Maca Research Articles

Lepidium meyenii (Maca) polysaccharides mitigate liver toxicity of aflatoxin B1 through activation of NRF-2/GPX and AhR/STAT3 signaling pathways

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) can induce serious liver toxicity in human. While completely avoiding AFB1 exposure is difficult, dietary intake of natural products may be leveraged to mitigate its adverse health effects. The roots of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) is rich in beneficial polysaccharides. Here we first evaluated dietary safety of MPs and then investigated MPs mitigating effects on the liver toxicity of AFB1. A 28-day sub-acute administration of Maca polysaccharides (MPs) demonstrated to be safe in mice at dose 0.2–1.2 g/kg.bw/day that significantly elevated mice stamina. Also, no toxicity was observed in human PC12 cells treated with MPs 25–100 μg/mL which successfully alleviated cobalt-caused cell apoptosis by ∼20%. In terms of anti-AFB1 hepatoxicity function, MPs 0.4–1.6 g/kg.bw/day significantly alleviated liver tissue damage, lipid accumulation, ROS damage, NF-κB p65, secretion of cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α in AFB1-treated mice. Flow cytometry found that MPs treatment recovered the elevation of F4/80 in the primary macrophages of AFB1-treated mice. At molecular level, MPs treatment activated liver NRF-2/GPX/SOD anti-oxidant system. In human macrophage model, MPs restored the inflammatory AhR/STAT3 pathway and mRNA expressions of Tnf-a, Inos, Arg-1 disrupted by AFB1. Our findings not only add to the current understanding on the toxicity mechanism of AFB1, but also provide references to the development of dietary intervention strategy using MPs.

Evaluation of the influence of temperature and time exposure on Peruvian Maca (Lepidium meyenii) flour samples through NIR spectroscopy and chemometrics

In this study, the three most known varieties of the Peruvian Maca (Lepidium meyenii), yellow, red, and black, were fractionated in multiple sub-samples and submitted to heating (from 25 to 200 °C) during one hour at 10-minute intervals to be measured using the near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy after 24 h resting in a desiccator. The study focused on changes related to heating for considering new applications on Maca-enriched food products such as bread, cakes, and cookies, which are prepared over high temperatures during different time exposures. To perform the experiment, 9 portions of 1 g of each sample remained in an oven at each temperature (25, 50, 100, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, and 200 °C) for different times (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min). The principal component analysis (PCA) and the multivariate curve resolution with alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) were applied to interpret the results. In general, it was observed that spectral variations start to occur from heating samples from above 100 °C. The recovered signals indicated that most spectral variations occurred in regions assigned to NH vibrations, suggesting that heating influences the protein and/or macamides structures, which are responsible for most of the properties attributed to the Peruvian Maca. The yellow Maca phenotype was the most susceptible to spectral variations after heating, while the black Maca displayed the slowest spectral transformations. This study may encourage deeper investigations into the use of Maca-derived foods regarding their health-beneficial effects after heating to indicate the limitations of Maca applications.

Carcass Essential Amino Acids Profile of <i>Clarias gariepinus </i>(Burchell, 1822) Fingerlings Fed Different Levels of Maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>, Walp.) Root Powder as Feed Additive

