Lepidium meyeniiWalp. (Maca), a perennial herbaceous plant with narrow distdbution in the Andean region, was cultivated by local residents as early as 1600 B.C. It has high nutritional values and multiple medicinal ...Lepidium meyeniiWalp. (Maca), a perennial herbaceous plant with narrow distdbution in the Andean region, was cultivated by local residents as early as 1600 B.C. It has high nutritional values and multiple medicinal effects. In recent years the plant source of Maca has been greatly scarce since Maca products are increasingly becoming popular in the world. This makes the study urgent on the identification and quality evaluation of Maca materials. In present work, four Mace samples of different origins or handlings and three other natural plants, including radish, odental ginseng and American ginseng, were investigated. Their essential oils (steam distillates) of the hypogeal parts were weighed and analyzed by GC/MS. Through comparison of the characteristics of their chromatograms, it was found that the essential oil of Maca had unique GC/MS behaviors, and the characteristic peaks produced by the major essential oil components (Phenylacetonitrile, Benzaldehyde, 3-Methoxyphenylacetonitrile, etc) were distinct. Furthermore, the chromatograms of several Maca samples showed a similar qualitative pattern except for some differences in the quantitative composition, and the percentage of total essential oils in the samples varied from 0.88 % to 1.59 %. These behaviors and technologies can be applied to the identification of Maca materials in the markets and be a supplement to assess the quality of Maca matedals.展开更多
Aim:To determine the effect of oral administration of an aqueous extract from the roots of Lepidium meyenii(maca)on spermatogenesis in adult male rats.Methods;Male rats received an aqueous extract of the root(66.7 mg ...Aim:To determine the effect of oral administration of an aqueous extract from the roots of Lepidium meyenii(maca)on spermatogenesis in adult male rats.Methods;Male rats received an aqueous extract of the root(66.7 mg in onemL)twice a day for 14 consecutive days.Results:Treatment with Lepidium meyenii resulted in an increase in theweights of testis and epididymis but not the seminal vesicle weight.The length and frequency of stages IX-XIV seminif-erous tubules,where mitosis occurred,were increased and stages I-VI were reduced in rats treated with Lepidiummeyenii.Conclusion;The Lepidium meyenii root invigorates spermatogenesis in male rats by acting on its initialstages(IX-XIV).展开更多
Aim:The present study was designed to determine the effect of a 4-month oral treatment with tablets of Lepidiwnmeyenii(Maca)on seminal analysis in nine adult normal men aged 24-44 years old.Methods:Nine men receivedta...Aim:The present study was designed to determine the effect of a 4-month oral treatment with tablets of Lepidiwnmeyenii(Maca)on seminal analysis in nine adult normal men aged 24-44 years old.Methods:Nine men receivedtablets of Maca(1500 or 3000 mg/day)for 4 months.Seminal analysis was performed according to guidelines of theWorld Health Organization(WHO).Serum luteinizing hormone(LH),follicle stimulating hormone(FSH),prolactin(PRL),testosterone(T)and estradiol(E_(2))were measured before and after treatment.Results;Treatment withMaca resulted in increased seminal volume,sperm count per ejaculum,motile sperm count,and sperm motility.Serumhormone levels were not modified with Maca treatment.Increase of sperm count was not related to dose of Maca.Conclusion:Maca improved sperm production and sperm motility by mechanisms not related to LH,FSH,PRL,Tand E_(2).展开更多
Aim: To evaluate the effect of the alcoholic extract of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on the spermatogenesis in male rats. Methods: In Holtzman rats, Maca alcoholic extract (5%) was given by oral route at doses of 48 mg/day...Aim: To evaluate the effect of the alcoholic extract of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on the spermatogenesis in male rats. Methods: In Holtzman rats, Maca alcoholic extract (5%) was given by oral route at doses of 48 mg/day or 96 mg/day for 7 days, 14 days and 21 days. Testicular function was assessed by measurements of lengths of different stages of seminiferous epithelia and by epididymal sperm count. Results: Ethanolic extract of Maca increased the length of stages IX-XI of seminiferous epithelium at treatment day 7, day 14 and day 21. Progression of spermatogenesis was evident only after day 21 when lengths of stages XII-XIV of seminiferous epithelium were increased; at day 7 and day 14, no important change in spermatogenesis was observed. Epididymal sperm count was increased with 48 mg/day at all times. With 96 mg/day an increase in sperm count was observed at day 7, but it was reduced at day 14 and day 21 of treatment. Serum testosterone levels were not affected. Conclusion: The alcoholic extract of Maca activates onset ant progression of spermatogenesis at 48 mg/day or 96 mg/day in rats.展开更多
