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Lepidium meyenii (Maca) improved semen parameters in adult men

Authors:
Gustavo Francisco Gonzales at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Gustavo Francisco Gonzales
Amanda Cordova at United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Amanda Cordova
Carla Gonzales at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Carla Gonzales
A Chung
A Chung
A Chung
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Abstract and Figures

The present study was designed to determine the effect of a 4-month oral treatment with tablets of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on seminal analysis in nine adult normal men aged 24-44 years old. Nine men received tablets of Maca (1500 or 3000 mg/day) for 4 months. Seminal analysis was performed according to guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). Serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) were measured before and after treatment. Treatment with Maca resulted in increased seminal volume, sperm count per ejaculum, motile sperm count, and sperm motility. Serum hormone levels were not modified with Maca treatment. Increase of sperm count was not related to dose of Maca. Maca improved sperm production and sperm motility by mechanisms not related to LH, FSH, PRL, T and E2.
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Lepidium meyenii (Maca) improved semen parameters in adult men
Gustavo F. Gonzales, Amanda Cordova, Carla Gonzales, Arturo Chung, Karla Vega,
Arturo Villena
Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy and Ins
tituto de Investigaciones de la Altura. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima,
Peru
Asian J Androl 2001 Dec; 3: 301-303
Abstract
Aim: The present study was designed to determine the effect of a 4 month oral treatment with tablets
of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on seminal analysis in nine adult normal men aged 24-44 years old.
Methods: Nine men received tablets of Maca (1500 or 3000 mg/day) for 4 months. Seminal analysis
was performed according to guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). Serum luteinizing
hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T) and estradiol (E
2
)
were measured before and after treatment. Results: Treatment with Maca resulted in increased
seminal volume, sperm count per ejaculum, motile sperm count, and sperm motility. Serum hormone
levels were not modified with Maca treatment. Increase of sperm count was not related to dose of
Maca. Conclusion: Maca improved sperm production and sperm motility by mechanisms not related
to LH, FSH, PRL, T and E
2
.
1 Introduction
Maca is the root of a Peruvian plant Lepidium meyenii (Brassicaceae), growing in the Central Andean
Region of Peru between 4000 and 4500 m altitude, mainly in Junin and Cerro de Pasco. This species
is described in the catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru
[1]
. Maca is traditionally
employed, among others, to improve sexuality and fertility. Oral administration of Maca significantly
improved the sexual behavior in male rats and mice
[2,3]
. More recently, it has been demonstrated that
Maca improves spermatogenesis in male rats
[4]
, however, its effect on sperm production in men has
not been assessed. The present investigation was designed to study the effect of oral administration
of Maca on the semen parameters and serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone
(FSH), prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T) and estradiol (E
2
) levels in normal male volunteers.
2 Materials and methods
2.1 Maca
Maca (Maca Gelatinizada La Molina) tablets were provided by the Laboratorios Hersil (Lima, Peru).
Each tablet contains 500 mg of the root. This product could be purchased in the pharmacy as a
nutrient.
2.2 Subjects and treatment
Twelve healthy men, 24-44 years of age, were recruited in the study, but 3 dropped out due to
personal reasons during the 4 month treatment period. They had not received any kind of medical
treatment for at least 3 months before the study. All the subjects gave written consent to participate in
the study after being informed of the purpose, benefit and possible risks of the study. Among the 9
men with complete data, 6 were married and 3, single. Semen samples were collected by
masturbation after a 3 day abstinence and fasting blood samples obtained between 08.00-09.00 h
before and at the end of the treatment. Sera were kept frozen until hormone assay. Six subjects
received 1500 mg/day, whereas 3, 3000 mg/day of Maca for 4 months. The study was approved by
the Institutional Review Board of the Scientific Research Office, at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano
Heredia.
