title: Effect of ethanol extract of Lepidium meyenii Walp. on osteoporosis in ovariectomized rat.
abstract: Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) is a cruciferous plant from the Andes of Peru. The root of Maca is traditionally employed for its supposed properties in aphrodisiacs and improving fertility, it also has been widely used to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of ethanol extract of Maca on postmenopausal osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: Sham-operated and ovariectomized groups were fed with equivolume of distilled water, and the remaining ovariectomized groups were orally administrated with ethanol extract of Maca at 0.096 and 0.24 g/kg for 28 weeks. The findings derived from the basis of bone mineral density, biomechanical, biochemical and histopathological parameters indicated that higher dose of ethanol extract of Maca was effective in the prevention of estrogen deficient bone loss.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science & Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, 430074 Wuhan, PR China.
authors.forename: Yongzhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Longjiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Mingzhang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ao
authors.forename: Wenwen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects; D029686:Lepidium / Q000737:chemistry*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol