L. gelidum Wedd.; L. peruvianum G.Chacón; and others Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) Chilque; macaia; Peruvian ginseng Dried powdered ‘root’ (hypocotyl) Unsaturated fatty acids, mainly macaene and macamide, as well as linoleic and oleic acids, the glucosinolates glucotropaeolin and m-methoxyglucotropaeolin, alkaloids including lepidiline A, lepidiline B and macaridine, and sterols such as β-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol. The root is rich in minerals and trace elements (Wang et al. 2007). A systematic review on the use of maca for treatment of menopausal symptoms, which included four double-blind randomised placebo-controlled clinical trials in healthy peri-menopausal, early post-menopausal and late post-menopausal women, showed that there is limited evidence to support its use (Lee et al. 2011), and that further studies are needed. However, based on these studies, maca was considered to be more effective than a placebo.
Maca
Lepidium meyenii Walp.
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