2.3 Semen analysis
The ejaculate volume, semen consistency, sperm motility, sperm morphology and sperm
concentration were assessed according to the WHO manual
[5]
. Spermatozoa were graded “a” (rapid
progressive motility), “b” (slow or sluggish progressive motility), “c” (nonprogressive motility), or “d”
(immotility) as recommended by the manual.
2.4 Hormone assay
LH, FSH, and PRL were measured by immunoradiometric assay (IRMA), whereas T and E
2
were
measured by radioimmunoassay using commercial kits (Diagnostic Product Co, California).
2.5 Statistical analysis
Data were expressed in mean±SEM, if applicable. Statistical analysis was performed by the Student’s
t-test.The difference was considered significant when P<0.05.
3 Results
Data on semen analysis are presented in Table 1. The semen volume, total sperm count, motile
sperm count, and sperm motility (Grades a+b) were significantly increased after treatment with Maca
(P<0.05). Motility Grade a sperm was also increased, but statistically insignificant. There were no
significant differences between the two dosage levels of Maca used. In 4 of the 9 subjects, who had
low basal serum FSH levels, the sperm count was not increased after Maca treatment .
Maca treatment did not significantly change the levels of the hormones assayed (Table 2).
Table 1
Semen variable
Pre-Maca
(n=9)
Post-Maca
(n=9)
P value
Volume (mL) 2.23±0.28 2.91±0.28 <0.05
pH 7.47±0.09 7.44±0.07 NS
Sperm count (10
6
/mL) 67.06±18.61 90.33±20.46 NS
Total sperm count(10
6
/mL) 140.95±31.05 259.29±68.17 <0.05
Motile sperm count (10
6
/mL) 87.72±19.87 183.16±47.84 <0.05
Sperm motility grade a (%) 29.00±5.44 33.65±3.05 NS
Sperm motility grade a+b (%) 62.11±3.64 71.02±2.86 <0.05
Normal sperm morphology (%) 75.50±2.02 76.90±1.23 NS
Table 2
Hormones
Pre-Maca
(n=9)
Post-Maca
(n=9)
P value
FSH (mIU/mL) 4.30±1.00 3.51±0.83 NS
LH (mIU/mL) 6.05±0.69 4.76±0.68 NS
PRL (ng/mL) 14.41±2.74 13.00±1.51 NS
T (ng/mL) 6.53±0.81 5.34±0.38 NS
E
2
(pg/mL) 32.63±4.46 41.53±6.52 NS
4 Discussion
Semen volume resulted from the contributions of seminal vesicles (60%), prostate (30%) and
epididymis(10%)
[6]
. All these glands are androgen dependent
[7]
. Sperm motility was also androgen
dependent
[6]
. Maca treatment was able to increase both the semen volume and sperm motility.
However, we failed to find any increase in serum testosterone levels during Maca treatment, which
may suggest that either bioavailable testosterone or testosterone receptor binding might be
augmented.
Another possibility is that Maca may act without the participation of androgen mechanism. This seems
to be supported by the fact that the weight of seminal vesicle, a target for androgen action, was not
influenced by Maca in adult male rats
[4]
.
In adult male rats, Maca has been shown to be beneficial to spermatogenesis
[4]
. In the present study,
sperm count was increased by Maca without affecting the FSH level. It is possible that Maca may
improve the response of Sertoli cells to FSH. We have demonstrated in women that oral
administration of Maca for 2 weeks resulted in an increase in the size of the dominant follicles
(unpublished data), which also suggested that Maca may improve the response to FSH. Further
studies will be required to clarify this issue. In conclusion, Maca administration as tablets may
improve sperm production and sperm motility.
References
[1] Brako L, Zarucchi JL. Catalogue of the Flowering Plants and Gymnosperms of Peru. St Louis:
Missouri Botanical Garden; 1993. p 229.
[2] Zheng BL, He K, Kim CH, Rogers L, Shao Y, Huang ZY, et al. Effect of lipidic extract from
Lepidium meyenii on sexual behavior in mice and rats. Urology 2000; 55: 598-602.