This research was carried out to determine the carcass essential amino acids profile of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings fed different levels of Maca root powder as a feed additive. Five (5) isonitrogenous (40% crude protein) and isocaloric (1,732kcal kg-1 gross energy) diets were formulated, where Maca root powder in the form of feed additive was included at 0.0g/100g (TM0), 0.25g/100g (TM1), 0.5g/100g (TM2), 0.75g/100g (TM3) and 1.0g/100g (TM4) inclusion levels, diet without Maca root powder (TM0), served as the control diet. Formulated diets were fed to Clarias gariepinus fingerlings (n = 300, 10.0±0.00g) in fifteen (15) rectangular plastic tanks (n = 20) at a fixed feeding rate of 3% body weight twice daily between the hours of 8:00 - 9:00 am and 4:00 - 5:00 pm at regular interval and adjusted after every two (2) weeks of sampling for a period of twelve (12) weeks. At the end of the research three (3) Clarias gariepinus from each treatment were sacrificed with the carcass subjected to essential amino acids analysis. Data collected were analysed using one - way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P = 0.05. All the nine (9) essential amino acids were found in the final carcass profile of the Clarias gariepinus. Carcass histidine value (15.81mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (10.02mg/g) in the fish fed the control diet (TM0), carcass isoleucine value (25.42mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (18.20mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), while the carcass leucine value (14.17mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM4 and least (11.98mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), carcass lysine value (20.13mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (14.68mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), carcass methionine value (33.07mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (26.80mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), carcass phenylalanine value (22.24mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (17.69mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), carcass threonine value (22.23mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (15.13mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), carcass tryptophan value (25.74mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (20.92mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0) and the carcass valine value (39.77mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (32.95mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0).. The incorporation of Maca root powder as a feed additive into the diet of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings increases the concentration of the carcass's essential amino acids and therefore the Clarias gariepinus can be a very important source of the essential amino acids. The incorporation of Maca root powder as a feed additive into the diet of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings is recommended for improving the Clarias gariepinus carcass essential amino acids profile.

The Effects of Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp) on Cellular Oxidative Stress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Lepidium meyenii Walp (LmW) or Maca, including its bioactive components such as macamides, among others, has demonstrated antioxidant effects. However, the effect size (ES) of LmW on oxidative stress has not been qualitatively described and calculated. The primary objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to review and qualitatively describe the studies published up to 2023 that supplemented LmW to control cellular oxidative stress; the secondary objective was to calculate the ES of the different interventions. The search was designed following the PRISMA® guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses and performed in the Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, PubMed, and MEDLINE until 2023. The selection of studies included randomized controlled trials, with tests and post-tests, both in vitro and in vivo in animals and humans. The methodological quality and risk of bias were evaluated with the CAMARADES tool. The main variables were reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and malondialdehyde. The analysis was conducted with a pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) through Hedges' g test (95% CI). Eleven studies were included in the systematic review and eight in the meta-analysis. They revealed a small effect for reduced glutathione (SMD = 0.89), a large effect for glutathione peroxidase (SMD = 0.96), a moderate effect for superoxide dismutase (SMD = 0.68), and a moderate effect for malondialdehyde (SMD = -0.53). According to the results, the phytochemical compounds of LmW effectively controlled cellular oxidative stress, mainly macamides. It was also determined that a higher dose of LmW generated a greater antioxidant effect. However, information concerning humans is scarce.

Novel combination with maca improves sperm parameters in vitro of asthenozoospermic men.

Infertility is an inability to conceive after a reasonable period of time (12 months) without the use of contraception or due to a person's incapacity to procreate, whether independently or with a spouse. Problems with the production and maturation of sperm are the most common causes of male infertility additionally; the motility is the major functional character that determines the fertilizing ability of spermatozoa. Therefore the goal of this study is to get better certain sperm function parameters in vitro of asthenozoospermic patient. The World Health Organization (WHO) and many studies considered the infertility as a disease and so many couples complaining from unsuccessful assisted reproductive technologies (ART) procedures to overcome their problem. The goal of this study is to improve certain sperm function feature in vitro of asthenozoospermic semen patients by using combination of motility inducing namely; Maca, L-carnitine and Pentoxifylline that enhance the medium to improve certain sperm characters that might be utilized for ART centers. Semen aliquots were collected from ninety patients with asthenozoospermia who participated in present study, the volume of semen samples with normal ejaculate when was ranged between 1.4-6ml and can be measured by using a measure pipette or conical graduated tube; Inclusion criteria was Asthenozoospermia, oligozoospermia and teratozoospermia men, Infertile idiopathic men also, fertile normozoospermic men. While Exclusion criteria was Azoospermic men, Alcoholic, Patients under treatment with antibiotics and men with Varicocele.The samples split into two equal groups at random. Using Ham's F12 medium, one portion served as the control group, and the other was the treatment group, which was mixing by combining the following ingredients, Maca powder extracts (Lepidium meyenii) (M) 1 mg/ml, 0.5 mg/ml of L-Carnitine (LC), and 10 mg/ml of Pentoxifylline (PTX). The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. The descriptive statistics including frequency, range, mean and standard error, Data from treated and control groups were expressed as mean ± SEM and to compare value between experimental and control groups using Students t-test. Layering approach is used to investigate sperm parameters before and after in vitro activation. The information showed a very large (p< 0.001) increase in active sperm motility grade A, percentage of progressive motility with significant increase in morphologically normal sperm (MNS) with decreased in DNA fragmentation index after activation by layering technique with novel combination medium compared to Hams F12 medium and before activation. The present work stated that novel combination medium (LC, maca and PXT) have potential effects to improve sperm characters in male infertility factors and suggested to be used for sperm preparation and activation in ART programs.

