玛咖醇提取物对更年期大鼠内分泌激素水平的影响

为了研究我国云南引种玛咖的醇提取物对机体更年期内分泌激素水平的影响,本文采用自然衰老大鼠模型,随机分成低、中、高剂量组,阳性和阴性对照组,经过连续经口灌胃给予玛咖醇提取物90 d,测定了大鼠体重变化,比较了各脏器系数,分析了血清内分泌激素包括雌二醇(E2)、黄体生成素(LH)、卵泡刺激素(FSH)、睾酮(T)、孕酮(P)、垂体泌乳素(PRL)的水平。结果显示该玛咖醇提取物可降低更年期大鼠的体重,各干预组的肝脏、脾脏和肾脏系数显著高于阴性对照组;同时玛咖醇提取物可显著提高更年期大鼠血清T浓度,降低LH、P浓度(P0.05);血清E_2、FSH、PRL浓度变化不显著(P0.05)。推测玛咖醇提取物可能通过作用高级中枢调节机体分泌代谢,缓解更年期综合征症状。     

玛咖特征活性成分研究进展

玛咖酰胺类化合物是新资源食品玛咖中特征性活性成分,目前已报道的单体化合物数目已有三十余种,它们不具有典型的生物碱特性且极性较小。在玛咖的提取物中,玛咖酰胺类化合物的含量可达0.15%~0.97%,在玛咖生物功效中发挥着微量高效的作用。基于玛咖独特的药食两用价值,其特征性活性成分已成为国内外学者和市场广泛研究和关注的热点,但在玛咖酰胺分离提取、生物功效评价和产品深度开发等领域仍存在诸多亟待解决的问题。本文综述了玛咖酰胺的结构、提取分离方法、生物功效和商业用途,并对其进一步研究和开发进行了展望,以期对玛咖保健食品和药品的研发提供有益的借鉴和思路。     

玛咖及玛咖复方产品对更年期综合征患者免疫指标及维生素水平的影响

目的：观察玛咖及玛咖复方产品对更年期综合征患者免疫指标及维生素水平的影响。方法：80名更年期综合征受试者,随机分成复方玛咖组（40名）和玛咖组（40名）,干预3个月后,比较两组之间及自身前后生化检验、血常规、lgA、lgM、血清维生素水平及体成分的变化。结果：共73名受试者完成研究（复方玛咖组37人、玛咖组36人）,失访率为8.75%。干预结束后,两组之间血生化指标、血常规、血清IgA、IgM及体成分差异无显著性（P＞0.05）;与干预前比较,两组血清IgA均显著增高（P＜0.05）,其中复方玛咖组能够显著增高IgM和降低血清总胆固醇水平;复方玛咖组和玛咖组维生素B1、维生素B2、维生素B12、维生素C、维生素D较干预前均显著增高（P＜0.05）,其中玛咖组维生素B6较之前也显著增高（P＜0.05）。结论：复方玛咖及玛咖产品均可调节更年期综合征患者免疫水平,改善其血清维生素水平,而且复方玛咖产品还能改善血清胆固醇水平。     

玛咖在中国独荇菜属中的定位

建立了15种中国独荇菜属植物和秘鲁原产的玛咖的性状矩阵,并采用SPSSV11．0软件建立了树谱图,以此检验《中国植物志》有关该属植物形态学分类的正确性,同时确立玛咖与该属其他植物之间的相互亲缘关系,为研究玛咖的育种、栽培提供理论依据。     

不同产地玛咖中酰胺含量分析

建立玛咖酰胺测定方法,测定不同产地玛咖切片中玛咖酰胺含量。采用HPLC法,色谱条件为Sepax Sapphire C18色谱柱(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm)流动相:乙腈(A)-0.05%磷酸水溶液(B),梯度洗脱:0~15 min,90%~95%A;15~50 min,95%A。检测波长208 nm,体积流量1.0 m L/min,柱温30℃。酰胺1、酰胺2、酰胺3分别在0.88~132μg/m L、0.85~128μg/m L、0.96~144μg/m L线性关系良好。酰胺1、酰胺2平均回收率分别为99.21%(RSD=1.64%)、98.59%(RSD=1.75%)。不同产地玛咖中玛咖酰胺含量差别较大,建立可靠、准确、重复性好的检测方法,有利于评价不同产地玛咖的质量。     

不同产地玛咖中酰胺含量分析北大核心CSCD

建立玛咖酰胺测定方法,测定不同产地玛咖切片中玛咖酰胺含量。采用HPLC法,色谱条件为Sepax Sapphire C18色谱柱（250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm）流动相：乙腈（A）-0.05%磷酸水溶液（B）,梯度洗脱：0-15 min,90%-95%A;15-50 min,95%A。检测波长208 nm,体积流量1.0 m L/min,柱温30℃。酰胺1、酰胺2、酰胺3分别在0.88-132μg/m L、0.85-128μg/m L、0.96-144μg/m L线性关系良好。酰胺1、酰胺2平均回收率分别为99.21%（RSD=1.64%）、98.59%（RSD=1.75%）。不同产地玛咖中玛咖酰胺含量差别较大,建立可靠、准确、重复性好的检测方法,有利于评价不同产地玛咖的质量。     