[3] Cicero AF, Bandieri E, Arletti R. Lepidium meyenii Walp improves sexual behaviour in male rats
independently from its action on spontaneous locomotor activity. J Ethnopharmacol 2001; 75: 225-9.
[4] Gonzales GF, Ruiz A, Gonzales C, Villegas L, Córdova A. Effect of Lepidium meyenii (Maca)
rotos, a Peruvian plant on spermatogenesis of male rats. Asian J Androl 2001; 3:231-3.
[5] World Health Organization. WHO laboratory manual for the examination of human semen and
sperm cervical mucus interaction. 4th ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1999. p 1-10.
[6] Gonzales GF. Functional structure and ultra structure of seminal vesicles. Arch Androl 1988; 22: 1-
13.
[7] Gonzales GF. A test for bioandrogenicity in men attending an infertility service. Arch Androl 1988;
21: 135-42.
... Lepidum meyenii Walp, also known as maca, is a plant species belonging to the family Brassicaceae and native to the high Andean regions in Peru and Bolivia (Lim et al., 2015). Maca has been cultivated for more than two thousand years, with evidence of its cultivation observed in the central Peruvian Andes, specifically in Óndores district in Junín province (Gonzales, 2010;Gonzales and Alarcón-Yaquetto, 2018). For the Andean population, maca is considered a valuable commodity and its dried roots can be preserved for years (National Research Council, 1989). ...
... As for the secondary metabolites, a significant amount of them have been identified, among the most notable: alkaloid compounds, such as lepedilins and macapirrolins Todorova et al., 2021), thiazoles, macahidantoins, macaridine, alkaloids (Zhou et al., 2017a;Chen et al., 2021), macamides, macaínas (Zhou et al., 2017b;Chen et al., 2021;Todorova et al., 2021), glucosinolates (Zhou et al., 2017b;Gonzales and Alarcón-Yaquetto, 2018;Chen et al., 2021;Todorova et al., 2021), polysaccharides, polyphenols, sterols, free fatty acids, and flavonoids (Gonzales and Alarcón-Yaquetto, 2018;Chen et al., 2021;Todorova et al., 2021). In this regard, in a multivariate factorial study of 70 commercial samples of maca and raw tubers from China and Peru (Geng et al., 2020), differences were found between the secondary metabolites of the maca samples among these countries, as well as within the same country with respect to their ecotypes. ...
... As for the secondary metabolites, a significant amount of them have been identified, among the most notable: alkaloid compounds, such as lepedilins and macapirrolins Todorova et al., 2021), thiazoles, macahidantoins, macaridine, alkaloids (Zhou et al., 2017a;Chen et al., 2021), macamides, macaínas (Zhou et al., 2017b;Chen et al., 2021;Todorova et al., 2021), glucosinolates (Zhou et al., 2017b;Gonzales and Alarcón-Yaquetto, 2018;Chen et al., 2021;Todorova et al., 2021), polysaccharides, polyphenols, sterols, free fatty acids, and flavonoids (Gonzales and Alarcón-Yaquetto, 2018;Chen et al., 2021;Todorova et al., 2021). In this regard, in a multivariate factorial study of 70 commercial samples of maca and raw tubers from China and Peru (Geng et al., 2020), differences were found between the secondary metabolites of the maca samples among these countries, as well as within the same country with respect to their ecotypes. ...
Exploring the chemical and pharmacological variability of Lepidium meyenii: a comprehensive review of the effects of maca
Article
Full-text available
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Maca (Lepidium meyenii), a biennial herbaceous plant indigenous to the Andes Mountains, has a rich history of traditional use for its purported health benefits. Maca’s chemical composition varies due to ecotypes, growth conditions, and post-harvest processing, contributing to its intricate phytochemical profile, including, macamides, macaenes, and glucosinolates, among other components. This review provides an in-depth revision and analysis of Maca’s diverse bioactive metabolites, focusing on the pharmacological properties registered in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Maca is generally safe, with rare adverse effects, supported by preclinical studies revealing low toxicity and good human tolerance. Preclinical investigations highlight the benefits attributed to Maca compounds, including neuroprotection, anti-inflammatory properties, immunoregulation, and antioxidant effects. Maca has also shown potential for enhancing fertility, combating fatigue, and exhibiting potential antitumor properties. Maca’s versatility extends to metabolic regulation, gastrointestinal health, cardio protection, antihypertensive activity, photoprotection, muscle growth, hepatoprotection, proangiogenic effects, antithrombotic properties, and antiallergic activity. Clinical studies, primarily focused on sexual health, indicate improved sexual desire, erectile function, and subjective wellbeing in men. Maca also shows promise in alleviating menopausal symptoms in women and enhancing physical performance. Further research is essential to uncover the mechanisms and clinical applications of Maca’s unique bioactive metabolites, solidifying its place as a subject of growing scientific interest.
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... As of November 7, 2023, using the search terms "maca," "maca" [in title], "maca" [in title/abstract], "Lepidium meyenii" [in title/abstract], and "Lepidium peruvianum" [in title/abstract], results in 843, 256, 528, 292, and 17 findings, respectively [21]. Beginning with the early 2000s until the present day (2023), preclinical and clinical research has provided data that would expand maca's use into other areas of health such as menstrual cycle regulation [22,23], menopausal symptoms [24][25][26][27], osteoporosis [28], sperm quality [29][30][31][32][33][34][35], memory [36][37][38][39], mood [36,40], prostate health [41][42][43][44][45][46], and fitness optimization (e.g., reducing inflammation and increasing strength) [47][48][49]. Even though maca has broader applications, there has been historical research emphasis on its ability to modify the endocrine system, pioneered by the work of Gonzales et al. on males [29,31,33,42,50,51] and Meissner et al. on pre-and post-menopausal women [24][25][26][27]. ...
... Beginning with the early 2000s until the present day (2023), preclinical and clinical research has provided data that would expand maca's use into other areas of health such as menstrual cycle regulation [22,23], menopausal symptoms [24][25][26][27], osteoporosis [28], sperm quality [29][30][31][32][33][34][35], memory [36][37][38][39], mood [36,40], prostate health [41][42][43][44][45][46], and fitness optimization (e.g., reducing inflammation and increasing strength) [47][48][49]. Even though maca has broader applications, there has been historical research emphasis on its ability to modify the endocrine system, pioneered by the work of Gonzales et al. on males [29,31,33,42,50,51] and Meissner et al. on pre-and post-menopausal women [24][25][26][27]. Meissner et al. continue to conduct ongoing research at five universities in Poland to investigate the use of different maca phenotypes to treat specific medical conditions associated with various menopausal symptoms, men's health, and even prevalent health areas of concern shared by both genders [52]. ...
... As a result of these properties, preclinical (animal) and clinical studies combined, maca has become known for its therapeutic effect in myriad conditions, including fertility and reproductive health in men and women [17,31,59], prostate health [44,45,51], sexual performance [17,143] and sexual desire [50], cognitive impairment and memory loss [39,144], menopause [145,146], low chronic mountain sickness scores [97], skin health [147], anemia [145], cancer [17,95,140,148], vitality [17], gastrointestinal motility [149], and osteoporosis [17,28] (Table 1). Although not confirmed, it has been suggested that the effects on mood and cognition may be due to the possibility of maca metabolites crossing the blood-brain barrier [39]. ...