Phytochemical Evaluation of Lepidium meyenii, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Spirulina platensis, and Tribulus arabica, and Their Potential Effect on Monosodium Glutamate Induced Male Reproductive Dysfunction in Adult Wistar Rats.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a sodium salt derived from glutamic acid, is widely used in commercial food products to improve taste, quality, and preservation. However, its consumption may have detrimental effects on male reproductive function. Nevertheless, plant extracts, such as Lepidium meyenii (Maca), Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek), Spirulina platensis (Spirulina), and Tribulus arabica (Tribulus), may ameliorate these adverse effects. To this effect, the phytochemical properties of Lepidium meyenii, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Spirulina platensis, and Tribulus arabica were assessed, and their potential impact on MSG-induced impairment of reproductive parameters was examined. The phytochemical composition (steroids, terpenes, phenols, flavonoids) of the plants was profiled through spectrophotometry and the antioxidant activity was assessed using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were divided into six groups at random: a control group receiving distilled water, and five experimental groups (MSG, Maca, Fenugreek, Spirulina, and Tribulus) receiving 900 mg/kg/day of MSG dissolved in water for 45 days. Subsequently, the animals in the experimental groups were administered 500 mg/kg/day of the respective plant extract via oral gavage for an additional 35 days, while the MSG group continued to receive water only. Following the treatment period, the animals were sacrificed, and their reproductive tract organs were collected, weighed, and subjected to further analysis. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of diverse bioactive elements in the plant extracts, including phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Exposure to MSG negatively impacted total and progressive sperm motility, which was ameliorated by Lepidium meyenii treatment. Sperm morphology showed no significant differences among groups. Treatment of the phytochemical agents diminished histomorphometric alternations of the testicular length, germinal epithelium height, and number of cells in seminiferous tubules, which were caused by the initial administration of MSG. Testosterone and LH levels were reduced in the MSG group but improved in extract-treated groups. The study suggests Lepidium meyenii as a potential remedy for reproductive dysfunction. However, further investigation into its mechanisms and human safety and efficacy is warranted.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) inhibits HIV-1 infection through the activity of thiadiazole alkaloids in viral integration

Ethnopharmacology relevanceLepidium meyenii Walp. (maca) has been traditionally used for centuries in the Central Andes region both as food and as medicine. In the last decades, its fertility enhancer properties have gained importance, with the majority of the scientific literature related to this topic. However, other traditional uses are less known as metabolic or infectious diseases. Aim of the studyThe main purpose of this study is to investigate the anti-infectious activity of L. meyenii, specifically in HIV-1 infection. There are previous reports of the transcriptional related activity of L. meyenii extracts in human T lymphocytes via transcription factors as NF-κB. Since T lymphocytes are the main target of HIV-1 infection and NF-κB is strongly involved in HIV-1 transcription, L. meyenii could display antiviral activity. Material and methodsChromatography and spectroscopy techniques were used to isolate and identify the compounds in the active extracts. An antiviral assay system based on recombinant viruses was used to evaluate the anti-HIV activity. Cell toxicity was tested for all the extracts and compounds. Viral entry was studied using VSV-HIV chimera viruses and reverse transcription and viral integration were studied by qPCR of viral DNA in infected cells. Finally, viral transcription was studied in primary lymphocytes transfected with HIV-1 or NF-κB luciferase reporter plasmids. Resultsn-Hexane extracts of purple maca displayed anti-HIV activity in an in vitro assay. A bioassay-guided fractionation led to the identification of three thiadiazole alkaloids with antiviral activity. All the compounds were able to inhibit HIV infection of MT-2 cell lines and primary lymphocytes (PBMCs) with IC50 values in the low micromolar range. The mechanism of action differs between the three compounds: one of them showed activity on viral entry, and all the three compounds inhibited viral integration at low concentrations. Remarkably, none of the compounds inhibited reverse transcription or viral transcription. Conclusionsn-Hexane extracts of the purple ecotype of L. meyenii inhibit HIV-1 infection in vitro and three active thiadiazole alkaloids were isolated acting mainly on viral integration and viral entry.

