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Il nostro studio si è basato sulla caratterizzazione fitochimica dell’olio essenziale e dei vari estratti ottenibili dalla Minthostachys setosa non trascurando la loro attività antibatterica e antifunginea sia su patogeni umani che vegetali per trovare conferma scientifica dell’uso fatto dalle popolazioni andine sia come antisettico sia come conservante di derrate alimentari.

Tra le piante peruviane più interessanti per la loro azione antivirale ed immunomodulante spicca Croton lechleri (sangre de grado o de drago) al quale si attribuiscono effetti antinfiammatori, immunomodulatori ed antivirali che la rendono un candidato ideale per studi più approfonditi. Poiché Croton lechleri è una pianta da secoli conosciuta dalla popolazione peruviana come riparatore di ferite e disinfettante, abbiamo ritenuto interessante quantificare e caratterizzare la sostanza che viene considerata come la più importante per l’attività di questi estratti: la taspina.

A previous study of ours highlighted how prolonged exposure to cannabinoids induced negative effects of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on testicular morphology and spermatogenesis. This picture may depend on the modulation of cannabinoid receptors that are present on Sertoli and Leydig cells but also by molecules with endocrine or paracrine action such as ghrelin that influence the balance of molecular signaling and nurturing of the microenvironment. Lepidium meyenii Walp (Maca), is a crop harvested exclusively between 3500 and 4500 m above sea level in the Andes highlands of and recognized to have antioxidant power and ability to improve both male and female reproductive functions, in humans and animals. Several are the ecotypes depending on crop’s color, the most used are the yellow, red and black ecotypes. The aims of the present study were to assess if the morpho-structural aspects of mouse testes, already highlighted in previous studies, were confirmed in this experimental model, and to evaluate the presence of ghrelin and its receptor in mouse testicular tissue following the treatment with THC and/or Maca (Yellow ecotype) by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting analyses. To these aims, twenty-four C57BL/6 male mice of 6 weeks of age were included in the study and divided in four groups of five animals each one, as follow: C, control group, with no treatment; THC group received 10 mg/kg per day of Δ 9 THC in 0.1 ml of sesame oil subcutaneously for 30 days; Maca group received 50 mg/kg per day of Maca via oral administration for 30 days; THC/Maca group received THC and Maca with the same modalities of the THC and Maca groups respectively, for 30 days.In all testes examined, Western blotting analysis highlighted the presence of ghrelin, in particular we observed a band whose molecular weight was similar to that of the corresponding prepro-ghrelin (approximately 20 kDa), and its receptor (40 kDa). Immunohistochemistry study on mouse testis showed the presence of ghrelin localized in Leydig cells in all study groups. The THC/Maca group is the one which, compared to the other groups of treated mice, also showed immunopositivity in Sertoli cells. From the data that emerged, it is probable that ghrelin plays a role in the modulation of androgen hormone production at the Leydig cell level, and that ghrelin localized in Sertoli cells of the THC/Maca group may favorably influence spermatogenesis.

Antioxidant supplementation has been proposed as a new strategy to improve the long-term preservation of semen. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Maca supplementation of semen extender on quality-related canine semen parameters during cooling. Ejaculates from nine dogs were cooled for 7 days in the absence (control group) or in the presence of 10, 20 and 50 μL/mL of an aqueous extract of Maca. Sperm were evaluated for sperm viability, motility, DNA fragmentation and lipid peroxidation after 3 h, 24 h, 4 days and 7 days of storage. The addition of 10 μL/mL of Maca preserved sperm DNA and plasma membrane integrity at 3 h and increased sperm curvilinear velocity after 24 h. Treatment with 20 and 50 μL/mL of Maca increased the percentage of hyperactivated sperm after 3 h. Moreover, semen treated with 20 μL/mL of Maca decreased lipid peroxidation at 24 h. A significant reduction of sperm DNA and plasma membrane integrity as well as of kinetics parameters between 3 and 24 h of refrigerated storage with the higher concentration tested was observed. Although Maca was not able to protect canine semen with extended refrigeration storage time, it increased hyperactivation and preserved DNA integrity in short-term storage.

Uncaria tomentosa, called “una de gato,” belonging to the Rubiaceae family, is a thorny liana that grows wild in the upper Amazon region of Peru and neighboring countries. The indigenous people of Amazonian rain forest have used its root/bark over the centuries for the treatment of several diseases, and this plant is believed to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumoral properties. Many active compounds have been isolated from U. tomentosa, including antioxidants such as tannin, catechins, procyanidins, sterols, triterpenes, flavonoids, carboxyl alkyl esters, and indole and oxindole alkaloids. In particular, alkaloids, the major active components of Uncaria species, have been extensively studied for their potential use as anticancer agents. In this chapter, some aspects of the actions of U. tomentosa on oxidative stress and cancer have been discussed, after having characterized the plant and mentioned the biochemistry of oxidative stress.

New studies are underway to find new methods for supporting longerstorage of cooled stallion semen. The aim of this work was to test theeffect of dietary supplementation with maca (Lepidium meyenii)onsperm preservability as 5°C in fertile and hypofertile breeding stallions.Diet of two stallions (1 fertile and 1 hypofertile) but not of two controlstallion (1 fertile and 1 hypofertile) was supplemented with maca (20 g/day) for a total of 60 days. Ejaculates were collected every fifteen days,processed for cooling at 5°C and stored for 72 h. Total motility,progressive motility, acrosome integrity (PNA-FITC staining) andevaluation of lipoperoxidation (LP sperm) status were performed. Theprogressive motility move from 30–15–10% of day 0 to 70–60–40% of day 60 at 24, 48, 72 h respectively in the fertile stallion and from 5–0–0% of day 0 to 40–30–30% of day 60 at 24, 48, 72 h respectively in thehypofertile stallion. Opposite situation occurs with the acrosomestatus: The percentage of acrosome reacted sperms going from 17–33–44 of day 0 to 0–20–29 of day 60 at 24, 48, 72 h respectively in thefertile stallion and from 25–42–56 at of day 0 to 10–28–36 of day 60 at24, 48, 72 h, respectively in the hypofertile stallion. The results show areduction of lipid peroxidation during storage in stallions treated. Insummary, dietary supplementation of stallions with maca attenuated adecline in motility and acrosome reacted of cooled-stored semen.