Aim: To observe the effect of the aqueous extract of hypocotyls of the plant Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on spermato-genic damage induced by the organophosphate insecticide malathion in mice. Methods: Mice were treated wi...Aim: To observe the effect of the aqueous extract of hypocotyls of the plant Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on spermato-genic damage induced by the organophosphate insecticide malathion in mice. Methods: Mice were treated with 80 mg kg^(-1) of malathion in the presence or absence of an aqueous extract of Maca, which was orally administered 7, 14 or 21 days after injection of the malathion. Stages of the seminiferous epithelium were assessed by transillumination on days 0, 7, 14 and 21. Results: The administration of Maca increased significantly the length of stage 鈪?on days 7, 14 and 21 of treatment compared with the controls. An increase in the length of stage 鈪?occurred on day 14 of treatment. Malathion affected spermatogenesis by reducing the lengths of stage 鈪?on day 7, stages 鈪?and 鈪?鈪?on day 14 and a recovery of stages 鈪?鈪?on day 21. The magnitude of alteration in the length of stage 鈪?produced by malathion was significantly reduced by Maca on days 7 and 14. The length of stage 鈪?was increased when Maca was administered to mice treated with malathion. Assessment of the relative length of stages of the seminiferous epithelium showed that Maca treatment resulted in rapid recovery of the effect of malathion. Conclusion: Maca enhances spermatogenesis following spermatogenic damage caused by the organophosphorous pesticide.展开更多
Maca(Lepidium meyenii Walp.),a famous food supplement,has drawn an unprecedented international interest over the last two decades.It was assumed that glucosinolates,macamides,macaenes,and alkaloids are the main bioact...Maca(Lepidium meyenii Walp.),a famous food supplement,has drawn an unprecedented international interest over the last two decades.It was assumed that glucosinolates,macamides,macaenes,and alkaloids are the main bioactive components of Maca before.Recently,a series of novel thiohydantoins which generally exhibit a variety of activities have been isolated from Maca.This review focuses on the progress on the main bioactive components of Maca and their biosynthetic pathway,which indicates that macamides,thiohydantoins,and some alkaloids may originate from glucosinolates.Interestingly,thiohydantoins from Maca are the first type of thiohydantoin derivatives to be found from a natural source and may contribute to some significant effects of Maca.展开更多
Objective: To test the effects of dietary supplementation of Lepidium sativum (LS) seed powder on growth performance and gonadotropins secretion in ovariectomized, estradiol-implanted rabbits. Methods: Ovariectomized,...Objective: To test the effects of dietary supplementation of Lepidium sativum (LS) seed powder on growth performance and gonadotropins secretion in ovariectomized, estradiol-implanted rabbits. Methods: Ovariectomized, estradiol-implanted Chinchilla rabbits were assigned into four experimental groups: LS seed powder was included into normal rabbit chow at 0% (control), 5% (low), 7% (mid) and 10% (high) w/w. Experimental feed and water were given ad-libitum for 3 weeks. Weekly body weights and daily feed intake of rabbits were recorded. Twenty-one days post-feeding, blood samples were collected at 15-minute interval for 3 h (PeriodⅠ) after which 2.5 μg gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) was injected intravenously and the sampling continued for another hour (PeriodⅡ). Plasma was harvested and analyzed for luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by radioimmunoassay. Results: Feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) increased in LS-supplemented rabbits. However, the increase in feed intake did not result in significant body weight gain. LS seed supplementation significantly (P<0.001) increased mean plasma LH dose-dependently from the low- to the mid-LS level and then decreased LH at the high-LS level. LS supplementation increased (P<0.001) plasma FSH secretion. Injection of GnRH had no effect on plasma LH, however significantly (P<0.05) decreased overall plasma FSH secretion. Conclusions: LS seed supplementation stimulates feed intake and gonadotropins secretion in rabbits. Gonadotropins effect may be mediated through LS seeds phytosterols through the activation of estrogen receptors thereby producing agonistic effects resulting in LH and FSH secretion. The differential responses of gonadotropins to GnRH in LS-supplemented rabbits suggest differential regulation of the synthesis and secretion of these gonadotropins.展开更多
Four polysaccharides(MCPa,MCPb,MCPc,MCPd)were obtained from Lepidium meyenii Walp.Their structures were characterized by chemical and instrumental methods including total sugar,uronic acid and protein content determi-...Four polysaccharides(MCPa,MCPb,MCPc,MCPd)were obtained from Lepidium meyenii Walp.Their structures were characterized by chemical and instrumental methods including total sugar,uronic acid and protein content determi-nation,UV,IR and NMR spectroscopy,as well as monosaccharide composition determination and methylation analy-ses.Four polysaccharides were a group of glucans with different molecular weights ranging from 3.12 to 14.4 kDa,and shared a similar backbone chain consisting of(1→4)-glucose linkages with branches attached to C-3 and C-6.Furthermore,bioactivity assay showed that MCPs had concentration-dependent inhibitory activity onα-glucosidase.MCPb(Mw=10.1 kDa)and MCPc(Mw=5.62 kDa)with moderate molecular weights exhibited higher inhibitory activ-ity compared with MCPa and MCPd.展开更多