Perfil das prescrições de fitoterápicos anabolizantes comercializados por uma farmácia magistral no Rio de Janeiro

Introduction: Since antiquity, humans have used plants for various purposes, including improving physical performance. However, in recent years, the search for herbal medicines aimed at mimicking the anabolic effect, with lower health risks and without being detected in doping control, has sparked the interest of athletes and gym users. Objective: To evaluate which herbal drugs with possible androgenic activity are prescribed as magistral formulations in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Method: Data from 10,276 prescriptions recorded in the database of a network of compounding pharmacies located in the city of Rio de Janeiro between January and December 2020 were collected and analyzed. The prescribed and dispensed formulations contained Ajuga turkestanica, Cyanotis vaga, Eurycoma longifolia, Lepidium meyenii, Mucuna pruriens, Tribulus terrestris, Trigonella foenum-graecum, and Withania somnifera. Results: Most prescriptions (57.0%) were for women, prescribed by specialists in orthomolecular medicine (38.0%), and only 4.0% of prescriptions were prescribed by nutritionists. Regarding the types of medications, 8,116 prescriptions (79.0%) were formulations of combinations of one or more anabolic herbal drugs with pharmaceuticals. M. pruriens was the most prescribed herbal drug (29.0%), with or without combination. Conclusions: Most of the prescribed plants still do not have proven efficacy and safety regarding anabolic action; therefore more clinical studies are necessary to determine the possible drug interactions and adverse effects of these herbal drugs.

Evaluation of the Carcass Proximate Composition of &lt;i&gt;Clarias gariepinus&lt;/i&gt; (Burchell, 1822) Fingerlings Fed Different Levels of Maca (&lt;i&gt;Lepidium meyenii&lt;/i&gt;, Walp.) Root Powder as Phyto-Additive

A study was conducted at the Lay - Joy Fish Farm, Billiri, Gombe State Nigeria to evaluate the carcass proximate composition of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings fed different levels of Maca root powder as Phyto - additive. Five (5) isonitrogenous (40% crude protein) and isocaloric (1,732kcal kg-1 gross energy) diets were formulated, where Maca root powder in form of Phyto - additive was incorporated at 0.0g/100g (TM0), 0.25g/100g (TM1), 0.5g/100g (TM2), 0.75g/100g (TM3) and 1.0g/100g (TM4) inclusion levels, diet without Maca root powder (TM0), served as the control diet. The formulated diets were fed to Clarias gariepinus fingerlings (n = 300, 10.0±0.00g) in fifteen (15) rectangular white plastic tanks (n = 20) at a fixed feeding rate of 3% body weight twice daily between the hours of 8:00 - 9:00 am and 4:00 - 5:00 pm at regular interval and adjusted after every two (2) weeks of sampling for a period of twelve (12) weeks. Proximate analysis was carried out on a sample of the Clarias gariepinus fingerlings at the beginning of the experiment, at the end of the experiment three (3) Clarias gariepinus from each treatment were sacrificed and the carcass subjected to proximate analysis. Data obtained were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P = 0.05. Carcass crude protein value was highest in fish fed diet TM3 (72.00±1.32%) and least (67.80±1.96%) in the fish fed the control diet (TM0), carcass crude lipid value was highest in fish fed diet TM3 (14.70±1.19%) and least (14.07±2.45%) in the fish fed a control diet (TM0), while the carcass crude fibre value was highest in fish fed control diet (TM0) (0.47±0.03%) and least (0.36±0.07%) in the fish fed diet TM3, carcass moisture value was highest in fish fed diet TM2 (1.64±0.07%) and least (1.41±0.04%) in the fish fed diet TM3, carcass ash value was highest in fish fed diet TM2 (11.15±2.03%) and least (10.00±1.67%) in the fish fed diet TM3 and the carcass nitrogen free extract value was highest in fish fed control diet (TM0) (5.50±0.76%) and least (1.53±0.73%) in the fish fed diet TM3. The incorporation of Maca root powder as Phyto-additive into the diet of Clarias gariepinus had no effect on the carcass proximate quality. Although there was a significant difference (p&lt;0.05) in the carcass proximate composition of the Clarias gariepinus, no clear trends were noticed. Feeding Clarias gariepinus fingerlings with Maca root powder at 0.75g/100g feed inclusion level as Phyto - additive is recommended. However, further research should be carried out on other Phyto - additives on their efficacy in determining the carcass proximate composition of Clarias gariepinus.