改良异硫氰酸胍法提取玛咖(Maca)叶片中总RNA研究

为了获得质量较高的玛咖总RNA,对其总RNA的提取进行了研究。以玛咖无菌苗叶片为材料,通过改良的异硫氰酸胍法提取其总RNA。结果:所提取的总RNA纯度高、完整性好,电泳条带清晰,OD260/OD280值达到1.90±0.03,总RNA的得率达到252.57±1.12μg/g。表明改良的异硫氰酸胍法适合于玛咖叶片中RNA的提取,所提取的总RNA纯度高、完整性好,为进一步的玛咖分子生物学研究打下良好基础。     

玛咖的植物学及其药理作用研究概况

本文对南美安第斯山区重要的药用植物玛咖 (Maca)的分类学、植物学特征、化学成分、药理作用及开发应用等方面的研究进展进行了综述 ,为研究和开发利用玛咖提供了依据。     

玛咖提取物对小鼠毒性及免疫器官的影响

目的探讨玛咖提取物对小鼠毒性及免疫器官的影响。方法给予BALB/c小鼠玛咖提取物15d,观察玛咖对小鼠的毒性作用,称量胸腺和脾重量。结果 24 h内小鼠口服累计剂量为320 g/(kg·bw),未见动物出现任何毒性反应。给予玛咖提取物16.0、32.0、64.0 g/(kg·bw)15 d,胸腺重量比对照组分别增加了36.84%、89.47%、107.89%,脾脏重量分别增加了44.83%、62.01%、89.66%,小鼠碳粒廓清指数分别增加了30.85%、42.55%、54.79%,血清溶血素值分别增加了11.64%、20.03%、31.51%,与对照组相比,差异有显著性(P0.05~0.01)。结论玛咖提取物具有增加免疫器官重量和提高免疫功能的作用,且毒性较低。     

玛咖醇提物对正常小鼠免疫功能的影响

本文采用小鼠碳粒廓清、植物血凝素(PHA)诱导淋巴细胞转化,以及血清溶血素和抗体生成细胞测定等实验,研究南美植物玛咖的乙醇提取物对正常小鼠免疫功能的影响。结果表明,玛咖醇提物显著提高PHA诱导的淋巴细胞转化,促进血清溶血素生成,并增加抗体生成细胞的产生,而对单核巨噬细胞的吞噬功能无显著影响。因此,玛咖醇提取物可提高正常小鼠细胞和体液免疫功能,增强机体抵抗力。     

Dose–response effect of Red Maca (Lepidium meyenii) on benign prostatic hyperplasia induced by testosterone enanthate

The main goal of this study was to determine the effect of a freeze-dried aqueous extract of the red variety of Lepidium meyenii (Red Maca) on testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in adult rats of the Holtzman strain. Rats were treated with freeze-dried aqueous extract of Red Maca at doses of 0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 g/kg body wt. A positive control group received Finasteride (0.6 mg/kg body wt.). After treatment, the animals were sacrificed, and the ventral prostate was extracted, and weighed. HPLC was used to determine the presence of glucosinolates in Red Maca. The prostate weight diminished in a dose-dependent fashion in rats treated with Red Maca. The effect of Red Maca was better than that observed with Finasteride. Finasteride, but not Red Maca, reduced seminal vesicles weight. Analysis of the HPLC indicated the presence of benzyl glucosinolate (Glucotropaeolin) with a content of 0.639%. Serum testosterone levels were not affected by Red Maca. Moreover, serum testosterone levels were not related to prostate or seminal vesicles weight in rats treated with vehicle and Red Maca. In conclusion, Red Maca administered orally in rats seems to exert an inhibitory effect at a level post DHT conversion, on the BPH-induced experimentally, although a direct measure of reductase action would still be required.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lepidium meyenii</Emphasis> (Maca) increases litter size in normal adult female mice

Background  

Lepidium meyenii, known as Maca, grows exclusively in the Peruvian Andes over 4000 m altitude. It has been used traditionally to increase fertility. Previous scientific studies have demonstrated that Maca increases spermatogenesis and epididymal sperm count. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of Maca on several fertility parameters of female mice at reproductive age.     

The Macamide N-3-Methoxybenzyl-Linoleamide Is a Time-Dependent Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) Inhibitor

The Peruvian plant Lepidium meyenii (Maca) has been shown to possess neuroprotective activity both in vitro and in vivo [1–3]. Previous studies have also demonstrated the activity of the pentane extract and its macamides, the most representative lipophilic constituents of Maca, in the endocannabinoid system as fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitors. One of the most active macamides, N-3-methoxybenzyl-linoleamide [4, 5], was studied to determine its mechanism of interaction with FAAH and whether it has inhibitory activity on mono-acyl glycerol lipase (MAGL), the second enzyme responsible for endocannabinoid degradation [6]. Macamide concentrations from 1 to 100 μM were tested using FAAH and MAGL inhibitor assay methods and showed no effect on MAGL. Tests with other conditions were performed in order to characterize the inhibitory mechanism of FAAH inhibition. N-3-methoxybenzyl-linoleamide displayed significant time-dependent and dose-dependent FAAH inhibitory activity. The mechanism of inhibition was most likely irreversible or slowly reversible. These results suggest the potential application of macamides isolated from Maca as FAAH inhibitors, as they might act on the central nervous system to provide analgesic, anti-inflammatory, or neuroprotective effects, by modulating the release of neurotransmitters.     

