Odborné informace

Vědecký výzkum

Vědecká zpráva z roku 1995, která následuje , shrnuje vědecké poznatky o rostlině Lepidium meyenii, její charakteristiku, složení a vlastnosti.

Scientific Research

MACA 

Lepidium meyenii Walp, Lepidium peruvianum Chacon sp., Solanaceae

Bogdan Falkiewicz and Jerzy Łukasiak

Lepidium meyenii Walp, Lepidium peruvianum Chacon sp., Solanaceae

[ Customary names: Maca, Maca-maca, Maka, Peruvian Ginseng, Maino, Ayak chichira, Ayuk Willku, Energy Plus, Mace, Pepper grass, Pepper weed]

Lepidium meyenii Walp species or Lepidium peruvianum Chacon sp. nov.: maca is a biennial or perennial plant from the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) family [considered as the representative of the Solanaceae (Solanaceous )], once growing widely all over the Andes [Johns, 1981], at various altitudes above the sea level. The Lepidium meyenii species was described for the first time by Gerhard Walpers in 1843. Nowadays, its occurrence at natural localities is limited only to the departments of Junin and Cerro de Pasco in Peru, at the altitudes of over 3,500 metres above the sea level, often reaches the height of 4450 metres above the sea level (in the agro-ecological zone called ‘puna’, where low temperatures and gales do not allow most other plants to grow) [Leon, 1964; Tello & others, 1992, Rea, 1994]. The attempts of transferring the cultivation of maca to Berlin did not succeed: the plants grew, however they did not form the roots, it means that it probably is a plant of a short day [Rea, 1994].

Lepidium meyenii is cultivated in at least eight varieties, differing mainly in the colour of the plant and roots [Rea, 1994]. The plants grow up to 12-20 centimetres, forming the underground pear-shaped root, with the diameter of about 2-8 cm, which is the economic product of the plant. It usually has colour similar to potato (however, it can occur in a wide scope of tints: white, yellow, white-yellowish, white-pinkish, white-purple, grey and finally red) and sweet flavour. They are consumed raw, baked, or processed, however the most frequently they are dried for the future usage [Rea, 1994]. They are highly frost-proof [Bonnier, 1986] and may be cultivated from seeds yielding proper roots already after 7-9 months of growing; after a few months the plant blossoms, and after another month and a half it gives fruit. The plant was certainly widely domesticated by the Inkas as early as 2000 years ago [ Rea, 1994], although the first primitive cultures are met at the archaeological sites originating even in 1 600 years B.C. In our times it is cultivated as “maca” at various localities, frequently differing immensely from the natural ones [Quiros & others, 1996]. It is widely used similarly to sweet potatoes.

In the folk medicine, mainly of the Central and South American countries, the species of the Lepidium spp. kind are commonly used and quite intensively studied for their various potential properties, which are therapeutically advantageous. They have the properties improving physical activity, as well as strengthening endurance, immunostimulating, besides the significant nutritional value and enhancing the stamina. In the folk medicine they are also used as the agent alleviating hormonal dysfunction, especially during the menopause and andropause, as the antidepressant and enhancing wound-healing agent [Dini & others, 1994].

The specification of data about the Lepidium meyenii Walp. or peruvianum Chacon sp. nov. plant: chemical components, study of identity and standardisation of preparations, toxicology and safety of usage, safe doses and routine doses, pharmacological properties of the substances contained in the preparation, study of biological properties of extracts.

The review works on properties and usage of Lepidium spp.:

The literature until 1964 was partly collected in the Leon’s work (1964), in the chapter written by Rea (1994), partly in the work of Quiros and the co-authors (1996). There is lack of data on the subject of newer review works published in the scientific literature.

