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KMID : 1204320090250020113
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Laboratory Animal Research
2009 Volume.25 No. 2 p.113 ~ p.118
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Dose-Response Effects of Gelatinized Maca on Testicular Function in Male Rats
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Shin In-Sik
Kim Sung-Hwan
Lim Jeong-Hyeon
Moon Chang-Jong
Kim Seong-Ho
Shin Dong-Ho
Kim Jong-Choon
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Abstract
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Lepidium meyenii, a cruciferous vegetable known as Maca, is a Peruvian hypocotyl that grows exclusively between 4,000 and 4,500 m above sea level in the central Andes. Maca is traditionally employed in the Andean region for its supposed fertility-enhancing properties. The present study carried out to investigate the potential effects of gelatinized Maca on testicular and epididymal function in male rats. Gelatinized Maca was administered to adult male rats by gavage at dose levels of 0, 500, 1,000, and 1,500 ㎎/㎏/day for 28 days. Testicular and epididymal function were assessed by measurement of testicular sperm heads, daily sperm production, epididymal sperm counts, motility and morphology, and reproductive organ weights in rats. Epididymal sperm count was increased in the 1,000 and 1,500 ㎎/㎏ groups in a dosedependent manner. Epididymal sperm motility was also increased dose-dependently in all treatment groups. On the contrary, testicular sperm head and daily sperm production were slightly higher in all treatment groups than control but statistically significant differences were not detected. In addition, there were no treatment-related effects on clinical signs, body weights, food consumption, gross findings, organ weights, and sperm morphology in any group tested. In conclusion, the results indicate that repeated oral dose of gelatinized Maca improved epididymal sperm count at concentrations ≥1,000 ㎎/㎏/day and epididymal sperm motility at concentrations ≥500 ㎎/㎏/day in rats. This study suggests that gelatinized Maca can be developed as a functional food for the improvement of male reproductive function.
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KEYWORD
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Gelatinized Maca, daily sperm production, sperm count, sperm motility, rat
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