Protective effects of Yerba mate (IIex paraguariensis) on prostate cancer development

•Yerba mate consumption retards prostate carcinogenesis in vivo.•Yerba mate intake decreases proliferating cell nuclear antigen and nuclear estrogen receptor α expression in prostate tumors.•Yerba mate alters the biological behavior of prostate epithelial tumor cell lines.•Cell viability, proliferation, and migration are reduced by yerba mate. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common adenocarcinoma in men >50 y of age. It has a long latency period, which provides time for preventive strategies like incorporating healthy eating habits. Yerba mate (YM) intake has been associated with numerous health benefits. Since YM is one of the most popular infusions in Argentina, the of this study was to examine the influence of YM on PCa development. We carried out an in vivo model of PCa through subcutaneous inoculation of transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate-C1 cells in C57BL/6 mice. Subsequently, the animals were divided into two groups: mate (25 mg/mL of YM in drinking water, n = 15), and control (only drinking water, n = 15). We also developed an in vitro model to study the direct effects of YM on three human PCa cell lines: lymph node carcinoma of the prostate (LNCaP), PC-3, and DU-145. Our in vivo model showed that YM intake slightly reduced body weight, increased the latency of tumor appearance (P