Synthesis and Systematic Investigation of Lepidiline A and Its Gold(I), Silver(I), and Copper(I) Complexes Using In Vitro Cancer Models and Multipotent Stem Cells.

The imidazole alkaloid lepidiline A from the root of Lepidium meyenii has a moderate to low in vitro anticancer effect. Our aim was to extend cytotoxicity investigations against a panel of cancer cells, including multidrug-resistant cancer cells, and multipotent stem cells. Lepidiline A is a N-heterocyclic carbene precursor, therefore a suitable ligand source for metal complexes. Thus, we synthesized lepidiline A and its copper(I), gold(I), and silver(I) complexes and tested them against ovarian, gastrointestinal, breast, and uterine cancer cells and bone marrow-derived and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Lepidiline A and its copper complex demonstrated moderate cytotoxicity, while silver and gold complexes exhibited significantly enhanced and consistent cytotoxicity against both cancer and stem cell lines. ABCB1 in the multidrug-resistant uterine sarcoma line conferred significant resistance against lepidiline A and the copper-lepidiline A complex, but not against the silver and gold complexes. Our results indicate that only the copper complex induced a significant and universal increase in the production of reactive oxygen species within cells. In summary, binding of metal ions to lepidiline A results in enhanced cytotoxicity with the nature of the metal ion playing a critical role in determining its properties.

Dynamic bond crosslinked maca polysaccharide hydrogels with reactive oxygen species scavenging and antibacterial effects on infected wound healing

In this study, a polysaccharide fragment with antioxidant and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities was extracted from Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) and subjected to structural analyses. The fragment, characterized by the α-D-Glcp-(1 → terminal group of the main chain linked to the →4)-Glcp-(1 → end unit through an O-6 bond and the O-3 bond of 1–3-4Glcp, was modified by introducing dialdehyde structures on its glucose units. It was then crosslinked with N-carboxymethyl chitosan via the Schiff base reaction to create a multifunctional hydrogel with antibacterial and ROS scavenging properties. Polyvinyl alcohol was incorporated to form a double crosslinked gel network, and the addition of silver nanoparticles enhanced its antibacterial efficacy. This gel system can scavenge excess ROS, mitigate wound inflammation, eradicate harmful bacteria, and aid in the restoration of skin microecology. The multifunctional maca polysaccharide hydrogel shows significant potential as a medical dressing for the treatment of infected wounds.

Accurate exploration of the clinical efficacy of maca based on characteristic metabolites

Lepidium meyenii (Maca) is a food and traditional herbal medicine derived from the roots of perennial plants cultivated at high altitudes in the Andes Mountains. Although many studies have shown the potential clinical value of maca, its integration into the existing clinical medical system remains a challenge. Therefore, this study used a combination of metabolomics and bioinformatics to accurately explore the characteristic metabolites of maca, which were verified in alcoholic fatty acid disease (AFLD) and nonalcoholic fatty acid disease (NAFLD) rat models, revealing the potential clinical efficacy of maca. Through subsequent quantitative analysis, we identified a new marker that may provide new ideas for subsequent clinical diagnosis of fatty liver.

