysis of the O-isopropylidene (IPP) derivatives provided fundamental information on interglycosidic linkages, avoiding the purification steps.