Objective: To observe the potential effects of Lepidium meyemii Waip (MACA) on body fat, sexual hormone, bone metabolism in post-ovariectomized rats.
Method: Healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: sham operated group, ovariectomized model group (OVX), OVX + estrogen treated group (0.3 g/kg), OVX + Maca low dose treated group (0.3 g/kg), OVX + Maca middle dose treated group (0.6 g/kg) and OVX + Maca high dose treated group (1.8 g/kg). After 7 weeks treated the rats were sacrificed, the body weight, uterus and adrenal gland weight were measured, the blood lipids, sexual hormone, bone metabolism were analyzed.
Results: In ovariectomized model group (GYX) the level of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and the weigh of uterine and adrenal were decreased, the body weight gain, serum lipid and the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were increased (compared with sham operated group, P < 0.01), though the change of femoral bone density and mineral content was not observed. The blood estrogen and BPG level were increased in OVX + MACA high dose treated group, and had less uterine weight loss and body weight gain, while, the triglyceride, LDL-C and ALP level were similar to sham operated group.
Conclusion: Dietary supplementation with Maca may have potential effects on prevention from poatmenopausal lipid abnormality and bone metabolism via a different mechanism from estrogen.