Objective: In order to establish a method for qualitative identification and semi-quantitative comparison of sucrose in Macas by infrared spectral analysis. Methods: Six Maca samples with three color types and from tw...Objective: In order to establish a method for qualitative identification and semi-quantitative comparison of sucrose in Macas by infrared spectral analysis. Methods: Six Maca samples with three color types and from two producing areas in Yunnan province (China) were collected. Fourier trans-form infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of raw Maca, ethyl acetate extracts (EtOAc-E), alcohol extracts (EtOH-E) and extracted residues were recorded selectively. Comparative analysis and analysis-through-separation strategies were used to explore the FTIR analytical method for sucrose in Maca. Results: Sucrose was proved to be a component in the Lijiang purple Maca (LPM) sample by comparative analysis of FTIR and second derivative in-frared spectroscopy (SDIR) with sucrose as a reference substance. Relative higher content of sucrose might be responsible for the distinctive absorption character of FTIR from LPM. With the aid of comparative analysis and analysis-through-separation strategies, conclusions could be drawn that all of the six Maca samples in this research contained some sucrose more or less. Furthermore, relative content of sucrose in the LM was higher than those in HM in general. Conclusion: An infrared spectrum analysis method for qualitative identification and semi-quantitative comparison of sucrose in different Maca samples was developed. Compared with other analytical methods, the developed method shows unparalleled charm for its inherent merits of convenient, fast, low cost, visual, efficient et al.展开更多
Lepidium sativum(commonly known as garden cress) belongs to the family Brassicaceae. It is a fastgrowing erect, annual herbaceous plant. Its seeds possess significant fracture healing, anti-asthmatic, anti-diabetic,...Lepidium sativum(commonly known as garden cress) belongs to the family Brassicaceae. It is a fastgrowing erect, annual herbaceous plant. Its seeds possess significant fracture healing, anti-asthmatic, anti-diabetic,hypoglycemic, nephrocurative and nephroprotective activities. In the present study, we assessed the genetic diversity of various genotypes of L. sativum using inter-simple sequence repeat(ISSR) markers. Out of 41 ISSR primers screened, 32 primers showed significant, clear and reproducible bands. A total of 510 amplified bands were obtained using 32 ISSR primers, out of which 422 bands were polymorphic and 88 bands were monomorphic. The percentage of polymorphism was found to be 82. A total of 35 unique alleles ranging insize from 200 to 2,900 bp were observed.Cluster analysis based on unweighted pair-group method,arithmetic mean divided the 18 genotypes into two main clusters, with the first having only HCS-08 genotype of L.sativum and other having all of the other 17 genotypes. The Jaccard similarity coefficient revealed a broad range32–72 % genetic relatedness among the 18 genotypes.展开更多
Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp, 2n = 8x = 64), belonging to the Brassicaceae family, is an economic plant cultivated in the central Andes sierra in Peru (4000-4500 m). Considering that the rapid uplift of the central...Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp, 2n = 8x = 64), belonging to the Brassicaceae family, is an economic plant cultivated in the central Andes sierra in Peru (4000-4500 m). Considering that the rapid uplift of the central Andes occurred 5-10 million years ago (Ma), an evolutionary question arises regarding how plants such as maca acquire high-altitude adaptation within a short geological period. Here, we report the high-quality genome assembly of maca, in which two closely spaced maca-specific whole-genome duplications (WGDs; ~6.7 Ma) were identified. Comparative genomic analysis between maca and closely related Brassicaceae species revealed expansions of maca genes and gene families involved in abiotic stress response, hormone signaling pathway, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis via WGDs. The retention and subsequent functional divergence of many duplicated genes may account for the morphological and physiological changes (i.e., small leaf shape and self-fertility) in maca in a high-altitude environment. In addition, some duplicated maca genes were identified with functions in morphological adaptation (i.e., LEAF CURLING RESPONSIVENESS) and abiotic stress response (i.e., GL YClNE-RICH RNA-BINDING PROTEINS and DNA-DAMAGE-REPAIR/TOLERATION2) under positive selection. Collectively, the maca genome provides use- ful information to understand the important roles of WGDs in the high-altitude adaptation of plants in the Andes.展开更多
