Argentine researchers use yerba mate against E. coli and staphylococcus

By Estudio Chaloupka

Patricia Vázquez and Romina Arreche, two researchers from the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet), have successfully published a work that uses yerba mate wastes as as reducing agent for Escherichia coli (also known as E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus.

“In the present work, two different commercial brands of yerba mate from Argentina and their wastes (PYM and TYM samples) were used for the preparation of aqueous extracts, in order to synthesize silver nanoparticles at room temperature. The antimicrobial activity of the silver nanoparticles obtained with the extracts from yerba mate wastes was evaluated against E. coli and S. aureus”, states part of the document published at the scientific journal Waste and Biomass Valorization.

Yerba mate is a plant used to make a tea beverage known as mate in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Through the years multiple positive health effects have been attributed to the high quantity of polyphenols found in the plant. According to Vázquez and Arreche, the nanoparticles found in their recent work can be used in the manufacture of nightgowns, hospital sheets and linings for the walls of a kindergarten.

The E. coli can cause serious food poisoning and are occasionally responsible for product recalls due to food contamination. Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of skin infections including abscesses, respiratory infections such as sinusitis, and food poisoning.