**4. Antioxidant effects of maca as a feed supplement in animal nutrition**

Most scientific research has worked with laboratory animals to know the antioxidant effects of maca. Rarely, studies on farm animals have been published in recent years. In these studies, daily doses (mg /kg BW/d) of maca or its bioactive content were calculated on their body weights (**Table 5**). In order to demonstrate antioxidant effects, laboratory animals, they are exposed to exercise-induce stress and antioxidant enzyme levels of their serum and various organs (brain, liver, muscle etc.) and exercise performance is measured [31, 42]. In farm animal nutrition, the criteria such as feed efficiency, nutrition performance, viability were recorded besides antioxidant enzyme activities. Dried, milled powder form of maca is mostly used in animal experiments.

When used in rats and mice at various doses of maca or its antioxidant compounds, some effects are occurred against the stress factors. In particular, GPx, SOD and glutathione (GSH) levels in serum, liver and brain increase, MDA and ROS (reactive oxygen species) decrease [45, 46]. Choi et al. [32] determined that the lipid soluble extract of maca contained 7.8 mg/g DM of macamide and macaene while maca powder contained at the level of 0.3–0.4 mg/g DM. When this lipid soluble extract is given at 100 mg/kg BW per day, it reduces lipid peroxidation in muscles of rats, increases GSH and exercise duration (**Table 5**) [32]. Similarly macamides (N-benzyllinoleamide, N-benzyloleamide, N-benzyloleamide), isolated from maca, reduce the oxidative stress induced by exercise and eliminate the waste products in serum [31]. But Qui et al. [29] argue that maca improves the antioxidant enzyme (CAT, SOD, GPx) activity both in blood and liver independently of macamide and macaene, and there is no correlation between antioxidant effect and these bioactive compounds. When rats are daily fed with maca polysaccharides at between 20 and 100 mg/kg BW doses, serum LA, BUN and MDA are decreased, GPx and creatine kinase are increased, especially in high dose (100 mg/ kg BW) [34, 43].

laying hens fed dry maca powder at the rate of 0.5 and 1% (w/w) no effect on nutritional performance, serum parameters and reproductive hormones was determined. But serum GPx level increased depend on the ratio of maca supplementation in diet of hens [51]. Day by day, the antioxidant effect of maca as feed additive in laboratory studies has been clarifying, but

**Species Ecotype Form Dose Unit Effect Reference**

and survival, decreasing magnesium (not significantly)

Antioxidants in Maca (*Lepidium meyenii*) as a Supplement in Nutrition

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.75582

decreasing magnesium

decreasing magnesium

mg/kg/d Antioxidant activity [42]

30–100 mg/kg/d Antioxidant and antifatigue activities

(significantly)

mg/kg/d Antioxidant activity [45]

mg/kg/d Antioxidant activity [35]

100 mg/kg/d Antioxidant activity

[48]

147

[51]

[49]

[32]

[29]

Fish NA Fresh Hypocotyl 5–10–15 % of feed Improving growth rate

Poultry NA Powder 0.5–1 % of feed Antioxidant activity,

Rat NA Aqueous 50–100–

extract

extract

extract

**Table 5.** Antioxidant effects of maca and its compounds in animal nutirion.

Mice NA Polysaccharide 25–50–

Rat Yellow Lipid soluble

Rat Black Petroleum ether

Mice NA Petroleum ether

Horse NA Powder 50–75 gr/day Increasing AST and GGT,

Horse Yellow Powder 20 mg/d Effects on sperm quality [47]

Rat NA Powder 1 % of feed Antioxidant activity [52]

Mice NA Powder 500–1000 mg/kg/d Antioxidant activity [46] Mice NA Macamide 40–12 mg/kg/d Antioxidant activity [31] Mice Yellow Polysaccharide 20–100 mg/kg/d Antifatigue activity [34]

> 125– 250–500

100

Yellow Antioxidant activity (slightly) Purple Antioxidant activity (slightly)

200

Maca is being both at the meals of the indigenous people and exported to the whole world. Consumers around the world are taking it as a food supplement for improving their sexual and sportive activities and energy. So researchers have similarly given priority to these issues.

not yet on the other species and more nutrition experiment is needed.