AIM:The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the defatted ethanolic extract of the seeds of Lepidium Sativum Linn.METHODS:Different in vitro chemical assays viz.DPPH (1,1-dipheny...AIM:The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the defatted ethanolic extract of the seeds of Lepidium Sativum Linn.METHODS:Different in vitro chemical assays viz.DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging,ABTS (2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonate) radical scavenging,iron chelation,lipid peroxidation,super-oxide scavenging and non-enzymatic haemoglobin glycosylation assay were used.The total antioxidant capacity of the extract was determined spectrophotometrically by phosphomolybdic acid method.RESULT & CONCLUSION:The defatted lepidium seed extract showed significant free radical scavenging activity in ABTS and non-enzymatic glycosylation assays,and a moderate activity in all the other assays.IC50 of the extract in the DPPH,ABTS,iron chelation,lipid peroxidation and super oxide scavenging assays were found to be 171.13,38.64,128.94,71.39 and 206.09 μg·mL-1 respectively.The haemoglobin glycosylation assay of the extract showed a percentage scavenging of 46.60% and 74.88%,at 0.5 and 1.0 μg·mL-1,concentrations,respectively.Total antioxidant capacity of ethanolic extract of L.sativum (10 mg·mL-1) was found to be equivalent to 58.38 μg·mL-1 of ascorbic acid.展开更多
Maca(Lepidium meyenii) is an herbaceous plant that grows in high plateaus and has been used as both food and folk medicine for centuries because of its benefits to human health. In the present study, ITS(internal tran...Maca(Lepidium meyenii) is an herbaceous plant that grows in high plateaus and has been used as both food and folk medicine for centuries because of its benefits to human health. In the present study, ITS(internal transcribed spacer) sequences of forty-three maca samples, collected from different regions or vendors, were amplified and analyzed. The ITS sequences of nineteen potential adulterants of maca were also collected and analyzed. The results indicated that the ITS sequence of maca was consistent in all samples and unique when compared with its adulterants. Therefore, this DNA-barcoding approach based on the ITS sequence can be used for the molecular identification of maca and its adulterants.展开更多
Objective: Garden cress(Lepidium sativum L.) is an important herb in traditional medicine used to improve production of breast milk in women and semen in men. In the present research the authors evaluated its ability ...Objective: Garden cress(Lepidium sativum L.) is an important herb in traditional medicine used to improve production of breast milk in women and semen in men. In the present research the authors evaluated its ability to destroy leukemic cancer(Jurkat E6-1) cells, using the alkaloid extract of this plant.Methods: Constituents of the alkaloid extract were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry(GC–MS) and their cytotoxicity in leukemic cancer cells and healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) was assessed. Cell death via apoptosis was confirmed by DNA laddering, caspase-3 activity,annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate and mitochondrial toxicity assays. The specific course of gene activation in treated cells was determined through quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR).Results: GC–MS analysis identified six alkaloids and proto-alkaloids, namely, benzyl isothiocyanate(1),2-ethoxy-4 H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one(2),(4 R)-2-(2-aminophenyl)-4-phenyloxazoline(3), 5-acetyl-1,2-di hydro-6-methyl-2-oxo-4-phenyl-3-pyridinecarbonitrile(4), benzo[b][1,8]-naphthyridin-5(10 H)-on e,2,4,7-trimethyl(5) and 1,4-diaminoanthraquinone(6), in the alkaloid extract of L. sativum. Of these,compound 1 was previously identified in the seeds of L. sativum. Exposure to the alkaloid extract caused death of Jurkat E6-1 cells, with median lethal concentration(LC50) of 75.25 mg/mL. However, the alkaloid extract also showed a nontoxic and proliferative(1.6-fold) effect in healthy PBMCs. Further experiments performed with Jurkat cells at LC50 and sub-LC50 doses demonstrated DNA fragmentation, activation of caspase-3 and time-dependant phosphatidylserine translocation(apoptosis) from inner to outer cell membranes. Cell toxicity and assessment of adenosine triphosphate level, together with using qPCR to evaluate expression profile of major apoptosis genes, revealed that apoptosis may be induced by disruption in the mitochondrial outer membrane potential, through activation of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways in Jurkat cells.Conclusion: The ability of the alkaloid extract of L. sativum seeds to induce apoptosis indicates a potential pharmacological use in cancer chemotherapy. The separation of individual active compounds and further in-depth exploration of the molecular mechanism of apoptosis may lead to novel chemotherapeutic compounds in our future antineoplastic research.展开更多