Mineral Quantitation of Irish Potato (Solanum tuberusom) Treated with Maca (Lepidium meyenii) During Storage

Irish potato (Solanum tuberusom) has contributed to human diet for thousands of years, first in the Andes of South America and then in the rest of the world. Potato is rich in potassium which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Maca (Lepidium meyenii) contains macamides which are thought to have antioxidant effects. Prolonged storage of Irish potatoes is the stage at which good quality tubers are most difficult to maintain because of the transformations occurring at that time lead to quantitative changes in the composition of tubers. This work was designed to quantify potassium along aside with some minerals in Irish potato during storage with aqueous solution of maca flour. In the storage process, potatoes are affected by two negative factors, i.e., high (room) temperature, light and physiological activities in the tuber. The values obtained for Irish potato treated with aqueous maca 1:10 mL distilled water (MA1) and untreated potato as control (CTRL) respectively are potassium (173.85 and 93.67 mg/100 g), sodium (99.74 and 39.59 mg/100 g), magnesium (14.20 and 12.37 mg/100 g), phosphorus (56.00 and 39.00 mg/100 g), zinc (0.34 and 0.30 mg/100 g), manganese (0.39 and 0.33 mg/100 g) and copper (0.01and 0.01 mg/100 g). MA1 differs significantly (p &lt; 0.05) from CTRL for potassium, sodium and magnesium phosphorus and zinc while there was no significant difference for manganese and copper. These results indicate that treating potato with low concentration of aqueous maca helps to retain minerals composition during storage.

Antioxidant activity, total polyphenol, anthocyanin and benzyl-glucosinolate contents in different phenotypes and portion of Japanese Maca (Lepidiummeyenii)

Maca (Lepidium meyenii), mainly grown in Peru, is a traditional herbal medicine that is mostly used to improve sperm motility and serum hormone levels. Maca phenotypes are represented by purple, black, yellow, white, and mixed colors. Recently, a method for Maca cultivation has been established in Japan. Therefore, we determined the effects of different phenotypes and portions on the antioxidant activities and total polyphenols, anthocyanins, and benzyl-glucosinolate contents in Japanese Maca. Purple Maca skin possessed the highest contents of both total polyphenols, antioxidant activity and anthocyanin content in all Macas. Regarding the benzyl-glucosinolate content, white maca had the highest content and was not correlated with antioxidant activity. In the present study, we revealed that purple Maca skin is recommended for high polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, and anthocyanin content. The results of this study will be useful for selecting phenotypes for the improvement of antioxidant activity or hormone balance.

Non-invasive prediction of maca powder adulteration using a pocket-sized spectrophotometer and machine learning techniques

Discriminating different cultivars of maca powder (MP) and detecting their authenticity after adulteration with potent adulterants such as maize and soy flour is a challenge that has not been studied with non-invasive techniques such as near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). This study developed models to rapidly classify and predict 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% w/w of soybean and maize flour in red, black and yellow maca cultivars using a handheld spectrophotometer and chemometrics. Soy and maize adulteration of yellow MP was classified with better accuracy than in red MP, suggesting that red MP may be a more susceptible target for adulteration. Soy flour was discovered to be a more potent adulterant compared to maize flour. Using 18 different pretreatments, MP could be authenticated with R2CV in the range 0.91–0.95, RMSECV 6.81–9.16 g/,100 g and RPD 3.45–4.60. The results show the potential of NIRS for monitoring Maca quality.

Effect of warm temperature and water shortages on early growth of Lepidium meyenii Walpers

Increasing water deficits and warming temperatures due to climate change threaten agricultural systems in the Peruvian Andes, where environmental conditions are themselves challenging. Lepidium meyenii Walpers also known as "maca" is an endemic root crop that can tolerate adverse conditions such as low temperatures and high UV radiation, but little is known about its response to drought. This study aimed to test the effect on maca germination and early seedling growth of water restriction under two maximum temperatures: 15 °C (current scenario) and 20 °C (warming scenario). Water restriction had either a direct or a temperature-dependent effect on germination and above ground seedling growth, which was greater at 15 °C. By contrast, its effects on seedlings growing at 20 °C were completely overcome by faster germination, initial growth, and biomass acquisition. The results are consistent with those from other crops and contribute to the understanding of how climate change is affecting high-mountain agriculture.

