Badanie podprzewlekłej toksyczności dwóch doustnych dawek Macy żelatynizowanej (Maca-GO) w 90-dniowym teście na szczurach obu płci

Bogdan Kędzia¹, Henry Ostrowski-Meissner²

Summary
Roots of Maca (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon) for century have been used by natives of Peruvian Andes as an energizing vegetable and as medicinal plant. Amongst variety of displayed therapeutic functions, it has been recognized to help maintaining proper thyroid function, prevents osteoporosis, as well as through balancing effect on hormones, counteracts negative symptoms observed by women before menstruation and during their menopausal stage. The above properties were already utilized overseas in designing various dietary supplements and therapeutic preparations based on processed (gelatinized) Maca for use by men, pre- and post-menopausal women and youth.
Earlier, short-term study from his laboratory on rats receiving gelatinized Maca (Maca-GO) indicated a dose up to 7.5 g/kg body weight as a save and non-toxic level of administration to rats. However, there is no information as to both, lower dose of application and longer-term effect of administration on physiological responses and potential toxic effect on gelatinized Maca on laboratory animals in a model experimental design, results of which could be extrapolated to internationally-accepted therapeutic standards.
The aim of his study was to determine potential longer-term effect of administration of the two doses of gelatinized Maca to rats, in order to fulfil one of the required conditions determining registration of the gelatinized Maca as a marketable product in countries under the EU jurisdiction.
Sprague-Dowley male (30) and female (30) rats receiving two dietary levels of powder (0.75 g/kg and 7.5 g/kg body weight) were assessed against control during 90 days trials. Blood morphology, levels of sex hormones, lipid profile, and histology of internal organs were determined and homogenates of skeletal muscles and bones of rats were analysed.
Irrespective of the level of the inclusion level, after 90 days of Maca-GO application to male and female rats, there was a highly significant (p<0.001) reduction in weight gains (14,3-17,1% in males and 8,0% in females) as compared to control animals. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) recorded in blood morphology at both levels of Maca-GO administration which could be attributed to 0.75 g/kg or 7.5 g/kg long-term administration of Maca-GO to rats, as well as no abnormal changes in histology of internal organs were observed. There was a significant increase in blood glucose level (19%-26%) and progesterone in females (63%-93%) with simultaneous lowering in cortisol level (17%-36%) as compared to corresponding control groups of rats.
It may be concluded, that the pre-gelatinized Maca-GO as used in this study has low toxicity and appears to be safe for short-term and extended use as dietary supplement or in functional dietary preparations. Different responses observed in male and female rats to both different levels of Maca-GO intake and the length of its administration warrant further more detail study.

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