However, studies on antioxidant status of human are limited [54].

**nutrition**

**5. Antioxidant effects of maca as a food supplement in human** 

In other animal species, there are effects on the criteria such as sperm quality, survival, feed conversion, nutritional performance as well as antioxidant effects of maca as a feed additive [47, 48]. When there is no effect on blood parameters in horses, Aspartate transaminase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) increase [49]. In fish fed the fresh hypocotyl of maca, nutritional performance and feed conversion and viability enhanced [48, 50]. While


**Table 5.** Antioxidant effects of maca and its compounds in animal nutirion.

Li et al. [41] have reported that MP has occurred a dose depend antioxidant activity by increasing SOD, GPx and CAT enzymes and decreasing MDA in liver of mice. Also, He et al. [42] have reported that antioxidant activity with a correlation between the doses and enzymes levels in muscle against the exercise-induced oxidative stress. Similar to animal experiments, MP plays the crucial roles of antioxidant and free radical scavenger in cell cultures (**Table 4**) [39, 43].

In brief, the mechanism of antifatigue and antioxidant effects of especially aqueous polysaccharides in maca originates from improving hypoxia tolerance, eliminating metabolic wastes, serving energy source with high glucose contents and reducing oxidative damage by enhanc-

Most scientific research has worked with laboratory animals to know the antioxidant effects of maca. Rarely, studies on farm animals have been published in recent years. In these studies, daily doses (mg /kg BW/d) of maca or its bioactive content were calculated on their body weights (**Table 5**). In order to demonstrate antioxidant effects, laboratory animals, they are exposed to exercise-induce stress and antioxidant enzyme levels of their serum and various organs (brain, liver, muscle etc.) and exercise performance is measured [31, 42]. In farm animal nutrition, the criteria such as feed efficiency, nutrition performance, viability were recorded besides antioxidant enzyme activities. Dried, milled powder form of maca is mostly

When used in rats and mice at various doses of maca or its antioxidant compounds, some effects are occurred against the stress factors. In particular, GPx, SOD and glutathione (GSH) levels in serum, liver and brain increase, MDA and ROS (reactive oxygen species) decrease [45, 46]. Choi et al. [32] determined that the lipid soluble extract of maca contained 7.8 mg/g DM of macamide and macaene while maca powder contained at the level of 0.3–0.4 mg/g DM. When this lipid soluble extract is given at 100 mg/kg BW per day, it reduces lipid peroxidation in muscles of rats, increases GSH and exercise duration (**Table 5**) [32]. Similarly macamides (N-benzyllinoleamide, N-benzyloleamide, N-benzyloleamide), isolated from maca, reduce the oxidative stress induced by exercise and eliminate the waste products in serum [31]. But Qui et al. [29] argue that maca improves the antioxidant enzyme (CAT, SOD, GPx) activity both in blood and liver independently of macamide and macaene, and there is no correlation between antioxidant effect and these bioactive compounds. When rats are daily fed with maca polysaccharides at between 20 and 100 mg/kg BW doses, serum LA, BUN and MDA are decreased, GPx and creatine kinase are increased, especially in high dose (100 mg/

In other animal species, there are effects on the criteria such as sperm quality, survival, feed conversion, nutritional performance as well as antioxidant effects of maca as a feed additive [47, 48]. When there is no effect on blood parameters in horses, Aspartate transaminase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) increase [49]. In fish fed the fresh hypocotyl of maca, nutritional performance and feed conversion and viability enhanced [48, 50]. While

**4. Antioxidant effects of maca as a feed supplement in animal** 

ing antioxidant enzyme [38, 41].

146 Antioxidants in Foods and Its Applications

used in animal experiments.

kg BW) [34, 43].

**nutrition**

laying hens fed dry maca powder at the rate of 0.5 and 1% (w/w) no effect on nutritional performance, serum parameters and reproductive hormones was determined. But serum GPx level increased depend on the ratio of maca supplementation in diet of hens [51]. Day by day, the antioxidant effect of maca as feed additive in laboratory studies has been clarifying, but not yet on the other species and more nutrition experiment is needed.