Intra-group variations in the dental eruption sequence of Macaca fuscata fuscata

The purpose of this investigation was to establish general trends of intra-group variations in the dental eruption sequence of a semi-wild troop of Maca fuscata fuscata. Dental impressions were taken on 128 animals of varying ages. The analysis of the dental casts revealed sexual dimorphism in sequence and timing of eruption.     

The in vitro biological activity of Lepidium meyenii extracts

The biological activity of methanolic and aqueous extracts from dehydrated hypocotyls of Lepidium meyenii (Brassicaceae, vernacular name “maca”), was studied on rat hepatocytes and human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. The extracts did not exhibit cytotoxicity in hepatocyte primary cultures up to 10 mg/ml as measured by the MTT viability test, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) leakage. Moreover, after 72 h, extracts inhibited LDH and AST leakage from the hepatocytes. When hepatocytes were intoxicated by t-butyl hydroperoxide, neither extract prevented oxidative damage. Both extracts showed weak antioxidant activity in the DPPH radical scavenging test with IC₅₀ values of 3.46 ± 0.16 and 0.71 ± 0.10 mg/ml, for aqueous and methanolic extracts, respectively. Thus, the observed effect on spontaneous enzyme leakage is probably mediated through mechanisms other than antioxidant activity. Both methanolic and aqueous extracts have shown estrogenic activity comparable with that of silymarin in MCF-7 cell line. Maca estrogenicity was exhibited in the range from 100 to 200 μg of extract per ml. The findings in the present study show that maca does not display in vitro hepatotoxicity. In contrast, a slight cytoprotective effect, probably not mediated by antioxidant capacity, was noted. Maca extracts exhibited estrogenic activity comparably to the effect of silymarin in MCF-7 cells.     

Analysis of macamides in samples of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) by HPLC-UV-MS/MS

The macamides are a distinct class of secondary metabolites that have so far been found only in Lepidium meyenii Walp. (Maca). Using HPLC-UV-MS/MS, the main macamides have been identified as n-benzylhexadecanamide, n-benzyl-(9Z)-octadecenamide, n-benzyl-(9Z, 12Z)-octadecadienamide, n-benzyl-(9Z, 12Z, 15Z)-octadecatrienamide and n-benzyloctadecanamide. The identities of n-benzyl-(9Z)-octadecenamide and n-benzyl-(9Z, 12Z)-octadecadienamide were confirmed by comparison of chromatographic and spectral properties with synthetic analogues. Total macamides have been quantified by HPLC-UV in plant material from different vendors using n-benzylhexadecanamide as an external standard. The amount of macamides in the dried plant material ranged from 0.0016 to 0.0123%.     

Effect of maca supplementation on bovine sperm quantity and quality followed over two spermatogenic cycles

Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walpers), is an Andean crop that grows between 3,800 and 4,500 m a.s.l. The persistent interest in this plant is based on its assumed effects on fertility of male mammals due to the prevalence of certain, partially specific, secondary compounds. The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of maca supplementation on quality and quantity of semen, mating behavior, and clinical status of peripubertal breeding bulls. The experiment followed a cross-over design lasting for 23 wk with 3 wk of adaptation and baseline measurements, and 2 × 10 wk of treatment feeding thus covering two times the complete 8-wk spermatogenic cycle. Seventy-eight 55 wk to 84 wk old breeding bulls received either no maca (control) or maca (233 mg dried hypocotyls/kg body weight/day) for 10 wk followed by 10 wk without maca (maca early) or maca only in the last 10 wk (maca late). Measurements were always made in the last 2 wk of each period. Apart from standard analyses, ejaculates were analyzed by flow cytometry. Data was evaluated by analysis of variance considering the repeated measurement structure of the data. Significant treatment by measurement period indicated direct or carry-over effects of maca. Maca supplementation had no direct effect on body weight, testes circumference, rectal temperature, mating behavior, and ejaculate volume. However, supplementing maca in the first 10 wk period increased the number of sperms in the second 10 wk period, i.e., when the animals no longer received maca. The DNA fragmentation index and the visually assessed motility of the sperms of bulls, that initially showed a borderline sperm quality, were significantly improved with early maca supplementation, while no such effect was observed in the two other groups. No effects occurred in the proportion of intact sperm plasma membranes or acrosomes or both. In conclusion, maca supplementation seems to improve sperm quantity and quality of bulls to a certain degree, while mating behavior appears unaffected.