Main observation and conclusion An HPLC-UV-guided separation was performed and four pairs of unprecedented macathiohydantoin dimers,lepithiohydimerins A—D(1—4)bearing a rare disulfide bond were isolated from the tub...Main observation and conclusion An HPLC-UV-guided separation was performed and four pairs of unprecedented macathiohydantoin dimers,lepithiohydimerins A—D(1—4)bearing a rare disulfide bond were isolated from the tubers of Maca.Their structures were unambiguously confirmed by NMR spectroscopic,X-ray crystallographic and electronic circular dichroism(ECD)analyses.At the concentration of 20μmol/L,compounds 2-1,2-2,and 4-1 increased the viability of PC12 cells with the cell viability at(72.06±1.14)%,(72.64±1.49)%,and(70.93±1.22)%,respectively.Furthermore,the serial concentration experiment showed that they can protect PC12 cells in a dose-dependent manner.展开更多
文摘Lepidium meyeniiWalp. (Maca), a perennial herbaceous plant with narrow distdbution in the Andean region, was cultivated by local residents as early as 1600 B.C. It has high nutritional values and multiple medicinal effects. In recent years the plant source of Maca has been greatly scarce since Maca products are increasingly becoming popular in the world. This makes the study urgent on the identification and quality evaluation of Maca materials. In present work, four Mace samples of different origins or handlings and three other natural plants, including radish, odental ginseng and American ginseng, were investigated. Their essential oils (steam distillates) of the hypogeal parts were weighed and analyzed by GC/MS. Through comparison of the characteristics of their chromatograms, it was found that the essential oil of Maca had unique GC/MS behaviors, and the characteristic peaks produced by the major essential oil components (Phenylacetonitrile, Benzaldehyde, 3-Methoxyphenylacetonitrile, etc) were distinct. Furthermore, the chromatograms of several Maca samples showed a similar qualitative pattern except for some differences in the quantitative composition, and the percentage of total essential oils in the samples varied from 0.88 % to 1.59 %. These behaviors and technologies can be applied to the identification of Maca materials in the markets and be a supplement to assess the quality of Maca matedals.
文摘Aim:To determine the effect of oral administration of an aqueous extract from the roots of Lepidium meyenii(maca)on spermatogenesis in adult male rats.Methods;Male rats received an aqueous extract of the root(66.7 mg in onemL)twice a day for 14 consecutive days.Results:Treatment with Lepidium meyenii resulted in an increase in theweights of testis and epididymis but not the seminal vesicle weight.The length and frequency of stages IX-XIV seminif-erous tubules,where mitosis occurred,were increased and stages I-VI were reduced in rats treated with Lepidiummeyenii.Conclusion;The Lepidium meyenii root invigorates spermatogenesis in male rats by acting on its initialstages(IX-XIV).
文摘Aim:The present study was designed to determine the effect of a 4-month oral treatment with tablets of Lepidiwnmeyenii(Maca)on seminal analysis in nine adult normal men aged 24-44 years old.Methods:Nine men receivedtablets of Maca(1500 or 3000 mg/day)for 4 months.Seminal analysis was performed according to guidelines of theWorld Health Organization(WHO).Serum luteinizing hormone(LH),follicle stimulating hormone(FSH),prolactin(PRL),testosterone(T)and estradiol(E_(2))were measured before and after treatment.Results;Treatment withMaca resulted in increased seminal volume,sperm count per ejaculum,motile sperm count,and sperm motility.Serumhormone levels were not modified with Maca treatment.Increase of sperm count was not related to dose of Maca.Conclusion:Maca improved sperm production and sperm motility by mechanisms not related to LH,FSH,PRL,Tand E_(2).
文摘Aim: To evaluate the effect of the alcoholic extract of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on the spermatogenesis in male rats. Methods: In Holtzman rats, Maca alcoholic extract (5%) was given by oral route at doses of 48 mg/day or 96 mg/day for 7 days, 14 days and 21 days. Testicular function was assessed by measurements of lengths of different stages of seminiferous epithelia and by epididymal sperm count. Results: Ethanolic extract of Maca increased the length of stages IX-XI of seminiferous epithelium at treatment day 7, day 14 and day 21. Progression of spermatogenesis was evident only after day 21 when lengths of stages XII-XIV of seminiferous epithelium were increased; at day 7 and day 14, no important change in spermatogenesis was observed. Epididymal sperm count was increased with 48 mg/day at all times. With 96 mg/day an increase in sperm count was observed at day 7, but it was reduced at day 14 and day 21 of treatment. Serum testosterone levels were not affected. Conclusion: The alcoholic extract of Maca activates onset ant progression of spermatogenesis at 48 mg/day or 96 mg/day in rats.
