• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.137-144
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• 2017

This study examined the components and physicochemical properties of Lepidium meyenii as a natural health food source. To accomplish this objective, the general and antioxidative contents of Lepidium meyenii were measured. Total contents of carbohydrates, crude protein, crude lipid, and ash were 56.04%, 33.77%, 1.49%, and 3.7%, respectively(dry wright basis). Total phenol contents of the 70% ethanolic extracts of Lepidium meyenii were 189.9 mg/g, 152.5 mg/g. Total flavonoid contents of the 70% ethanolic extracts were 166.0 mg/g, 78.2 mg/g. The antioxidative activities of Lepidium meyenii were significantly increased in a dose dependent manner on DPPH(1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging, ABTS (2,2'-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt) radical scavenging, FRAP(ferric reducing antioxidant power) activity, reducing power. The general nutrients and other antioxidant bioactive materials in Lepidium meyenii were also potential materials for good health food.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.187-196
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• 2008

Two naturalized species, Carduus natans L. and Lepidium latifolium L. were newly reported from Korea. Carduus natans, "Sa-hyang-ung-gung-kwi", was found from Nanjido, Seoul, and Yangsuri and Naejangri, Gyunggi-do. It is distinguished from widely naturalized C. crispus by having large nodding heads (30-60mm in diameter) and acuminate lanceolate involucral bracts. Lepidium latifolium, "Keun-ki-da-dag-naeng-i", was found from Noeul Park, Nanjido, Seoul. It is distinguished from the related species by having tall height (about 1 m), subsessile upper leaves, pinnately lobed lower leaves, and corymbose inflorescence.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.331-335
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• 2007

The utility of Lepidium sativum Linn (Garden cress) as a medicinal plant has increased many fold over a period of time. A survey of literature relating to the medicinal uses of L.sativum reveals it to be one of the widely used medicinal plants. It finds place in folklore medicine, Ayurveda, Unani and other indigenous systems of medicine. Following a large number of claims on the wide range of traditional medicinal properties of the plant, considerable efforts have been made to verify its efficacy as a curative agent through pharmacological investigations and clinical trials. In this article, a comprehensive account of the traditional uses, phytochemical investigation and therapeutic potential of Lepidium sativum is presented.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2002

Five naturalized species of taxa in Jeju such as Solanum ciliatum, Rubus fruticosus, Lepidium bonariens, Rudbeckia hirta, Solanum photeinocarpum have been found and given the Korea names. Among those species, four species such as Solanum ciliatum, Rubus fruticosus, Lepidium bonariense, Rudbeckia hirta, Solanum photeinocarpum. are naturalized in Korea but have not been reported yet and Rudbeckia hirta has been cultivated as a garden plant on the mainland Korea but it is found in the natural environment on Jeju island in Korea. And so we report here that Rudbeckia hirta is a naturalized species.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.331-335
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• 2016

Two newly recorded alien plants, Lepidium pinnatifidum Ledeb. (Brassicaceae) and Oxalis dillenii Jacq. (Oxalidaceae), were found on Wolmido Island, Incheon-si and in Gyeongseo-dong, Incheon-si, of South Korea, respectively. Lepidium pinnatifidum is distinguished from other related Korean taxa by leaves that are not amplexicaul and four stamens. Oxalis dillenii is distinguished from other related Korean taxa by having bristles which are dense on peduncles and pedicels and by having white ridges on the seed. We provide descriptions of the morphological characters, photographs and a key to allied taxa in Korea.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.153-157
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• 2008

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) has been used as a food and medicine in Peru for thousands of years. More recently a wide array of commercial maca products have gained popularity as dietary supplements with claims of anabolic and aphrodisiac effects. Even though the biologically active principles of maca are not fully known, the lipidic extract of maca tubers containing macamides showed promising physiological activities. In this study, the lipidic extract were collected from maca tubers by using supercritical carbon dioxide ($SCO_2$). Substance estimated as macamide in the extract was isolated and purified by preparative HPLC with recycling system. Two of the purified substance was identified as N-benzyl-5-oxo-6E,8E-octadecadienamide and N-benzylhexadecan amide by LC/MS, $^1H$-NMR and $^{13}C$-NMR analyses.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.286-294
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• 2008

