Lepidium meyenii (Maca) in male reproduction

Abstract

Lepidium meyenii (Maca) is an edible root plant that grows in the Andean region of Peru. For centuries, the plant has been used as a dietary supplement for its nutritional and therapeutic properties. Maca are rich in high value nutritional elements and secondary metabolites (macaridine, macamides and glucosinolates) with high biological activity. Several studies demonstrated various biological effects of Maca mainly in the field of fertility. The aim of this review is to summarize the state of knowledge on the properties of Maca on male reproduction. Literature data was performed in PubMed with researches published from 2000 to 2019. The research showed results related to the effects of Maca on the quality and quantity of the semen, sexual behaviour and disorders of the male genital tract. Despite the numerous studies carried out on different animal species, further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms of action of Maca.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Maca
• Lepidium meyenii
• fertility
• spermatogenesis
• nutraceuticals

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production (N. 37-15/6/2015), University of Naples Federico II, Italy.