• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.334-341
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to examine the quality characteristics and antioxidant activity of yogurt containing hot water extract from maca. Four different levels (0, 4, 8, 12%) of maca extract were added to milk followed by fermentation with lactic acid bacteria at $37^{\circ}C$ for 12 hrs, and then the physicochemical properties of the samples were investigated. During 7 days of storage at $4{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, the acid production (pH and titratable acidity) of the yogurt increased with the addition of maca extract. The Hunter L value (lightness) decreased, while the b value (yellowness) increased as the maca extract level in the yogurt increased. Viable cell counts were not significantly different among the samples. The results of consumer acceptance tests showed that no significant differences in overall acceptability were observed between the yogurts containing 4% and 8% of maca extract and a control yogurt. The yogurt containing maca extract exhibited higher DPPH radical and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities than the control yogurt over the storage period.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.236-242
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• 2010

This study was conducted to develop a functional syrup by using maca extract. Five different levels (0%, 7%, 14%, 21%, 28%) of maca extract was added and the physicochemical properties were investigated. The pH of control syrup was lower than that of syrup added with maca extract. Viscosity increased with increasing amount of maca extract. Hunter L value decreased while b value increased as maca extract level increased. Results of consumer acceptance test revealed that no significant differences in flavor, sweet taste and overall acceptability were observed among samples. Therefore, it is suggested that maca extract can be incorporated into syrup up to 28% without depressing the quality. Total polyphenol content and DPPH radical, superoxide anion radical and hydroxyl radical scavenging tests were conducted in view of estimating the functionality of maca syrup. Results showed that incorporation of maca extract into syrup exhibited higher polyphenol content and DPPH radical and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity than control syrup (p<0.05).

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.328-334
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Maca water and/or ethanol extract on the nitric oxide (NO) production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells HUVAC and on erectile dysfunction in rats. Maca was extracted due to both solutions, which are water and ethanol. Each Maca extract was applied to HUVAC, and NO production was checked. Additionally, three different dosages (250, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg) of Maca ethanol extract was administered to Sprague-Dawley rats for 4 weeks. All rats were sacrificed and each sample was collected for analysis. The control rats received only the saline vehicle. The NO production of HUVAC was significantly increased by domestic and homemade Maca water extracted at $60^{\circ}C$ group. Both NO generation and testosterone release were not influenced due to the oral administration of Maca. In the EtOH group rats, the number of sperm was reduced compared to that of the control group. All Maca groups had a high number of sperm and each sperm count had increased as a result of the Maca extract dose. The results of this research suggest that Maca has a positive effect on male erectile dysfunction, which need to be examined further in future studies.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.669-677
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to develop a functional drink using maca extract, and to evaluate the latter's antioxidative activity during storage. Maca extract was added in five different content percentages (0, 8, 16, 24, and 32%), and the physicochemical properties were investigated. The pH of the control drink was lower than that of the drink to which maca extract was added. The $^{\circ}Brix$ increased with the increasing amount of maca extract. The Hunter L value decreased while the yellowness (b) value increased as the maca extract level increased. The results of the consumer acceptance test showed that no significant differences in overall acceptability were observed between the control and the 8%-, 16%-, and 24% maca-added drinks. Therefore, it is suggested that up to 24% maca extract can be added to drinks without depressing the quality. The changes in the total polyphenol content, DPPH radical, superoxide anion radical activity, and tyrosinase inhibitory effect were monitored during storage at 4 and $37^{\circ}C$ for four weeks. The results showed that there was a gradual decrease in the total polyphenol content and antioxidant activities after four-week storage, and the drinks containing maca extract exhibited a smaller decrease in antioxidant activity than did the control drink. Moreover, microbial growth was not shown during the same periods.

• 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.

• 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.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.485-491
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• 2010

With an increase in the number of people suffering from ageing-related diseases in our rapidly aging society, interests in natural products such as maca(Lepidium meyenii), which has properties of enhancing cognition and sexual performance, have increased. This study was conducted to assess the effects of 7 weeks of maca extract supplementation(0.5~2.0 g/kg BW) on scopolamine-induced amnesia in mice and on sperm count in male mice. All doses of maca supplementation significantly protected against scopolamine-induced amnesia as determined by a Morris water maze, but not according to passive avoidance tests. Maca supplementation did not affect acetylcholinesterase activity in the whole brain, nor the testicular sperm count of male mice. This study suggests that maca may have some neuroprotective properties in mice, which will be further examined by future studies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.817-823
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• 2009

This study was conducted to determine the optimal extraction conditions for maca by comparing the yields, total polyphenol contents, superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity and the nitrite scavenging ability. The proximate composition analysis showed 6.57% moisture, 12.83% crude protein, 1.05% crude fat, 4.80% ash and 74.75% carbohydrate. Maca was extracted with 7 different solvents (water, methanol, ethanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, chloroform and hexane) and the extracts were tested for biological activities. The extraction yields of water, methanol and ethanol extracts were 46.2%, 21.4% and 16.8%, respectively. Acetone, ethyl acetate, chloroform and hexane exhibited very low extraction yield, ranging from 0.2 to 1.0%. Total polyphenol contents and the nitrite scavenging ability were the highest in water extract. Electron donating ability and the SOD-like activity were the highest in methanol extract. When water extract was drawn out at different extraction temperatures (30, 70, $100^{\circ}C$) and time (1, 3, 5 hr), the improved biological activities (total polyphenol contents, electron donating ability, SOD-like activity and nitrite scavenging ability) were found in extracts treated at $100^{\circ}C$ for 3 or 5 hrs.