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Minich DM, Ross K, Frame J, Fahoum M, Warner W, Meissner HO. Not All Maca Is Created Equal: A Review of Colors, Nutrition, Phytochemicals, and Clinical Uses. Nutrients 2024; 16:530. [PMID: 38398854 PMCID: PMC10892513 DOI: 10.3390/nu16040530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Maca (Lepidium meyenii, Lepidium peruvianum) is part of the Brassicaceae family and grows at high altitudes in the Peruvian Andes mountain range (3500-5000 m). Historically, it has been used as a nutrient-dense food and for its medicinal properties, primarily in enhancing energy and fertility. Scientific research has validated these traditional uses and other clinical applications by elucidating maca's mechanisms of action, nutrition, and phytochemical content. However, research over the last twenty years has identified up to seventeen different colors (phenotypes) of maca. The color, hypocotyl size, growing location, cultivation, and post-harvest processing methods can have a significant effect on the nutrition content, phytochemical profile, and clinical application. Yet, research differentiating the colors of maca and clinical applications remains limited. In this review, research on the nutrition, phytochemicals, and various colors of maca, including black, red, yellow (predominant colors), purple, gray (lesser-known colors), and any combination of colors, including proprietary formulations, will be discussed based on available preclinical and clinical trials. The gaps, deficiencies, and conflicts in the studies will be detailed, along with quality, safety, and efficacy criteria, highlighting the need for future research to specify all these factors of the maca used in publications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deanna M. Minich
- Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, Adjunct Faculty, University of Western States, Portland, OR 97213, USA
- Food & Spirit, LLC, Port Orchard, WA 98366, USA
- Symphony Natural Health, Inc., West Valley City, UT 84119, USA; (K.R.); (M.F.); (W.W.)
- Symphony Natural Health Institute, West Valley City, UT 84119, USA
| | - Kim Ross
- Symphony Natural Health, Inc., West Valley City, UT 84119, USA; (K.R.); (M.F.); (W.W.)
- Symphony Natural Health Institute, West Valley City, UT 84119, USA
- Kim Ross Consulting, LLC, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211, USA
- College of Nutrition, Sonoran University of Health Sciences, Tempe, AZ 85282, USA
| | - James Frame
- Symphony Natural Health Holdings Inc., Craigmuir Chambers, Road Town, Tortola VG1110, (BVI), UK;
- Natural Health International Pty Ltd., Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
| | - Mona Fahoum
- Symphony Natural Health, Inc., West Valley City, UT 84119, USA; (K.R.); (M.F.); (W.W.)
- Meridian Medicine, Seattle, WA 98133, USA
- Bastyr Center for Natural Health, Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA 98028, USA
| | - Wendy Warner
- Symphony Natural Health, Inc., West Valley City, UT 84119, USA; (K.R.); (M.F.); (W.W.)
- Wendy Warner, MD, PC, Yardley, PA 19067, USA
| | - Henry O. Meissner
- National Institute of Complementary Medicine, Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Building J, 158-160 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia;
- Therapeutic Research, TTD International Pty Ltd., 39 Leopard Ave., Elanora-Gold Coast, QLD 4221, Australia
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Okagu IU, Ndefo JC, Aham EC, Udenigwe CC. Zanthoxylum Species: A Comprehensive Review of Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Applications. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26134023. [PMID: 34209371 PMCID: PMC8272177 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26134023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Zanthoxylum species (Syn. Fagara species) of the Rutaceae family are widely used in many countries as food and in trado-medicinal practice due to their wide geographical distribution and medicinal properties. Peer reviewed journal articles and ethnobotanical records that reported the traditional knowledge, phytoconstituents, biological activities and toxicological profiles of Z. species with a focus on metabolic and neuronal health were reviewed. It was observed that many of the plant species are used as food ingredients and in treating inflammation, pain, hypertension and brain diseases. Over 500 compounds have been isolated from Z. species, and the biological activities of both the plant extracts and their phytoconstituents, including their mechanisms of action, are discussed. The phytochemicals responsible for the biological activities of some of the species are yet to be identified. Similarly, biological activities of some isolated compounds remain unknown. Taken together, the Z. species extracts and compounds possess promising biological activities and should be further explored as potential sources of new nutraceuticals and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Innocent Uzochukwu Okagu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria; (I.U.O.); (E.C.A.)
| | - Joseph Chinedu Ndefo
- Department of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria
- Correspondence: (J.C.N.); (C.C.U.)
| | - Emmanuel Chigozie Aham
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria; (I.U.O.); (E.C.A.)
- Natural Science Unit, School of General Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Chibuike C. Udenigwe
- School of Nutrition Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Correspondence: (J.C.N.); (C.C.U.)
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Abarikwu SO, Onuah CL, Singh SK. Plants in the management of male infertility. Andrologia 2020; 52:e13509. [PMID: 31989693 DOI: 10.1111/and.13509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This review attempts to collate existing data and provide the perspectives for future studies on the effects of plants on the male gonads. For many of these medicinal plants such as Lepidium meyenii, Rupus coreanus, Tribulus terrestres, Panax ginseng, Petasites japonicas, Apium graveolens, Eurycoma longifólia, Pedalium murex, Corchorus depressus, Mucuna pruriens, Astragalus membranaceus, Nigella sativa, Crataegus monogyna, Fagara tessmannii, Phaleria macrocarpa, Anacyclus pyrethrum, Cynomorium songaricum and Morinda officinalis, the mechanism of actions of their active principles and crude extracts has been shown in both laboratory animals, in vitro, and human studies, and includes their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, spermatogenesis-inducing, aphrodisiac, smooth muscle relaxing and androgenic properties. Several active chemical leads including glucosinolates, anthocyanins, protodioscin, ginsenosides, sesquiterpenes, phyto-oestrogens, quassinoids, diosgenin, thymoquinone, proanthocyanidins and bajijiasu isolated from these plants are known to have target effects on the testis, but efforts have been limited in their application at the clinical level. There still appear to be many more extracts of medicinal plants that have not been characterised to determine the phytochemicals unique to them that have target effects on the gonads. Further, collaborative efforts at isolating pro-drug candidates from medicinal plants for studies at the molecular, cellular and clinical level towards elucidating their mechanisms of action on the testes are therefore warranted in the light of the current male fertility crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunny O Abarikwu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
| | - Chigozie Linda Onuah
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
| | - Shio Kumar Singh
- Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
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