1.Chemical components o Lepidium meyenii Walp. roots or Lepidium peruvianum Chacon sp. nov. roots (information about admissible contamination of preparations in the certificates of producers)

The detailed studies of composition of Lepidium meyenii roots were conducted by Dini and other authors (1994). Fresh ‘maca’ roots contain about 80 % of water [Quiros & others, 1996; Dini & others, 1994]. The Lepidium meyenii roots when dried in a natural way still contain 10.4% of water and in the remaining mass (according to various sources) is about 10.2-13.4 % of proteins, 25-78% carbohydrates, 8.5% of whole fibre, 2.2% of fats (lipids), 4.9% of ash [ Rea, 1994; Quiros & others, 1996; Dini & others, 1994]. They contain significant amount of amino acids, including the necessary ones (in mg/g of proteins: Aspartic acid 91.7; Glutamic acid 156.5; Serine 50.4; Histidine 21.9; Glycine 68.3; Threonine 33.1; Alanine 63.1; Arginine 99.4; Tyrosine 30.6; Phenylalanine 55.3; Valine 79.3; Methionine 28, Isoleucine 47.4; Leucine 91, Lysine 54.5; HO-Proline 26; Proline 0.5; Sarcosine 0.7), and iron and calcium in amounts larger than in potatoes [ Quiros & others, 1996; Dini & others, 1994]. Besides, in the roots there are fatty acids, the highest amount of linoleic (32.6% of fats), palmitic (23.8% of fats), oleic (11.16 of fats). The roots also contain sterols (sitosterol 45.5%, campesterol 27.3%, ergosterol 13.6%, brassicasterols 9.1 %, Δ 7.22 ergostadienol 4.5%) [Dini & others, 1994] and vitamins (A; B1; B2; B6; C; E) and minerals (among them, in mg/100g of dry mass: calcium 150-258; iron 15.4-16.6; copper 5.9; zinc 3.8; manganese 0.8; potassium 2050; sodium18.7; iodine) [Rea,1994; Dini & others, 1994; Quiros & others, 1996]. The roots have been also discovered to contain:

glucosinolates (sulphurous combinations of glycosides), which probably are responsible for the influence of the plant on reproductive system and fertility [Johns, 1981; Quiros & others, 1996; Dini & others, 1994],

biologically active aromatic isothiocyanates (black mustard oils), which probably are also responsible for the influence of the plant on the reproductive system and fertility [Johns,1981; Quiros & others,1996; Dini & others, 1994] including p-methoxybenzyl isothiocyanate, assumed to have aphrodisiac activity [Johns, 1981]. It is worth noticing that most of the black mustard oils have bacteriostatic and /or fungistatic properties, frequently very strong ones [Kohlmunzer, 1993]

leukoanthocyanates

tannins

saponins

2. Study of identity and preparations standardisation.

Information on admissible contamination of presented for the registration preparation and standardisation procedures applied during its preparation in the producers certificates. Identification and standardisation are based on comparison of the chromatographic profiles of the product sample with the model. The morphological methods of identification of particular species of the Lepidium spp. genus are sufficient for specification of species identity in the natural conditions and in culture [Chacon, 1961; Leon, 1964]. The chemical composition of the plant is relatively well known and enables standardisation of preparations [Quiros & others, 1996; Dini & others, 1994]. The procedures of analysis of particular Lepidium spp. preparations components have been described in the scientific literature. There are no data pertaining to the subject of the standardisation procedures applied world-wide with regard to particular preparations of Lepidium spp.

3. Toxicology and safety of usage. The safe doses and the routine doses.

There is a very small amount of published information regarding the toxic properties of the discussed lepidium spp. plants and contained by them biologically active substances, as well as lack of published results of clinical studies on toxicity and side effects accompanying the use of their preparations. The popular literature and the studies of the producers and distributors of the Lepidium spp. preparations represent common opinion that they are not toxic and applied in the indicated doses they do not cause any side effects. There is lack of clinical studies contradicting this information.