Not All Maca Is Created Equal: A Review of Colors, Nutrition, Phytochemicals, and Clinical Uses
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Full-text available
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Maca (Lepidium meyenii, Lepidium peruvianum) is part of the Brassicaceae family and grows at high altitudes in the Peruvian Andes mountain range (3500–5000 m). Historically, it has been used as a nutrient-dense food and for its medicinal properties, primarily in enhancing energy and fertility. Scientific research has validated these traditional uses and other clinical applications by elucidating maca’s mechanisms of action, nutrition, and phytochemical content. However, research over the last twenty years has identified up to seventeen different colors (phenotypes) of maca. The color, hypocotyl size, growing location, cultivation, and post-harvest processing methods can have a significant effect on the nutrition content, phytochemical profile, and clinical application. Yet, research differentiating the colors of maca and clinical applications remains limited. In this review, research on the nutrition, phytochemicals, and various colors of maca, including black, red, yellow (predominant colors), purple, gray (lesser-known colors), and any combination of colors, including proprietary formulations, will be discussed based on available preclinical and clinical trials. The gaps, deficiencies, and conflicts in the studies will be detailed, along with quality, safety, and efficacy criteria, highlighting the need for future research to specify all these factors of the maca used in publications.
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... En este marco, el presente estudio se orienta a examinar el efecto de la Maca en cada uno de los sujetos con diagnóstico de infertilidad, entre los cuales se determinaron diferentes afectaciones en los parámetros estudiados. De manera general, en este estudio no se encontró incremento significativo en el volumen seminal con el tratamiento con Maca; hecho aparentemente contradictorio con los resultados de Gonzales et al. 5 que muestran un aumento del volumen seminal en sujetos normales que recibieron tratamiento con Maca y un incremento importante el número de espermatozoides por eyaculado total con un aumento no significativo del número de espermatozoides por mililitro. En este estudio, después del tratamiento con Maca no se han observado tales variaciones en cantidades significativos; en cambio, se evidenció un efecto modulador de la Maca sobre el volumen de eyaculado: los sujetos con volumen seminal por debajo o cercano al valor mínimo normal tienden a aumentar dicho volumen; por el contrario, los sujetos con volumen eyaculado por encima o cercano al valor máximo normal tienden a una ligera disminución. ...
... Si bien este efecto de la Maca constituye el 20 % dentro del grupo de estudio, se puede afirmar de manera preliminar, que el efecto fue del 100% en sujetos afectados por severos trastornos de motilidad espermática (astenospermia). El incremento de la proporción de espermatozoides motiles encontrado, coincide con otros estudios, particularmente el de Gonzales et al. 5 Actualmente, se sabe que las alteraciones de la motilidad y de la morfología espermática están fuertemente relacionadas con la presencia de especies reactivas de oxígeno (ROS) en el semen; estudios de quimioluminiscencia en pacientes infértiles primarios muestran una alta concentración de ROS y una correlación entre la morfología espermática y el stress oxidativo con disminución evidente de la motilidad progresiva espermática 18 . Otros estudios revelan que el tratamiento con antioxidantes naturales disminuye el daño en la membrana plasmática, por lo que disminuye la necrosis celular 19 . ...