文摘Aim: To observe the effect of the aqueous extract of hypocotyls of the plant Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on spermato-genic damage induced by the organophosphate insecticide malathion in mice. Methods: Mice were treated with 80 mg kg^(-1) of malathion in the presence or absence of an aqueous extract of Maca, which was orally administered 7, 14 or 21 days after injection of the malathion. Stages of the seminiferous epithelium were assessed by transillumination on days 0, 7, 14 and 21. Results: The administration of Maca increased significantly the length of stage 鈪?on days 7, 14 and 21 of treatment compared with the controls. An increase in the length of stage 鈪?occurred on day 14 of treatment. Malathion affected spermatogenesis by reducing the lengths of stage 鈪?on day 7, stages 鈪?and 鈪?鈪?on day 14 and a recovery of stages 鈪?鈪?on day 21. The magnitude of alteration in the length of stage 鈪?produced by malathion was significantly reduced by Maca on days 7 and 14. The length of stage 鈪?was increased when Maca was administered to mice treated with malathion. Assessment of the relative length of stages of the seminiferous epithelium showed that Maca treatment resulted in rapid recovery of the effect of malathion. Conclusion: Maca enhances spermatogenesis following spermatogenic damage caused by the organophosphorous pesticide.
基金This research work was financially supported by NSFC project and YiKe R&D Project(KIB-20140708Q)as well as Foundation of Key Laboratory of Tobacco Chemistry of Yunnan Province(KCFZ-2017-1096)Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China(P2010-ZZ14).
文摘Maca(Lepidium meyenii Walp.),a famous food supplement,has drawn an unprecedented international interest over the last two decades.It was assumed that glucosinolates,macamides,macaenes,and alkaloids are the main bioactive components of Maca before.Recently,a series of novel thiohydantoins which generally exhibit a variety of activities have been isolated from Maca.This review focuses on the progress on the main bioactive components of Maca and their biosynthetic pathway,which indicates that macamides,thiohydantoins,and some alkaloids may originate from glucosinolates.Interestingly,thiohydantoins from Maca are the first type of thiohydantoin derivatives to be found from a natural source and may contribute to some significant effects of Maca.
文摘Objective: To test the effects of dietary supplementation of Lepidium sativum (LS) seed powder on growth performance and gonadotropins secretion in ovariectomized, estradiol-implanted rabbits. Methods: Ovariectomized, estradiol-implanted Chinchilla rabbits were assigned into four experimental groups: LS seed powder was included into normal rabbit chow at 0% (control), 5% (low), 7% (mid) and 10% (high) w/w. Experimental feed and water were given ad-libitum for 3 weeks. Weekly body weights and daily feed intake of rabbits were recorded. Twenty-one days post-feeding, blood samples were collected at 15-minute interval for 3 h (PeriodⅠ) after which 2.5 μg gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) was injected intravenously and the sampling continued for another hour (PeriodⅡ). Plasma was harvested and analyzed for luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by radioimmunoassay. Results: Feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) increased in LS-supplemented rabbits. However, the increase in feed intake did not result in significant body weight gain. LS seed supplementation significantly (P<0.001) increased mean plasma LH dose-dependently from the low- to the mid-LS level and then decreased LH at the high-LS level. LS supplementation increased (P<0.001) plasma FSH secretion. Injection of GnRH had no effect on plasma LH, however significantly (P<0.05) decreased overall plasma FSH secretion. Conclusions: LS seed supplementation stimulates feed intake and gonadotropins secretion in rabbits. Gonadotropins effect may be mediated through LS seeds phytosterols through the activation of estrogen receptors thereby producing agonistic effects resulting in LH and FSH secretion. The differential responses of gonadotropins to GnRH in LS-supplemented rabbits suggest differential regulation of the synthesis and secretion of these gonadotropins.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31872675)the Cooperation Project with DR PLANT Company(2023).
文摘Four polysaccharides(MCPa,MCPb,MCPc,MCPd)were obtained from Lepidium meyenii Walp.Their structures were characterized by chemical and instrumental methods including total sugar,uronic acid and protein content determi-nation,UV,IR and NMR spectroscopy,as well as monosaccharide composition determination and methylation analy-ses.Four polysaccharides were a group of glucans with different molecular weights ranging from 3.12 to 14.4 kDa,and shared a similar backbone chain consisting of(1→4)-glucose linkages with branches attached to C-3 and C-6.Furthermore,bioactivity assay showed that MCPs had concentration-dependent inhibitory activity onα-glucosidase.MCPb(Mw=10.1 kDa)and MCPc(Mw=5.62 kDa)with moderate molecular weights exhibited higher inhibitory activ-ity compared with MCPa and MCPd.
文摘Objective: In order to establish a method for qualitative identification and semi-quantitative comparison of sucrose in Macas by infrared spectral analysis. Methods: Six Maca samples with three color types and from two producing areas in Yunnan province (China) were collected. Fourier trans-form infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of raw Maca, ethyl acetate extracts (EtOAc-E), alcohol extracts (EtOH-E) and extracted residues were recorded selectively. Comparative analysis and analysis-through-separation strategies were used to explore the FTIR analytical method for sucrose in Maca. Results: Sucrose was proved to be a component in the Lijiang purple Maca (LPM) sample by comparative analysis of FTIR and second derivative in-frared spectroscopy (SDIR) with sucrose as a reference substance. Relative higher content of sucrose might be responsible for the distinctive absorption character of FTIR from LPM. With the aid of comparative analysis and analysis-through-separation strategies, conclusions could be drawn that all of the six Maca samples in this research contained some sucrose more or less. Furthermore, relative content of sucrose in the LM was higher than those in HM in general. Conclusion: An infrared spectrum analysis method for qualitative identification and semi-quantitative comparison of sucrose in different Maca samples was developed. Compared with other analytical methods, the developed method shows unparalleled charm for its inherent merits of convenient, fast, low cost, visual, efficient et al.
文摘Lepidium sativum(commonly known as garden cress) belongs to the family Brassicaceae. It is a fastgrowing erect, annual herbaceous plant. Its seeds possess significant fracture healing, anti-asthmatic, anti-diabetic,hypoglycemic, nephrocurative and nephroprotective activities. In the present study, we assessed the genetic diversity of various genotypes of L. sativum using inter-simple sequence repeat(ISSR) markers. Out of 41 ISSR primers screened, 32 primers showed significant, clear and reproducible bands. A total of 510 amplified bands were obtained using 32 ISSR primers, out of which 422 bands were polymorphic and 88 bands were monomorphic. The percentage of polymorphism was found to be 82. A total of 35 unique alleles ranging insize from 200 to 2,900 bp were observed.Cluster analysis based on unweighted pair-group method,arithmetic mean divided the 18 genotypes into two main clusters, with the first having only HCS-08 genotype of L.sativum and other having all of the other 17 genotypes. The Jaccard similarity coefficient revealed a broad range32–72 % genetic relatedness among the 18 genotypes.
文摘Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp, 2n = 8x = 64), belonging to the Brassicaceae family, is an economic plant cultivated in the central Andes sierra in Peru (4000-4500 m). Considering that the rapid uplift of the central Andes occurred 5-10 million years ago (Ma), an evolutionary question arises regarding how plants such as maca acquire high-altitude adaptation within a short geological period. Here, we report the high-quality genome assembly of maca, in which two closely spaced maca-specific whole-genome duplications (WGDs; ~6.7 Ma) were identified. Comparative genomic analysis between maca and closely related Brassicaceae species revealed expansions of maca genes and gene families involved in abiotic stress response, hormone signaling pathway, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis via WGDs. The retention and subsequent functional divergence of many duplicated genes may account for the morphological and physiological changes (i.e., small leaf shape and self-fertility) in maca in a high-altitude environment. In addition, some duplicated maca genes were identified with functions in morphological adaptation (i.e., LEAF CURLING RESPONSIVENESS) and abiotic stress response (i.e., GL YClNE-RICH RNA-BINDING PROTEINS and DNA-DAMAGE-REPAIR/TOLERATION2) under positive selection. Collectively, the maca genome provides use- ful information to understand the important roles of WGDs in the high-altitude adaptation of plants in the Andes.
