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| EVIDENCE FOR EFFICACY (HUMAN DATA) |
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Clinical Trials
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Testing of the hypothesis that Maca has no effect on serum reproductive hormone levels in apparently healthy men when administered in doses used for aphrodisiac and/or fertility-enhancing properties showed that it does not affect serum reproductive hormone levels.
Gonzales 2003
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A 12-week double blind placebo-controlled, randomized, parallel trial in which active treatment with different doses of Maca Gelatinizada was compared with placebo shows that it improved sexual desire.
Gonzales 2002
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Determination of the effect of a 4-month oral treatment with tablets of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on seminal analysis in nine adult normal men aged 24-44 years old indicates that Maca improved sperm production and sperm motility by mechanisms not related to LH, FSH, PRL, T and E2.
Gonzales 2001
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Traditional and Folk Use
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Three plant materials endemic to Peru with the common names of Cat's claw, Maca and Dragon's blood having been scientifically investigated for a wide range of therapeutic uses including as specific anti-cancer agents.
Gonzales 2006
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Extracts of Pinus maritima bark, which inhibits the cyclo-oxygenase enzyme, reducing prostaglandin production and inflammatory reaction, and extracts of the Peruvian plant Lepidium meyenii were shown to improve sperm morphology and concentration, respectively, in uncontrolled trials.
Comhaire 2003
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A Review on Lepidium meyenii, indicates that Maca alkaloids, steroids, glucosinolates, isothicyanates & macamides are responsible for its aptitude to act as a fertility enhancer, aphrodisiac, adaptogen, immunostimulant, anabolic & to influence hormonal balance.
Valentov?003
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1549, Spanish encomendero de Soto Mayor was given Maca as a tribute which he used to improve the fertility of livestock in Castille and 1572 the Chinchaycochas Indians used Maca in bartering. Hernando Bermejo JE & Leon J (1994) Neglected Crops: 1492 from a Different Perspective, Rome. pp165-79
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Maca was domesticated during the pre-Inca Arcaicia Period (5000-1800 BC) sometime around 3800 BC. Matos M, Ramiro y Ravines, R (1980) El P?riodo Arcaicio (5000-1800 a.C.), en: Peru Antiguo. Tomo I. Editorial Juan Mejia Baca
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Powder sold to increase stamina and fertility leading to calling it Peruvian ginseng. Rea, J. 1992. Raices andinas: Maca. Pg 163-6 in "Cultivos marginados otra perspectiva de 1492" ed Hernandez Bermejo & J.E. Leon. FAO, Rome.
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Immunostimulant, for anemia, tuberculosis, menstrual disorders, menopause symptoms, stomach cancer, sterility, other reproductive and sexual disorders and to enhance memory. Gomez, A., "Maca, Es alternativa Nutricional para el ano 2000." Informe Ojo con su Salud No. 58 August 15, 1997, Lima Peru
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Maca was grown for food by the Pumpush, Yaros, and Ayarmaca Indians.
Obregon LE(1998) Maca - Planta Medicinal y Nutritiva del Peru. Institito de Fitoterapia Americano, Lima. pp.19-54
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Yellow roots common in markets. Small preferred: they are less fibrous. Purple & black also exist. It is baked/boiled. Conquistadors fed it to animals to deal with fertility problems of high altitudes. Leon, J (1964) The maca (L. meyenii) a little known food plant of Peru. Econ Bot 18: 122-127
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Food of the high Andes with a story from the Conquistidores of benefiting reproductive health of their horses. A popular fermented drink known as maca chicha is made from it; at
National Academy Press
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Animal Studies
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Evaluation of the chronic effect of different varieties of Lepidium meyenii on male rats indicate that Yellow Maca and Black Maca improved epididymal sperm count and that three varieties of maca increased the sperm count in vas deferens without affecting daily sperm production.
Gasco 2007
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Acute and short-term administration of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) did not produce large changes in male sexual behavior and long-term administration did not increase anxiety.
Lentz 2007
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Aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of Black Maca significantly ameliorated the scopolamine-induced memory impairment of male mice as measured in both the water Morris maze and the step-down avoidance tests.
Rubio 2007
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The greatest effect on spermatogenesis of male rats was observed in the ethyl acetate fraction from the hydroalcoholic extract of Black Maca, and it was found that antioxidant components could play a role in the effect of increased epididymal sperm concentration observed.
Yucra 2007
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The first action of Black maca was at epididymal level increasing sperm count after 1st day of treatment, whereas an increase in sperm count was observed in vas deferens on 3rd day of treatment in rats.