lepidium meyenii -espermatogenesis 2010
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2010
Efecto de Lepidium meyenii (Maca) sobre la espermatogénesis y la calidad espermática en sujetos diagnosticados con infertilidad: estudio de serie de casos Effect of the Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on the spermatogenesis and the spermatic quality of subjects with diagnosis of infertility: study of cases Recibido para publicación en 21/12/10 Aceptado en 28/12/10 RESUMEN La infertilidad asociada a trastornos en la espermatogénesis y en la calidad seminal, es un problema de salud pública cuyo manejo terapéutico actual produce efectos colaterales, carece de eficacia significativa y el paciente habitualmente termina en procedimientos de reproducción asistida. Actualmente una alternativa plausible para enfrentar estos problemas es el uso de plantas medicinales; tal es el caso de Lepidium meyenii (Maca). En el presente trabajo se estudió el efecto de una variedad local de Maca sobre la espermatogénesis y la calidad espermática en diez sujetos diagnosticados de infertilidad y que presentaban alteraciones en uno o más parámetros seminales. El tratamiento con Lepidium meyenii (Maca) duró 3 meses, en una dosis de 3000 mg/día; se evaluaron todos los parámetros seminales, de acuerdo a las guías de la OMS y se determinaron las concentraciones de Testosterona, Hormona Folículo Estimulante (FSH), Estradiol, Sulfato de Dehidroepiandrosterona (DHEA-S), Hormona Estimulante de la Tiroides (TSH) y de Antígeno Prostático Específico (PSA) séricas antes y después del tratamiento. La motilidad espermática Grado III fue significativamente mejorada: en la 1ª hora antes del tratamiento presentó valores de 10 ± 0.06, en relación a 15 ± 0.07 después del tratamiento (P < 0.001), en la 3ª hora los valores de 8 ± 0.06 antes del tratamiento se incrementaron a 11 ± 0.06 (P < 0.001). Los valores de la motilidad progresiva (motilidad espermática grado III y II) a la 1ª hora antes del tratamiento, fueron de 67.2 ± 0.09, con aumento después del tratamiento a 74.3 ± 0.07 (P < 0.01). La vitalidad espermática en la 1ª hora no presentó cambios significativos con el tratamiento, en cambio a la 3ª hora sus valores antes del tratamiento fueron de 75 ± 0.08, y después del tratamiento fueron de 79 ± 0.07 (P < 0.01). La morfología presentó valores de espermatozoides normales antes del tratamiento de 40 ± 0.10 y después del tratamiento 45 ± 0.11 (P < 0.01). El porcentaje de células germinales o inmaduras antes del tratamiento fue de 5.6 ± 0.045 y después del tratamiento 3.7 ± 0.037 (P < 0.01). Las concentraciones hormonales antes y después del tratamiento no variaron significativamente. El Antígeno Prostático Especifico tampoco se modificó después del tratamiento. El efecto más evidente fue el incremento de la proporción de espermatozoides motiles en sujetos cuya deficiencia se expresa en este parámetro; este incremento correlacionó directamente con el hecho de que tales sujetos pudieron embarazar a sus parejas durante el tratamiento. Palabras Clave: Lepidium meyenii, infertilidad, motilidad espermática, espermatograma, Maca
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... Acute administration of Lepidium meyenii led to the increase in weights of the epididymis and mitotic changes for spermatogenesis in the seminiferous tubules of rats [97]. Similarly, chronic treatment with tablets of maca (Lepidium meyenii) resulted in an increase in the sperm count per ejaculate, seminal volume, motile sperm count, and sperm motility [98]. In another study by Salgado et al. [99] semen quality was evaluated following administration of Tribulus terrestris. ...
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... Different studies have shown that oral administration of maca improves seminal quality in humans [55], mice [25,56,57], and stallions [58]. For instance, the study of Rubio et al. (2006) [27] indicated that oral administration of maca to rats exposed to lead acetate (LA) prevented LA-induced spermatogenic disruption, suggesting this as a potential treatment for lead exposure-associated male infertility. ...
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... Studies showed that Maca extract can improve male spermatogenesis and enhance sexual function in animals [18,19]. Oral treatment with Maca improved sperm production and sperm motility in adult men [20]. Administration of Maca tablets (containing 500 mg dehydrated roots) in men was shown to increase sexual desire [21]. ...