文摘AIM:The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the defatted ethanolic extract of the seeds of Lepidium Sativum Linn.METHODS:Different in vitro chemical assays viz.DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging,ABTS (2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonate) radical scavenging,iron chelation,lipid peroxidation,super-oxide scavenging and non-enzymatic haemoglobin glycosylation assay were used.The total antioxidant capacity of the extract was determined spectrophotometrically by phosphomolybdic acid method.RESULT & CONCLUSION:The defatted lepidium seed extract showed significant free radical scavenging activity in ABTS and non-enzymatic glycosylation assays,and a moderate activity in all the other assays.IC50 of the extract in the DPPH,ABTS,iron chelation,lipid peroxidation and super oxide scavenging assays were found to be 171.13,38.64,128.94,71.39 and 206.09 μg·mL-1 respectively.The haemoglobin glycosylation assay of the extract showed a percentage scavenging of 46.60% and 74.88%,at 0.5 and 1.0 μg·mL-1,concentrations,respectively.Total antioxidant capacity of ethanolic extract of L.sativum (10 mg·mL-1) was found to be equivalent to 58.38 μg·mL-1 of ascorbic acid.
基金supported by the High-Tech Research Program–863 Program in China(No.2012AA021702-4)
文摘Maca(Lepidium meyenii) is an herbaceous plant that grows in high plateaus and has been used as both food and folk medicine for centuries because of its benefits to human health. In the present study, ITS(internal transcribed spacer) sequences of forty-three maca samples, collected from different regions or vendors, were amplified and analyzed. The ITS sequences of nineteen potential adulterants of maca were also collected and analyzed. The results indicated that the ITS sequence of maca was consistent in all samples and unique when compared with its adulterants. Therefore, this DNA-barcoding approach based on the ITS sequence can be used for the molecular identification of maca and its adulterants.
基金the Department of Science and Technology for providing fellowships (IF120278)
文摘Objective: Garden cress(Lepidium sativum L.) is an important herb in traditional medicine used to improve production of breast milk in women and semen in men. In the present research the authors evaluated its ability to destroy leukemic cancer(Jurkat E6-1) cells, using the alkaloid extract of this plant.Methods: Constituents of the alkaloid extract were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry(GC–MS) and their cytotoxicity in leukemic cancer cells and healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) was assessed. Cell death via apoptosis was confirmed by DNA laddering, caspase-3 activity,annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate and mitochondrial toxicity assays. The specific course of gene activation in treated cells was determined through quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR).Results: GC–MS analysis identified six alkaloids and proto-alkaloids, namely, benzyl isothiocyanate(1),2-ethoxy-4 H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one(2),(4 R)-2-(2-aminophenyl)-4-phenyloxazoline(3), 5-acetyl-1,2-di hydro-6-methyl-2-oxo-4-phenyl-3-pyridinecarbonitrile(4), benzo[b][1,8]-naphthyridin-5(10 H)-on e,2,4,7-trimethyl(5) and 1,4-diaminoanthraquinone(6), in the alkaloid extract of L. sativum. Of these,compound 1 was previously identified in the seeds of L. sativum. Exposure to the alkaloid extract caused death of Jurkat E6-1 cells, with median lethal concentration(LC50) of 75.25 mg/mL. However, the alkaloid extract also showed a nontoxic and proliferative(1.6-fold) effect in healthy PBMCs. Further experiments performed with Jurkat cells at LC50 and sub-LC50 doses demonstrated DNA fragmentation, activation of caspase-3 and time-dependant phosphatidylserine translocation(apoptosis) from inner to outer cell membranes. Cell toxicity and assessment of adenosine triphosphate level, together with using qPCR to evaluate expression profile of major apoptosis genes, revealed that apoptosis may be induced by disruption in the mitochondrial outer membrane potential, through activation of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways in Jurkat cells.Conclusion: The ability of the alkaloid extract of L. sativum seeds to induce apoptosis indicates a potential pharmacological use in cancer chemotherapy. The separation of individual active compounds and further in-depth exploration of the molecular mechanism of apoptosis may lead to novel chemotherapeutic compounds in our future antineoplastic research.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31872675)Fund of State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China(P2020-KF02).
文摘Main observation and conclusion An HPLC-UV-guided separation was performed and four pairs of unprecedented macathiohydantoin dimers,lepithiohydimerins A—D(1—4)bearing a rare disulfide bond were isolated from the tubers of Maca.Their structures were unambiguously confirmed by NMR spectroscopic,X-ray crystallographic and electronic circular dichroism(ECD)analyses.At the concentration of 20μmol/L,compounds 2-1,2-2,and 4-1 increased the viability of PC12 cells with the cell viability at(72.06±1.14)%,(72.64±1.49)%,and(70.93±1.22)%,respectively.Furthermore,the serial concentration experiment showed that they can protect PC12 cells in a dose-dependent manner.