Red maca (Lepidium meyenii) reduced prostate size in rats
Gustavo F Gonzales1,4*, Sara Miranda1, Jessica Nieto1, Gilma Fern?ndez2, Sandra Yucra1, Julio Rubio1,4, Pedro Yi4,3 and Manuel Gasco1,4
* Corresponding author: Gustavo F Gonzales iiad@upch.edu.pe
Author Affiliations
1 Department of Biological and Physiological Sciences. Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
2 Departament of Chemistry. Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
3 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
4 Instituto de Investigaciones de la Altura. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
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Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 2005, 3:5 doi:10.1186/1477-7827-3-5
The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.rbej.com/content/3/1/5
Received: 25 October 2004
Accepted: 20 January 2005
Published: 20 January 2005
? 2005 Gonzales et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background
Epidemiological studies have found that consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. This effect seems to be due to aromatic glucosinolate content. Glucosinolates are known for have both antiproliferative and proapoptotic actions.
Maca is a cruciferous cultivated in the highlands of Peru. The absolute content of glucosinolates in Maca hypocotyls is relatively higher than that reported in other cruciferous crops. Therefore, Maca may have proapoptotic and anti-proliferative effects in the prostate.
Methods
Male rats treated with or without aqueous extracts of three ecotypes of Maca (Yellow, Black and Red) were analyzed to determine the effect on ventral prostate weight, epithelial height and duct luminal area. Effects on serum testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) levels were also assessed. Besides, the effect of Red Maca on prostate was analyzed in rats treated with testosterone enanthate (TE).
Results
Red Maca but neither Yellow nor Black Maca reduced significantly ventral prostate size in rats. Serum T or E2 levels were not affected by any of the ecotypes of Maca assessed. Red Maca also prevented the prostate weight increase induced by TE treatment. Red Maca administered for 42 days reduced ventral prostatic epithelial height. TE increased ventral prostatic epithelial height and duct luminal area. These increases by TE were reduced after treatment with Red Maca for 42 days. Histology pictures in rats treated with Red Maca plus TE were similar to controls. Phytochemical screening showed that aqueous extract of Red Maca has alkaloids, steroids, tannins, saponins, and cardiotonic glycosides. The IR spectra of the three ecotypes of Maca in 3800-650 cm (-1) region had 7 peaks representing 7 functional chemical groups. Highest peak values were observed for Red Maca, intermediate values for Yellow Maca and low values for Black Maca. These functional groups correspond among others to benzyl glucosinolate.
Conclusions
Red Maca, a cruciferous plant from the highland of Peru, reduced ventral prostate size in normal and TE treated rats.
Gustavo F Gonzales1,4*, Sara Miranda1, Jessica Nieto1, Gilma Fern?ndez2, Sandra Yucra1, Julio Rubio1,4, Pedro Yi4,3 and Manuel Gasco1,4
* Corresponding author: Gustavo F Gonzales iiad@upch.edu.pe
Author Affiliations
1 Department of Biological and Physiological Sciences. Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
2 Departament of Chemistry. Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
3 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
4 Instituto de Investigaciones de la Altura. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
For all author emails, please log on.
Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 2005, 3:5 doi:10.1186/1477-7827-3-5
The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.rbej.com/content/3/1/5
Received: 25 October 2004
Accepted: 20 January 2005
Published: 20 January 2005
? 2005 Gonzales et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background
Epidemiological studies have found that consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. This effect seems to be due to aromatic glucosinolate content. Glucosinolates are known for have both antiproliferative and proapoptotic actions.
Maca is a cruciferous cultivated in the highlands of Peru. The absolute content of glucosinolates in Maca hypocotyls is relatively higher than that reported in other cruciferous crops. Therefore, Maca may have proapoptotic and anti-proliferative effects in the prostate.
Methods
Male rats treated with or without aqueous extracts of three ecotypes of Maca (Yellow, Black and Red) were analyzed to determine the effect on ventral prostate weight, epithelial height and duct luminal area. Effects on serum testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) levels were also assessed. Besides, the effect of Red Maca on prostate was analyzed in rats treated with testosterone enanthate (TE).
Results
Red Maca but neither Yellow nor Black Maca reduced significantly ventral prostate size in rats. Serum T or E2 levels were not affected by any of the ecotypes of Maca assessed. Red Maca also prevented the prostate weight increase induced by TE treatment. Red Maca administered for 42 days reduced ventral prostatic epithelial height. TE increased ventral prostatic epithelial height and duct luminal area. These increases by TE were reduced after treatment with Red Maca for 42 days. Histology pictures in rats treated with Red Maca plus TE were similar to controls. Phytochemical screening showed that aqueous extract of Red Maca has alkaloids, steroids, tannins, saponins, and cardiotonic glycosides. The IR spectra of the three ecotypes of Maca in 3800-650 cm (-1) region had 7 peaks representing 7 functional chemical groups. Highest peak values were observed for Red Maca, intermediate values for Yellow Maca and low values for Black Maca. These functional groups correspond among others to benzyl glucosinolate.
Conclusions
Red Maca, a cruciferous plant from the highland of Peru, reduced ventral prostate size in normal and TE treated rats.
Comment