Gonzales 2006
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There were differences in the biological response of the three ecotypes of Maca (Yellow, Red and Black). Black Maca appeared to have more beneficial effect on sperm counts and epididymal sperm motility in rats.
Gonzales 2006
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Administration of Maca to rats treated with lead acetate resulted in higher lengths of stages VIII and IX-XI with respect to lead acetate-treated rats & it prevented LA-induced spermatogenic disruption in rats.
Rubio 2006
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Black Maca was the variety that showed the best response in the water finding task and appeared to have more beneficial effects on latent learning in ovariectomized mice; meanwhile, all varieties of Maca showed antidepressant activity.
Rubio 2006
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The findings derived from the basis of bone mineral density, biomechanical, biochemical and histopathological parameters indicated that higher dose of ethanol extract of Maca was effective in the prevention of estrogen deficient bone loss in female SD rats.
Zhang 2006
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The aqueous extract of hypocotyls of the plant Lepidium meyenii (Maca) found to enhance spermatogenesis following spermatogenic damage casued by the organophosphate insecticide malathion in mice.
Bustos-Obregon 2005
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Red Maca, a cruciferous plant from the highland of Peru, found to reduce ventral prostate size in normal and testosterone enanthate treated rats.
Gonzales 2005
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Administration of aqueous extract of Yellow Maca to adult female mice increased the litter size and this treatment also increased the uterine weight in ovariectomized animals.
Ruiz-Luna 2005
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Treatment of rats with Maca at high altitude for 7 days prevented high altitude-induced spermatogenic disruption.
Gonzales 2004
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The alcoholic extract of Maca activates onset and progression of spermatogenesis at 48 mg/day or 96 mg/day in male rats.
Gonzales 2003
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Progesterone levels increased significantly in mice that received Lepidium meyenii Walp, while testosterone levels increased significantly in mice that received L. meyenii Walp as well as in those that received both L. meyenii Walp and J. macrantha.
Oshima 2003
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Both acute and chronic Maca oral administration significantly improve sexual performance parameters in male rats.
Cicero 2001
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Treatment with Lepidium meyenii resulted in an increase in the weights of testis and epididymis but not the seminal vesicle weight.
Gonzales 2001
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A controlled study in two generations of albino Swiss mice (parents and breeding) to evaluate scientifically the nutritional property of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) revealed that cooked Maca showed superior total proteins and albumin level compared to raw Maca. [Article in Spanish]
Canales 2000
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Oral administration of lipid extract of Lepidium meyenii enhanced sexual function of mice & rats, as evidenced by an increase in number of complete intromissions & number of sperm-positive females in normal mice, and a decrease in latent period of erection in male rats with erectile dysfunction.
Zheng 2000
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Lepidium capitatum hexane fraction @ 12 mg is equivalent to 1 ug estradiol; 250 mg is contraceptive to rats (0/18) but less effective in hamsters (12/17). Ethanol extract of whole plant (roots & tops) @250 mg/kg prevented pregnancy in 3/4 of rats
Singh 1984
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Fertility increased in cows.
Mato Tovar, TW (1995) Efecto de la "Maca" (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) En la presentacion de celo en vaquillas Holstein en el establo "Chacra Valdivia" Matahuasi-Conception. Tesis. Facultad de Zootecnia. Universidad Nacional de Centro del Peru. Huancayo. Pp78
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Fertility increase in guinea pigs.
Alvarez Mendrano, CJ (1993) Utilizacion de diferentes niveles de Maca en la fertilidad de cobayos (Tesis). Ingeniero Zootecnista. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Universidad Nacional Daniel Alcides Carrion. Pasco, Peru. Pp102
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Increases in seminal fluid volume of 20%, sperm motility of 40% and sperm number of 33% in rams eating Maca at 40g/d for 15 days. Obregon LE (1998) Maca - Planta Medicinal y Nutritiva del Per?. Institito de Fitoterapia Americano, Lima. pp.133
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6 or 10% Maca diet resulted in 36 and 45% increased litter size and 40 and 73% increased birth weight in guinea pigs.
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Pharmacodynamics
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The inhibitory effect of a freeze-dried aqueous extract of the red variety of Lepidium meyenii (Red Maca) on testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in adult rats of the Holtzman strain was confirmed.
Gasco 2007
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Maca significantly decreased the levels of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), LDL and total cholesterol, and also the level of triacylglycerols in the plasma, VLDL, and liver.
Vecera 2007
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The hypothesis that Maca contains testosterone-like compounds, able to bind the human androgen receptor and promote transcription pathways regulated by steroid hormone signaling was tested, showing that methanol, ethanol, hexane and chloroform extracts of Maca were not able to regulate GRE.