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  • MOLECULES
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Full-text available
  • Feb 2024
Maca is a traditional Andean crop used as a nutraceutical for the fertility-enhancing properties that are linked with antioxidant activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time, the potential beneficial effects of oral Maca (Lepidium meyenii or Lepidium peruvianum) supplementation in improving reproductive performance in male dogs. Forty-eight male dogs of different breeds were enrolled in the study, fed the same maintenance diet, and exposed to the same environmental conditions. The subjects were divided into four groups of 12 dogs each: Subfertile treatment group, Subfertile control group, Normofertile treatment group, and Normofertile control group. The dogs in the treatment groups received Lepidium meyenii in their diet in a capsule formulation [75 mg/kg Maca extract 10:1, thickening agent (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), ground rice], while the control groups received placebo capsule (starch). For each subject included in the study, the spermiogram was analyzed at three time points of the sperm cycle: at day 0 (T0), day 31 (T31), and day 62 (T62). Dietary supplementation with Maca in subfertile subjects resulted in a significant increase in ejaculate volume and total sperm count compared to the control group. This increase was also observed in normofertile subjects in the treatment group. In addition, total and progressive motility as well as sperm morphology were significantly improved in the groups treated with Maca compared to the control groups. The results thus highlight, for the first time, the potential efficacy of supplementation with 75 mg/kg of Maca extract daily in improving semen quality in dogs.
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Corrected Seminal Fructose Levels: Index of Secretory Activity of Seminal Vesicles
Article
Full-text available
  • Feb 1988
  • ARCH ANDROLOGY
Seminal fructose, sperm count, and sperm motility were measured in 340 men attending an infertility clinic. Seminal fructose correlates negatively with sperm count but not with sperm motility. The best correlation between sperm count and seminal fructose was obtained using the logarithm (log) of sperm count. When seminal fructose was multiplied by the log of sperm count obtaining a value named "corrected fructose," the correlation with sperm count disappeared, and there was positive correlation between corrected seminal fructose and sperm motility. Therefore, corrected seminal fructose level was significantly lower in asthenospermic than in normomotile subjects, irrespective of the sperm count. Corrected seminal fructose, but not seminal fructose levels, was lowered in subjects with either low levels of serum testosterone (less than 3 ng/ml) or evidence of an obstructive process in the reproductive tract. In both situations sperm motility was also reduced. The corrected fructose level was not affected by the presence of varicocele, hyperprolactinemia, or hyperserotoninemia. Measurement of corrected seminal fructose rather than seminal fructose may be a useful marker of the secretory activity of the seminal vesicles.
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Effect of Lepidium meyenii (maca) roots on spermatogenesis of male rats
Article
Full-text available
  • Oct 2001
To determine the effect of oral administration of an aqueous extract from the roots of Lepidium meyenii (maca) on spermatogenesis in adult male rats. Male rats received an aqueous extract of the root (66.7 mg in one mL) twice a day for 14 consecutive days. Treatment with Lepidium meyenii resulted in an increase in the weights of testis and epididymis but not the seminal vesicle weight. The length and frequency of stages IX-XIV seminiferous tubules, where mitosis occurred, were increased and stages I-VI were reduced in rats treated with Lepidium meyenii. The Lepidium meyenii root invigorates spermatogenesis in male rats by acting on its initial stages (IX-XIV).
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Lepidium meyenii Walp. improves sexual behaviour in male rats independently from its action on spontaneous locomotor activity
Article
  • May 2001
  • J ETHNOPHARMACOL
Lepidium meyenii Walpers (Maca) is traditionally employed in the Andean region for its supposed properties to improve energy and fertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of acute and chronic Maca pulverised root oral administration on rat sexual behaviour. Sixty male sexually experienced rats (20 group) were daily treated for 15 days with Maca 15 mg kg−1, Maca 75 mg kg−1 or saline 0.5 ml kg−1. The following sexual performance parameters were evaluated at first and last day of treatment: 1st mount (ML), 1st intromission (IL), ejaculation (EL) and postejaculatory (PEL) latencies, intercopulatory interval (ICI) and copulatory efficacy (CE). An activity cage test was carried out to evaluate if Maca-induced locomotion changes could indirectly improve rat sexual performances. It was observed that both lower and higher Maca doses acutely decreased ML, IL and ICI in a significant way (P<0.05), while only the 75 mg kg−1 dose decreased the PEL (T=29, P<0.05). This effect seems to be the only one dose-dependent. After 15 days of treatment, both doses are able to significantly decrease ML, IL, EL and PEL, while the 75 mg kg−1 dose decreased the ICI (T=40, P<0.05) too. IL, EL and PEL variations seem to be dose-related after chronic treatment. Moreover, chronic Maca treatment induced an apparently not dose-related increase in rat locomotion, during the second 10-min period of observation in the activity cage. The late in Maca-induced locomotion modification excludes that improvement of tested sexual performance parameters is related to an increase in rat aspecific activity. Thus, it was concluded that both acute and chronic Maca oral administration significantly improve sexual performance parameters in male rats.
