Search Results (5)

Peruvian maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a plant known for its nutritional and medicinal properties whose use as a supplement in animal diets has attracted much interest. We studied the effects of powdered maca root extract on the growth potential of in vitro cultured porcine cells prior to its use as an additive in animal nutrition. Fibroblast cell viability (MTT), cell proliferation (BrdU), and apoptosis level (TUNEL) were measured for a range of extract doses (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 7.0, and 10 mg/mL). Transcript levels of CCND1, MCM2, and PCNA genes as molecular markers of cell proliferation were also determined. Next, the effects of maca extract at 2 and 5 mg/mL on in vitro induced adipogenesis were evaluated over eight days of differentiation. The transcript levels of three adipocyte marker genes (CEBPA, PPARG, and FABPB4) were measured at days 0, 4, and 8 of adipose differentiation, and lipid droplet accumulation (BODIPY staining) was also noted. No cytotoxic effect was detected on fibroblast cell viability, and the inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value was determined to be IC₅₀ > 10 mg/mL. Doses of maca extract above 3 mg/mL decreased cell proliferation. The transcript level decreased in concentrations above 5 for the MCM2 and PCNA genes. For the CCND1 gene, the transcript level decreased when the greatest maca dose was used. In the in vitro adipogenesis experiment, it was found that the rate of lipid droplet formation increased on day 4 of differentiation for both doses, while decreased lipid droplet formation was observed on day 8 for 5 mg/mL of maca extract. Significant changes were seen in the mRNA level for CEBPA and PPARG on days 4 and 8, while the transcript of FABP4 increased only on day 8 at 2 mg/mL dose. It can be concluded that the addition of Peruvian maca in small doses (<3 mg/mL) has no negative effect on porcine fibroblast growth or proliferation, while 2 mg/mL of maca extract enhances adipocyte differentiation. Full article

Raw bars have become popular among health-conscious consumers due to their nutrient-dense ingredients and lack of additives and preservatives. However, the effect of simulated gastrointestinal digestion on the nutrient content of these bars has yet to be extensively studied. In this study, four different raw bar recipes were subjected to simulated gastrointestinal digestion to evaluate the impact on their nutrient content. The recipes have dates and almond flour as base ingredients and specific ingredients such as Maca root powder, Ginger powder, Aronia powder, Pollen, Propolis extract, Astragalus powder, and Cacao powder. These variations were intended to provide diverse flavors and potential health benefits to cater to different preferences and needs. The in vitro digestion model was designed to mimic the conditions of the human gastrointestinal tract, including the mouth, stomach, and small intestine. The results showed that the simulated gastrointestinal digestion significantly impacted the nutrient content of the bars, with varying degrees of nutrient loss observed depending on the recipe. The highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity were observed in the salivary phase for all samples. Vitamin B content generally decreases from the salivary to the intestinal stage. After digestion, the recovery rates of total phenols, antioxidant capacity, and vitamins B1, B3, and B6 varied across the recipes. The recovery rates of vitamins B1, B3, and B6 were generally high across all recipes, indicating their stability and retention during digestion. The findings suggest that simulated GI digestion provides insights into the nutrient bioavailability of raw bars. These results can inform the formulation and optimization of raw bars to enhance nutrient absorption and nutritional value. Further research is warranted to investigate the effects of different processing techniques and ingredient combinations on nutrient bioavailability. Full article

The effect of the extraction conditions on the DPPH radical scavenging activity and isolation of bioactive compounds from the maca (Lepidium meyenii) root was investigated. Different extraction techniques (maceration, maceration with shaking, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and reflux extraction) were compared. Moreover, the effect of the extraction time and two various solvents (water and ethanol) was studied. The antioxidant activity of extracts was determined by the spectrophotometric method with the DPPH radical, while total phenolic content (TPC) was analyzed by the Folin–Ciocalteu method. Using gas chromatography with a mass selective detector (GC-MS), some characteristics of maca bioactive compounds were identified in the extracts: benzylalkamides (macamides), sterols, nitriles, fatty acids, and their derivatives. The influence of various factors on the extraction process of health-promoting antioxidant compounds from maca root was discussed. It was found that water was a more effective solvent than ethanol for obtaining extracts characterized by high radical scavenging activity and phenolics content. Nevertheless, some ethanol-extractable valuable compounds specific for maca, e.g., macamides or fatty acids derivatives, were not present in water extracts. In developing nutritional and therapeutic formulations based on maca extracts, it is important to take into account that the bioactivity of maca extracts varies depending on the solvent used. Full article

Maca is a well-known biennial herb with various physiological properties, such as antioxidant activity and immune response regulation. In this study, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-melanogenic effects of fermented maca root extracts were investigated. The fermentation was carried out using Lactobacillus strains, such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Lacticaseibacillus casei, and Lactobacillus gasseri. In RAW 264.7 cells, the non-fermented maca root extracts increased the secretion of nitric oxide (NO), an inflammatory mediator, in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, the fermented extracts showed considerably lower NO secretion than the non-fermented extracts at concentrations of 5% and 10%. This indicates the effective anti-inflammatory effects of fermented maca. The fermented maca root extracts also inhibited tyrosinase activity, melanin synthesis, and melanogenesis by suppressing MITF-related mechanisms. These results show that fermented maca root extracts exhibit higher anti-inflammatory and anti-melanogenesis effects than non-fermented maca root extracts. Thus, maca root extracts fermented using Lactobacillus strains have the potential to be used as an effective cosmeceutical raw material. Full article

Glucosinolates (GLS) were extracted and purified from Lepidium meyenii (Maca) root. Purified GLS were analyzed without desulfation by UPLC–ESI–MS. Glucosinolates were decomposed into benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) by thioglucosidase. DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity, and reducing power were used to evaluate antioxidant activity of Maca crude extract (MCE), total GLS, and BITC. Maca crude extract showed the highest antioxidant activity among them, and BITC showed no antioxidant activity at concentrations less than 10 mg/mL. Cytotoxicity on five human cancer cell lines and the inhibition rate of NO production were used to evaluate the activity of anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory of total GLS and BITC. The inhibition rate of NO production of 50 μg/mL BITC can reach 99.26% and the cell viability of 100 μg/mL BITC on five tumor cell lines is less than 3%. The results show that BITC may be used as a promising anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory drug. Full article