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Maca ( Lepidium meyenii , Lepidium peruvianum ) is part of the Brassicaceae family and grows at high altitudes in the Peruvian Andes mountain range (3500-5000 m). Historically, it has been used as a nutrient-dense food and for its medicinal properties, primarily in enhancing energy and fertility. Scientific research has validated these traditional uses and other clinical applications by elucidating maca's mechanisms of action, nutrition, and phytochemical content. However, research over the last twenty years has identified up to seventeen different colors (phenotypes) of maca. The color, hypocotyl size, growing location, cultivation, and post-harvest processing methods can have a significant effect on the nutrition content, phytochemical profile, and clinical application. Yet, research differentiating the colors of maca and clinical applications remains limited. In this review, research on the nutrition, phytochemicals, and various colors of maca, including black, red, yellow (predominant colors), purple, gray (lesser-known colors), and any combination of colors, including proprietary formulations, will be discussed based on available preclinical and clinical trials. The gaps, deficiencies, and conflicts in the studies will be detailed, along with quality, safety, and efficacy criteria, highlighting the need for future research to specify all these factors of the maca used in publications.

To evaluate the safety and tolerability of an oral herbal supplement containing glucosinolates, phytosterols, and citrus flavonoids (Warmi®, Lima Perú;) in otherwise healthy adult women. This was a phase-I, randomized parallel three arms, double-blinded, and a placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 55 participants aged 18-40 were randomly assigned to one of three groups to receive for three months: (1) an oral herbal supplement of 1650 mg/day; (2) an oral herbal supplement of 3300 mg/day; or (3) an oral placebo 3300 mg/day. The primary endpoints were oral safety and tolerability of the supplement. The secondary endpoint was its effect on vital functions, anthropometrics, and laboratory tests. We used an exploratory approach by covariance analysis (ANCOVA) adjusted for the variables' baseline value for the secondary outcomes. All women completed three months of follow-up, reporting no side effects. Our exploratory analysis revealed that treatment with the herbal supplement of 1650 mg/day was associated with increased glucose and uric acid levels. In comparison, the herbal supplement 3300 mg/day was associated with reduced breathing rate, increased basal temperature, and systolic blood pressure, both compared to the placebo group. However, despite significant differences, none of these was clinically significant. The oral herbal supplement had a favorable safety and tolerability profile in studied women. There is a need to study its potential as an option to treat menopausal symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Epidemiological studies have found that consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. This effect seems to be due to aromatic glucosinolate content. Glucosinolates are known for have both antiproliferative and proapoptotic actions. Maca is a cruciferous cultivated in the highlands of Peru. The absolute content of glucosinolates in Maca hypocotyls is relatively higher than that reported in other cruciferous crops. Therefore, Maca may have proapoptotic and anti-proliferative effects in the prostate. Methods: Male rats treated with or without aqueous extracts of three ecotypes of Maca (Yellow, Black and Red) were analyzed to determine the effect on ventral prostate weight, epithelial height and duct luminal area. Effects on serum testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) levels were also assessed. Besides, the effect of Red Maca on prostate was analyzed in rats treated with testosterone enanthate (TE). Results: Red Maca but neither Yellow nor Black Maca reduced significantly ventral prostate size in rats. Serum T or E2 levels were not affected by any of the ecotypes of Maca assessed. Red Maca also prevented the prostate weight increase induced by TE treatment. Red Maca administered for 42 days reduced ventral prostatic epithelial height. TE increased ventral prostatic epithelial height and duct luminal area. These increases by TE were reduced after treatment with Red Maca for 42 days. Histology pictures in rats treated with Red Maca plus TE were similar to controls. Phytochemical screening showed that aqueous extract of Red Maca has alkaloids, steroids, tannins, saponins, and cardiotonic glycosides. The IR spectra of the three ecotypes of Maca in 3800-650 cm (-1) region had 7 peaks representing 7 functional chemical groups. Highest peak values were observed for Red Maca, intermediate values for Yellow Maca and low values for Black Maca. These functional groups correspond among others to benzyl glucosinolate. Conclusions: Red Maca, a cruciferous plant from the highland of Peru, reduced ventral prostate size in normal and TE treated rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economic Botany is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

All over the world, there are species which may be considered as neglected or underutilized despite their nutritious properties. At present, such crops contribute to food security in isolated areas by providing energy and nutrients in a diversified diet. Such genetic heritage—improved by ancient cultures—is under threat of losing biodiversity as well as the traditional knowledge associated with their cultivation and usage. Among these species, the Andean root and tuber crops (ARTCs) constitute a valuable resource which should be preserved and popularized because of their food and functional properties. We studied three ARTC species (mashua, arracacha, and yacon) to provide data on their composition, essential for increasing their use globally. We compared their nutritional values with the values of more widely used crops. Important differences in nutrient composition among ARTC landraces were found. Mineral nutrients showed significant differences among species. Considerable variations in the contents of prebiotics like fructooligosaccharides or functional elements (antioxidants and glucosinolates) were found among species and intraspecific samples. Certainly, these species are important assets to complement human nutrition and to secure supply of functional elements for healthy diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maca, Lepidium meyenii Walpers (Brassicaceae), is an annual herbaceous plant native to the high plateaus of the Peruvian central Andes. Its underground storage hypocotyls have been a traditional medicinal agent and dietary staple since pre-Columbian times. Reported properties include energizing and fertility-enhancing effects. Published reports have focused on the benzylalkamides (macamides) present in dry hypocotyls as one of the main bioactive components. Macamides are secondary amides formed by benzylamine and a fatty acid moiety, with varying hydrocarbon chain lengths and degree of unsaturation. Although it has been assumed that they are usually present in fresh undamaged tissues, analyses show them to be essentially absent from them. However, hypocotyls dried by traditional Andean postharvest practices or industrial oven drying contain up to 800μgg(-1) dry wt (2.3μmolg(-1) dry wt) of macamides. In this study, the generation of macamides and their putative precursors were studied during nine-week traditional drying trials at 4200m altitude and in ovens under laboratory conditions. Freeze-thaw cycles in the open field during drying result in tissue maceration and release of free fatty acids from storage and membrane lipids up to levels of 1200μgg(-1) dry wt (4.3μmolg(-1) dry wt). Endogenous metabolism of the isothiocyanates generated from glucosinolate hydrolysis during drying results in maximal benzylamine values of 4300μgg(-1) dry wt (40.2μmolg(-1) dry wt). Pearson correlation coefficients of the accumulation profiles of benzylamine and free fatty acid to that of macamides showed good values of 0.898 and 0.934, respectively, suggesting that both provide sufficient substrate for amide synthesis during the drying process., (Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)