The structures of two polysaccharides from Lepidium meyenii and their immunomodulatory effects via activating NF-κB signaling pathway

Lepidium meyenii Walp., also known as the “Peruvian national treasure”, is a popular functional food in the daily lives of Peruvian people due to its bioactive with main polysaccharides. However, studies on polysaccharides isolated from Lepidium meyenii were few. Two new highly heterogeneous polysaccharides, MCP-1a and MCP-2b, were isolated and purified from the tuber of Lepidium meyenii. The structure characterization revealed that MCP-1a primarily consisted of D-Glc and had a molecular weight of 6.6 kDa. Its backbone was composed of 1,4,6-α-D-Glc, while branches feature T-α-L-Ara, 1,5-α-L-Ara, and T-α-D-Glc attached to the O-6 positions. MCP-2b was a rare arabinogalactan with a molecular weight of 49.4 kDa. Interestingly, the backbone of MCP-2b was composed of 1,6-β-D-Gal, 1,3,6-β-D-Gal with a few 1,3-β-D-GlcpA-4-OMe units inserted. Side chains of MCP-2b were mainly composed of 1,3-β-D-Gal, T-β-D-Gal, T-α-L-Ara, 1,5-α-L-Ara, with trace amounts of 1,4-β-D-Glc and T-β-D-Glc. The bioactivity assay results revealed that MCP-1a and MCP-2b increased the release of NO, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 from RAW 264.7 cells at concentrations ranging from 50 μg/mL to 400 μg/mL. Furthermore, MCP-1a and MCP-2b could promote the expression of key transcription factors (IκB-α, p-IκB-α, p65, and p-p65) in the NF-κB pathway, indicating that MCP-1a and MCP-2b had potential immunomodulatory activities.

In Vivo Studies of Lepidium meyenii or Maca in Animal Models of Diabetes Mellitus and Other Metabolic Syndrome-Related Diseases- A Scoping Review

In Vivo Studies of Lepidium meyenii or Maca in Animal Models of Diabetes Mellitus and Other Metabolic Syndrome-Related Diseases- A Scoping Review

UPLC-TQD-MS/MS Method Validation for Quality Control of Alkaloid Content in Lepidium meyenii (Maca)-Containing Food and Dietary Supplements.

Lepidium meyenii Walp. (Brassicaceae), also known as Maca or Peruvian ginseng, is a common ingredient in food supplements with many claimed health benefits, such as improved endurance, increased energy level, and enhanced sexual properties. Due to potential toxicity of its chemicals, including alkaloids, some regulatory authorities, e.g., in Belgium, Germany, the United States, expressed concerns about the safe consumption of Maca root. However, due to the lack of commercial standards, no established analytical method currently exists for this purpose. The current project focuses on the quantitative determination of potentially toxic alkaloids from Maca. The current study presents the first analytical method for quality control of alkaloid content in Maca-containing food and dietary supplements, assessing the presence of 11 major compounds belonging to three different classes, i.e., imidazole, β-carboline, and pyrrole alkaloids. An accurate, rapid, and sensitive UPLC-TQD-MS/MS method is reported, which was fully validated according to the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) and SANTE/11312/2021 guidelines. To ensure the method's applicability and practicability in the absence of primary standards, validation of secondary standards (SSs) alongside primary standards (PSs) was also conducted for imidazole alkaloids. As a result, in Maca raw powder, total alkaloid content was found to vary from 418 to 554 ppm (mg/kg). Furthermore, all quantified imidazole alkaloids were ascertained to be the major alkaloids with the total content from 323 to 470 ppm in Maca raw powder, followed by the β-carboline and pyrrole alkaloids. It was also observed that the commercial preparation of finished products affects the total alkaloid content, evidenced by the large variation from 56 to 598 ppm. Ultimately, from a regulatory point of view, it seems advisible not to request the complete absence of the alkaloids but to impose a maximum level based on safety considerations. In addition to the analytical method, a low-cost, simple, and scalable synthetic scheme of macapyrrolins A, C, and G was reported for the first time.

Evaluating the Efficiency of Yohimbe, Horny goat weed and Maca Powder against Testicular Damage Induced by Cadmium Chloride in Male Rats

Evaluating the Efficiency of Yohimbe, Horny goat weed and Maca Powder against Testicular Damage Induced by Cadmium Chloride in Male Rats