4. The pharmacological properties of the substances contained in the preparation and studies of Lepidium spp. extracts without isolation of active substances: in vitro, on animals and clinical tests

The Lepidium meyenii Walp. preparations, and especially Lepidium peruvianum Chacon sp. nov. (from the Brassicaceae or Solanaceae family, according to various classifications), are admitted for trade and have been used safely for centuries as one of the basic elements of nutrition in many countries of Central and South America (e.g. in Ecuador, Peru, Mexico), besides being admitted for trade and as the food additive, the preparation is also used by the natural medicine of the USA, Russia and other countries. The roots are highly nutritious. They have been used for centuries as the therapeutic agent by the natural medicine in North America, and Central and South American countries. As the nutrient, the Lepidium meyenii is consumed in the fresh form (the raw roots have a flavour similar to toffee type sweets), processed in the form of the jam or the sweet, fermented drink called ‘maca chicha’, or after drying (the roots can be stored even up to 7 years, probably without any nutritional value loss) and then cooked in water or milk like a cereal [Rea, 1994; Quiros & others,1996]. In the folk medicine, the Lepidium meyenii preparations are administered for various indications

[ Leon, 1964], e.g.: first of all strictly as nutrient, due to high amount of standard value proteins, exogenous amino-acids, vitamins, minerals and sterols, especially in the undernutrition condition, growth, pregnancy and lactation, second of all for enhancing fertility of people and animals [Leon, 1964; Johns, 1981], which was proved in the studies on rats fed with Maca, showing about 25% increase of fertility [Chacon, 1961; Rea, 1994], what is probably connected with stimulating the Graafian follicle maturation [Rea, 1994]. They are also used as the immunostimulating agent, adjuvant in treatment of tuberculosis, carcinoma of the stomach, as well as memory and learning enhancing agent [Leon, 1964]. Other traditional and contemporary applications include usage as the energising agent, enhancing endurance and building of muscles, curing the chronic exhaustion syndrome, irregular menstruation and hormonal dysfunction, including menopause and andropause [Leon, 1994]. They are also used as the antidepressant and enhancing wound healing agent [Dini & others].

REFERENCES

All the publications (except the books) and patents are indexed and in most cases are abstracted in the following database: INDEX MEDICUS – MEDLINE, EMBASE – DRUGS AND PHARMACOLOGY, BIOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS and /or CHEMICAL ABSTRACTS.

Bonnier E.: Utilization du sol a l’epoque pre-hispanique: la cas archeologique du Shaka-Placamayo. Cahiers des Sciences Humaines 1986, 22: 97-113.

Chacon R.C.: Phytochemical study on Lepidium meyenii. PhD Thesis, Univ. Natl. Mayo de San Marcos, Peru, 1961.

Chacon de Popovici G.: La maca (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon sp. nov.) y su habitat. Revista Peruana de Biologia 1990, 3: 171-272.

Dini A, Migliuolo G., Rastrelli L., Saturnino P, Schettino O: Chemical composition of Lepidium meyenii. Food Chemistry 1994, 49: 347-349.

Johns T: The anu and the maca. Journal of Ethnobiology 1981, 1: 208-211.

Kohlmunzer S.: Farmakognozja. PZWL Warszawa, 1993.

Leon J: The “Maca” (Lepidium meyenii): a little known food plant of Peru. Economic Botany 1964, 18: 122-127.

Quiros C., Epperson A., Hu J., Holle M.: Physiological studies and determination of chromosome number in Maca, Lepidium meyenii. Economic Botany 1996, 50: 216-223.

Rea J: Maca (Lepidium meyenii). Rozdział w: “Neglected crops: 1492 from a different perspective. Hernando Bermejo J.E. i Leon J. (Eds). Plant Production and Protection Series No. 26, 1994, FAO, Rome (Italy), pp. 165-179.

Tello J, Hermann M., Calderon A.: La Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.): cultivo alimenticio potencial para las zonas altoandinas. Boletin de Lima, 1992, 81: 59-66.

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