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Investigation of the tuber constituents
of Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp). Piacente S, Carbone V, Plaza
A, Zampelli A, Pizza C.Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche,
Universita degli Studi di Salerno, via Ponte Don Melillo,
84084 Fisciano, Italy. Journal of Agric Food Chem 2002 Sep 25;
50 (20): 5621-5
Lepidium meyenii, known in South America
as Maca, has received attention worldwide as a powerful
energizer that improves physical and mental conditions and
increases fertility. Because of these reports, we investigated
the secondary metabolites of the tuber of Maca. The methanol
extract of the tuber of Maca contained, in addition to free
sugars and amino acids, the following: uridine, malic acid and
its benzoyl derivative, and the glucosinolates,
glucotropaeolin and m-methoxyglucotropaeolin.
Because glucosinolates and their derived
products have received increasing attention due to their
biological activities, the occurrence of glucosinolate
degradation products in the hexane extract was also
investigated, and benzylisothiocyanate and its m-methoxy
derivative were isolated. The two glucosinolates were
semiquantified by HPLC, and benzylisothiocyanate was
semiquantified by GC/MS. The methanol extract of Maca tuber
also contained
(1R,3S)-1-methyltetrahydro-beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid, a
molecule which is reported to exert many activities on the
central nervous system.
Nutritional evaluation of Lepidium
meyenii (MACA) in albino mice and their descendants. Canales
M, Aguilar J, Prada A, Marcelo A, Huaman C, Carbajal L.
Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt,
Lima-Peru. Arch Latinoam Nutr 2000 Jun; 50 (2): 126-33
With the purpose of evaluate
scientifically the nutritional property of Maca, we carried
out a controlled study in two generations of albino Swiss mice
(parents and breeding). The parents were aleatorily assigned
to one of three nutritional schedules. The food of each group
was prepared based on powder from a commercial balanced food (CBF)
of which 30% was replaced by raw or cooked Maca according to
the corresponding group or pure CBF in the control group.
The groups were this way: 1) Raw Maca
Group; 2) Cooked Maca Group; and, 3) Control Group. The
results showed that the curves of growth were similar and
adequate for the three groups. However, the cooked Maca group
showed the best curve. The CBF group had a better growth than
raw Maca group. This study demonstrates, in a scientific
evaluation, the nutritional capability of Maca.
Acute Toxicity - Determination of Lethal
Doses for Standardized Extracts of Maca. Capcha R, Marcelo A,
Rojas P, Ramos A, Plaza A, Aguilar JL, Draft Paper
In this study the acute toxicity (DL50)
of two extracts of Maca provided by Química Suiza were
evaluated. The extracts were administered by oral via in Swiss
mice by a period of 3 days. The results show a DL50 greater of
68 070 mg/Kg, dose in which not death of mice were registered,
nor either changes in the behavior, or some alteration in the
internal organs. Therefore this study demonstrates the absence
of acute toxicity of Maca extracts in Swiss mice, dosed
orally.
Absence of Acute Toxicity and
Cytotoxicity in-vitro of Lepídium meyenii. Marcelo A, Okuhama
N, Mairena T, Salazar M, Aguilar JL. Draft Paper
Acute toxicity was determined in the
animal model. Increasing amounts of Maca were orally
administered to Swiss mice, which were observed for a 3
day-period. From low doses to 800ug/mL of the aqueous extract
showed no changes in viability. Both evaluations show very
good tolerance of in vitro and ín vívo assays for Maca.
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