Bogani 2006
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Extract, derived from the vegetable Lepidium meyenii enhanced basal IGF-1 mRNA levels in human chondrocytes by 2.7 fold, an effect that was further enhanced to 3.8 fold by co-administration with vincaria.
Miller 2006
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Maca does not display in vitro hepatotoxicity and it exhibited estrogenic activity comparably to the effect of silymarin in MCF-7 cells.
Valentov?006
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It is demonstrated that Maca extract in doses up to 5 g/kg was safe and that higher effect on reproductive parameters was elicited with a dose of 1 g extract/kg corresponding to 2.2 g dry Maca hypocotyls/kg.
Chung 2005
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Sub-acute oral administration of hexanic Maca extract improved sexual performance parameters in sexually inexperienced male rats most effectively.
Cicero 2002
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The essential oil profile of maca (Lepidium meyenii) obtained from Lima, Peru, was tested for phytotoxic, cyanobactericidal, and antitermite activity.
Tellez 2002
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Implantation & pregnancy inhibition: over 70% by Codonospis, Puararia, Punica, Rubus; over 60% by Adhatoda, Kigelia, Acrostichum, Juniperus, communis, Lepidium capitatum; over 50% by Citrulus, Codonopsis, Dolichos, Ferule, Nerium, Randia, Ruta
Prakash 1985
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Meza Minaya, EW (1995) Efectos de la Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) Sobre los parametros productivos y reproductivos de cuyes raza Wanka (Tesis) Facultad de Zootecnia. Universidad Nacional del Centro del Peru. Huancayo, Peru. Pp82
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Andean roots and tubers:
Ahipa, arracacha, maca, yacon.
Promoting the conservation and use of underutilized and neglected crops; at
International Potato Center
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Endurance experiment results (no references) at
MacaPeru
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Analytical Chemistry
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Total macamides have been quantified by HPLC-UV in plant material of Lepidium meyenii Walp. (Maca) 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%.
McCollom 2005
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Five new alkamides, including N-benzyl-9-oxo-12Z-octadecenamide & N-benzyl-9-oxo-12Z,15Z-octadecadienamide were isolated from Lepidium meyenii & structures were established by spectrometric and spectroscopic methods including ESI-HRMS, EI-MS, (1)H, (13)C, and 2D NMR.
Zhao 2005
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Two new imidazole alkaloids (lepidiline A and lepidiline B) have been isolated from a root extract of Lepidium meyenii with the common name Maca and the structures of these two new compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods.
Cui 2003
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The first analytical method allowing determination of main macamides & macaenes, the marker compounds of Lepidium meyenii was described & percentage of total markers in preparations varied from 0.15 to 0.84%, resulting in daily intakes for consumer from 1.52 to 14.88 mg, respectively.
Ganzera 2002
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The tubers of Lepidium meyenii contain the macaridine, together with the benzylated alkamides (macamides). The structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was based primarily on 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses.
Muhammad 2002
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The methanol extract of the tuber of maca contained, uridine, malic acid and its benzoyl derivative, and the glucosinolates, glucotropaeolin and m-methoxyglucotropaeolin. The two glucosinolates were semiquantified by HPLC, and benzylisothiocyanate was semiquantified by GC/MS.
Piacente 2002
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Evomonoside (digitoxigenin 3-O-a-L-rhamnoside) from Lepidium apetalum seed was crystallized and the structure determined
Hyun 1995
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Maca root contains 59% carbohydrates, 10.2% protein, 8.5% fiber and 2.2% lipids (including linolenic, palmitic and oleic acids). Dini, A., et.al., 1994, "Chemical composition of Lepidium meyenii," Food Chemistry 49: 347-349
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Benzyl isothiocyanate identified in Maca by TLC and HPLC. Anti-fertility effect like Anu (Tropaeolum tuberosum) is appealing but lacks evidence. Johns, T. (1981). The anu and the maca. J Ethnobio, 1:208-212
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Genetics & Molecular Biology
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A defensin gene, lm-def, was isolated from the Andean crop 'maca' (Lepidium meyenii) with activity against the pathogen Phytophthora infestans responsible of late blight disease of the potato and tomato crops.
Solis 2007
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Folk Blends
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Fertility increased in rats eating Maca. Chacon, RC (1961) Estudio fitoquimico de Lepidium meyenii. Dissertation, Univ., Nac. Mayo de San Marcos, Peru
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| HISTORY OF RECORD |
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| RESEARCHED BY: Soaring Bear, Ph.D. 1999 |
| RESEARCH UPDATED BY: Michael C. Tims, PhD. candidate June 2001 |
| REVISED BY: J Mohanasundaram MD, Ph.D. October 2007 |
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