We have studied the possible mechanism of anti-asthmatic action of ethanolic extracts of dried seeds of Lepidium sativum (EXLS, 400 mg/kg) using various experimental models. EXLS produced an increase in the Pre-Convulsion Dyspnoea time induced by histamine and acetylcholine aerosol, a significant reduction in the elevated leucocyte counts in the Broncho-Alveolar Lavage fluid of sensitized guinea-pigs and reduction in the paw edema volume as compared to the control rats. Treatment with EXLS also produced decrease in the elevated histamine release from the sensitized guinea-pig lungs. The anti-asthmatic anti-inflammatory responses of EXLS was supported by improvement in microscopic changes like infiltration of inflammatory cells, submucosal edema, epithelial desquamation and reduced lumen size of the bronchi. The $pD_2$ values of histamine in tracheal chain and taenia-coli were significantly greater and that in lung strip was lower in the sensitized animals as compared to control. Treatment of sensitized guinea pigs with EXLS significantly decreased $pD_2$ values of histamine in all three preparations. Our data suggest the prevention of hyper-responsiveness in bronchial smooth muscles and inhibition of the immediate hypersensitive reaction, histamine release in the lungs and the infiltration of various inflammatory cells as the possible mechanisms of anti-asthmatic activity of EXLS.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.283-289
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• 2008

Lepidium meyenii, known as Maca, is traditionally employed in the Andean region for its supposed properties to improve energy and fertility. In the present study, we investigated the effects of gelatinized and fermented Maca on improvement of physical stamina and epididymal sperm counts, and on blood biochemical parameters related to fatigue and tissue injury: creatine phosphokinase, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, blood urea nitrogen, glucose, total cholesterol and total proteins. Adult male mice was divided at random into two main groups (resting and excercise groups). The excercise group was separated into three subgroups (exercise only, exercise with gelatinized Maca and fermented Maca-treatment groups). Gelatinized or fermented Maca (800 mg/kg) were orally administered for 30 days. All animals in exercise groups were subjected to daily 30-min swimming for 28 days 30 min after Maca treatment. Daily exercise decreased the body weight gain, and fermented Maca further attenuated the body weight increase. Gelatinized and fermented Maca significantly increased the maximum swimming time on 14 and 28 days of treatment (p<0.05), respectively, suggestive of a long-term stamina-enhancing effect of fermented Maca. Both Maca fully or significantly recovered blood parameters of energy as well as muscular and hepatocytic injuries changed by repeated exercise and maximum swimming performance (p<0.01). Moreover, gelatinized and fermented Maca increased epididymal sperm counts 22.0% and 32.0%, respectively. In conclusion, the results indicate potential benefits of Maca for improving both physical stamina by minimizing muscular and hepatic damage and preserving energy during swimming exercise and male reproductive function by increasing epididymal sperm counts.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 2020

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the Ultrasonication-Assisted (UA) extraction on the functionality of the herbaceous biennial plant maca (Lepidium meyenii). The specific objectives include comparison of the antioxidant activities among various maca extracts, determination of the macamide B content of the extracts, and in vitro evaluation of maca on cell viability and creatine kinase (CK) activity. The antioxidant activities of the water, ethanol, and UA extracts were compared by determining the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities, and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of the extracts. The macamide B content of maca extracts were analyzed by HPLC. The effects of the extracts on muscle cell viability and creatine kinase activity were also determined using C2C12 myoblasts. UA extraction significantly increased the total phenolic content (2.90 GAE ㎍/mg, p < 0.05), without affecting the flavonoid content. DPPH radical scavenging activity did not exhibit any statistical difference among the extracts. The ethanol and UA extracts exhibited significantly higher FRAP than the water extract (p < 0.05). The macamide B content of ethanol and UA extracts were 0.087 and 0.083 ㎍/mg, respectively. The water and UA extracts exhibited higher C2C12 muscle cell viability than the ethanol extract, and both extracts resulted in a significantly lower CK level than the H₂O₂-treated control group. This research suggests that the maca extract can protect muscle cells and serve as an antifatigue agent under oxidative stress conditions.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2022

Maca roots (Lepidium meyenii) are an important medicinal herb that have long been used by the Andes-indigenous peoples and South Americans. In Korea, recently, it has attracted attention as a health food material because of nutritional values and physiological activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the industrial applicability of maca (red and golden varieties; R&G) as immunostimulating materials. In the macrophage stimulating assay using RAW 264.7 cells at 125~500 ㎍/mL of non-cytotoxicity doses, G-HW showed the most potent production of TNF-α, IL-6 and nitric oxide compared to red maca or the other extracts. The general component analysis results showed that all extracts comprised more than 90% neutral sugars with small amounts of uronic acid and protein. Meanwhile, component sugar analysis showed the difference in the content of uronic acids of cold- and hot-water extract. Additionally, the further fractionation of G-HW into crude polysaccharide (G-CP) greatly enhanced the macrophage stimulating activity, and G-CP contained macromolecules over 144 kDa, comprised mainly of glucose and galacturonic acid (51.0 and 34.9%). In conclusion, crude polysaccharide from maca showed industrial applicability as immunostimulating material, and especially golden maca showed higher macrophage stimulating activity than red maca.