title: Effect of gamma irradiation on phenol content, antioxidant activity and biological activity of black maca and red maca extracts (Lepidium meyenii walp).
abstract: This study was performed to determine the effects of gamma irradiation on UV spectrum on maca, total content of polyphenols, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activities and in vivo biological activities of red and black maca extracts (Lepidium meyenii). Adult mice of the strain Swiss aged 3 months and weighing 30-35 g in average were used to determine biological activities. Daily sperm production, effect on testosterone-induced prostate hyperplasia and forced swimming test were used to determine the effect of irradiation on biological activities of maca extracts. Irradiation did not show differences in UV spectrum but improves the amount of total polyphenols in red maca as well as in black maca extracts. In both cases, black maca extract has more content of polyphenols than red maca extract (p < 0.01). Gamma irradiation significantly increased the antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05). No difference was observed in daily sperm production when irradiated and nonirradiated maca extract were administered to mice (p > 0.05). Black maca extract but not red maca extract has more swimming endurance capacity in the forced swimming test. Irradiation of black maca extract increased the swimming time to exhaustion (p < 0.05). This is not observed with red maca extract (p > 0.05). Testosterone enanthate (TE) increased significantly the ventral prostate weight. Administration of red maca extract in animals treated with TE prevented the increase in prostate weight. Irradiation did not modify effect of red maca extract on prostate weight (p > 0.05). In conclusion, irradiation does not alter the biological activities of both black maca and red maca extracts. It prevents the presence of microorganisms in the extracts of black or red maca, but the biological activities were maintained.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biological and Physiological Sciences , Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia , Lima , Peru .|b Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy , Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Head of the Endocrine and Reproductive Lab, Av. Honorio Delgado , Lima , Peru , and.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zevallos-Concha
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biological and Physiological Sciences , Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia , Lima , Peru .|b Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy , Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Head of the Endocrine and Reproductive Lab, Av. Honorio Delgado , Lima , Peru , and.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nuñez
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biological and Physiological Sciences , Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia , Lima , Peru .|b Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy , Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Head of the Endocrine and Reproductive Lab, Av. Honorio Delgado , Lima , Peru , and.|c Instituto De Investigaciones De La Altura, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia , Lima , Peru.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gasco
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biological and Physiological Sciences , Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia , Lima , Peru .
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vasquez
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biological and Physiological Sciences , Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia , Lima , Peru .
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quispe
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biological and Physiological Sciences , Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia , Lima , Peru .|b Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy , Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Head of the Endocrine and Reproductive Lab, Av. Honorio Delgado , Lima , Peru , and.|c Instituto De Investigaciones De La Altura, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia , Lima , Peru.
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gonzales
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays; D029686:Lepidium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Biological activities; Lepidium meyenii; black maca; gamma irradiation; polyphenols; radical-scavenging activities; red maca