The antioxidant effect of Peruvian maca (Lepidium meyenii)

Yaquetto D.E.A.; Aparicio V.M.P.; Gonzales G.F. · Toxicology: Oxidative Stress and Dietary Antioxidants (2020) · DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-819092-0.00050-9

Resumen

In the highlands of Peru, Lepidium meyenii (maca), a Brassicacea plant, is known for its proclaimed health benefits. This crop has been harvested and used as a therapeutical agent for over 500 years and the recent studies have proved the majority of health claims attributed to it. Some of the diseases and conditions maca is effective in treating are related to oxidative stress. This is a disruption of the prooxidation-antioxidation balance that results in cell damage and is associated with diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species is unavoidable so diet plays a major role in assuring oxidative balance and preventing disease. L. meyenii is a crop with high antioxidant capacity and thus has been the focus of nutrition research for the last 20 years. Maca is known to have phenolic compounds, glucosinolates, isothiocinates, macamides, and macaenes. The quantities differ depending on the soil, the place of harvest, and the phenotype, which is distinguishable by the color of the hypocotyl. This chapter provides a revision of the evidence regarding the antioxidant capacity of Peruvian maca.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia