Effect of butanolic fraction of yellow and black maca (Lepidium meyenii ) on the sperm count of adult mice

Abstract

Lepidium meyenii, known as maca, is a popular nutraceutical food which is grown over 4,000 m above sea level in the Peruvian central highlands. Maca contains alkaloids, but there are no studies on their biological effects. The butanol fraction obtained from methanol extract of maca hypocotyls contains alkaloids. The effects of butanol/aqueous fractions partitioned from methanol extract of yellow and black maca were examined. Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity by 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl were used to evaluate maca fractions in vitro. Daily sperm production and sperm count in epididymis and vas deferens in mice were determined as biological effect of maca extracts in vivo. Yellow maca (21.7%±0.69) had better antioxidant capacity than black maca (18.2% ± 0.12; p < .01). Antioxidant activity was better in the methanolic fraction than in the aqueous fraction of yellow or black maca. TPC is higher in the aqueous fraction than in the methanolic extract of yellow or black maca. Black maca administration resulted in higher concentration of sperm count in epididymis and vas deferens compared to yellow maca. A higher biological effect was observed in methanolic extract and in aqueous extract than in the butanol fraction of maca. In conclusion, better biological effect was observed in the methanolic extract of maca than in its partitioned fractions.

Is the hype around the reproductive health claims of maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) justified?

“…In some studies, the preparation of aqueous extract of maca for in vivo study purposes was claimed to reflect a traditional method of preparing maca done by boiling and then filtrating (Gonzales et al, 2001b, Gonzales et al, 2004, Chung et al, 2005, Bustos-Obregon et al, 2005, Rubio et al, 2006, Gonzales et al, 2006a.Other extract types have also been investigated and may help give an indication as to which bio-active compounds are responsible for the observed effects of maca on male fertility (Zheng et al, 2000, Cicero et al, 2002, Gonzales et al, 2003b, Gonzales et al, 2007, Inoue et al, 2016, Ohta et al, 2016, Zhang et al, 2016.Maca powder was also tested (Cicero et al, 2001, Clement et al, 2010b, Lavana et al, 2013.…”

Aqueous extract of yellow maca (Lepidium meyenii ) improves sperm count in experimental animals but response depends on hypocotyl size, pH and routes of administration

“…For the study of biological response, we have assessed the response to a three‐day administration intervention with maca extracts obtained from hypocotyls of different sizes. This is a bioassay previously assessed in our laboratory (Gonzales et al., ; Inoue et al., ). We have validated this method in rats (Gonzales et al., ) and mice (Inoue et al., ).…”

“…This is a bioassay previously assessed in our laboratory (Gonzales et al., ; Inoue et al., ). We have validated this method in rats (Gonzales et al., ) and mice (Inoue et al., ). Spermatogenesis is a large process and it cannot be studied in a three‐day period.…”

“…Head spermatozoa resistant to homogenisation were counted in 25 squares of the chamber for four times. The sperm count obtained by each animal was multiplied by 0.04 and then by 2 mL to obtain values expressed in sperm ×10 6 /epididymis as described by Inoue, Farfan, and Gonzales ().…”

Antioxidants in Maca (Lepidium meyenii) as a Supplement in Nutrition

“…Black maca has more total phenols than red and yellow maca. Despite black maca shows more antioxidant activity than red maca, the methanol extract of yellow maca presents more DPPH scavenging activity than that of black maca [6,7]. When compared to yellow, pink, violent and lead hypocotyls, total phenols are highest in yellow maca ( Table 1) [8].…”