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Functional Structure and Ultrastructure of Seminal Vesicles
Article
  • Feb 1989
  • ARCH ANDROLOGY
The function of the seminal vesicles in animals and man is under androgen control. The use of a new marker of the seminal vesicle function, termed corrected fructose, demonstrates an association between serum testosterone levels and seminal corrected fructose levels. The human seminal vesicles secrete a variety of products, and there is good evidence of a close relationship between functions of the seminal vesicles and sperm motility. Some of their products of secretion, such as potassium, bicarbonate, prostaglandins, and prolactin, directly stimulate the motility of the sperm through actions at the level of the mechanisms of production of the energy necessary for the motion. Several constituents are secreted by the seminal vesicles, some of which have no specific functions.
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Effect of lipidic extract from Lepidium meyenii on sexual behavior in mice and rats
Article
  • May 2000
To determine the effect of oral administration of a purified lipidic extract from Lepidium meyenii (MacaPure M-01 and M-02) on the number of complete intromissions and mating in normal mice, and on the latent period of erection (LPE) in rats with erectile dysfunction. Mice and rats were randomly divided into several experimental and control groups. A 10% ethanol suspension of M-01 and M-02 was orally administered for 22 days to the experimental groups according to the dosage specified by the experimental design. On day 22, 30 minutes after the dose was administered to the male mice, 2 virgin female mice were placed with 1 male mouse. The number of complete intromissions of each male mouse in 3 hours was recorded. In an assessment of 1 day of mating, each male mouse was cohabited with 5 estrous female mice overnight. The number of sperm-positive females was recorded. The LPE was measured to assess the sexual function in rats with erectile dysfunction. By using a YSD-4G multifunction instrument, an electric pulse at 20 V was applied to stimulate the rat's penis, and the duration from the start of the stimulus to full erection was measured in seconds as the LPE. In the normal male mice, the number of complete intromissions during the 3-hour period was 16.33 +/- 1.78, 46.67 +/- 2.39, and 67.01 +/- 2.55 for the control group, M-01 group, and M-02 group, respectively. In the assessment of mating, the number of sperm-positive females increased from 0.6 +/- 0.7 in the control group to 1.5 +/- 0.5 in the M-01 experimental group. The LPE of male rats with erectile dysfunction was 112 +/- 13 seconds with a regular diet (control group). The oral administration of M-01 at a dose of 180 or 1800 mg/kg body weight and M-02 at a dose of 45, 180, or 1800 mg/kg body weight reduced the LPE to 54 +/- 12 seconds, 54 +/- 13 seconds, 71 +/- 12 seconds, 73 +/- 12 seconds, and 41 +/- 13 seconds, respectively. The LPE of the surgical rats treated with M-01 at the lowest dose (45 mg/kg) was 121 +/- 12 seconds; thus, the change was not significant. Oral administration of M-01 and M-02 enhanced the sexual function of the mice and rats, as evidenced by an increase in the number of complete intromissions and the number of sperm-positive females in normal mice, and a decrease in the LPE in male rats with erectile dysfunction. The present study reveals for the first time an aphrodisiac activity of L. meyenii, an Andean Mountain herb.
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Catalogue of the Flowering Plants and Gymnosperms of Peru. St Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden
  • Jan 1993
  • 229
  • L Brako
  • Jl Zarucchi
Brako L, Zarucchi JL. Catalogue of the Flowering Plants and Gymnosperms of Peru. St Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden; 1993. p 229.