The effect of power stretchers on occupational injury rates in an urban emergency medical services system.

BACKGROUND: To examine occupational injury rates in a dual-response emergency medical services (EMS) system before and after implementation of a power-lift stretcher system. METHODS: The seasonally-adjusted occupational injury rate was estimated relative to medical call volume (per 1000 calls) and workers (per 100 FTEs) from 2009 to 2019, and stratified by severity (lost-time, healthcare only), role (EMS, FIRE) and type (patient-handling). Power-lift stretchers were adopted between 2013 and 2015. Preinjury versus postinjury rates were compared using binomial tests. Interrupted time series (ITS) analysis was used to estimate the trend and change in injuries related to patient-handling, with occupational illnesses serving as control. RESULTS: Binomial tests revealed varied results, with reductions in the injury rate per 1000 calls (-14.0%) and increases in the rate per 100 FTEs (+14.1%); rates also differed by EMS role and injury severity. ITS analysis demonstrated substantial reductions in patient-handling injuries following implementation of power-lift stretchers, both in the injury rate per 1000 calls (-50.4%) and per 100 FTEs (-46.6%), specifically among individuals deployed on the ambulance. Injury rates were slightly elevated during the winter months (+0.8 per 100 FTEs) and lower during spring (-0.5 per 100 FTEs). CONCLUSIONS: These results support the implementation of power-lift stretchers for injury prevention in EMS systems and demonstrate advantages of ITS analysis when data span long preintervention and postintervention periods.

Development of oral formulation of Lepidium seeds significantly decreases the high blood glucose levels in diabetic rats: in vitro formulation and in vivo antidiabetic performance.

BACKGROUND: Lepidium sativum, Garden Cress (GC), seeds have a lot of natural molecules with a pronounced activity against different disorders. It was reported that GC seeds have the ability to lower the blood glucose level. AIM: The aim of this work was to formulate GC seeds into oral tablets containing a fixed dose of the grounded seeds. Furthermore, the anti-diabetic performance of the prepared tablets was studied in the streptozotocin rats' model in comparison with positive control metformin. METHODS: Micrometrics of GC grounded seeds with different excipients were investigated. Then, GC tablets were prepared via direct compression technique. GC tablets were characterized for their uniformity of dosage unit, friability, hardness, disintegration time, and in vitro release. The antidiabetic effect was studied in rats for a period of 28 days. Glycosylated hemoglobin, liver performance, and lipid levels include total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were also estimated. In addition, histopathological study of liver and pancreas was also performed. RESULTS: Prosolv®EasyTab produced tablets with higher hardness, lower disintegration time, and fast release. GC tablets significantly lower the elevated blood glucose level. In addition, they have antihyperlipidemic activity, hepatocellular protective role and restore the histology of the liver and pancreas. CONCLUSION: GC tablets could be a promising alternative formulation to control the high blood glucose level in diabetic rats rather than chemically derivatized drugs.

Cytotoxic Activity of Lepidium virginicum L. Methanolic Extract on Human Colorectal Cancer Cells, Caco-2, through p53-Mediated Apoptosis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type of cancer worldwide. Its treatment options have had a limited impact on cancer remission prognosis. Therefore, there is an ongoing need to discover novel anti-cancer agents. Medicinal plants have gained recognition as a source of anti-cancer bioactive compounds. Recently, ethanolic extract of L. virginicum stems ameliorated dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS)-induced colitis by modulating the intestinal immune response. However, no scientific study has demonstrated this potential cytotoxic impact on colon cancer cells. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of the methanolic extract of L. virginicum (ELv) on a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (Caco-2) and to identify and quantify the phenolic compounds present in ELv extracts by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The cytotoxic activity was assessed using cell viability assays by reduction in the compound 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). MTT and LDH assays revealed that the ELv decreases cell viability in the Caco-2 cell line in a concentration-dependent manner. Cell death was a result of DNA fragmentation and p53-mediated apoptosis. Eight phenolic acids and five flavonoids were identified and quantified in the stems. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that the extract of L. virginicum possesses cytotoxic properties on Caco-2 cell line, suggesting that it could be a potential source of new drugs against CRC.

MACA: marker-based automatic cell-type annotation for single-cell expression data.

SUMMARY: Accurately identifying cell types is a critical step in single-cell sequencing analyses. Here, we present marker-based automatic cell-type annotation (MACA), a new tool for annotating single-cell transcriptomics datasets. We developed MACA by testing four cell-type scoring methods with two public cell-marker databases as reference in six single-cell studies. MACA compares favorably to four existing marker-based cell-type annotation methods in terms of accuracy and speed. We show that MACA can annotate a large single-nuclei RNA-seq study in minutes on human hearts with ∼290K cells. MACA scales easily to large datasets and can broadly help experts to annotate cell types in single-cell transcriptomics datasets, and we envision MACA provides a new opportunity for integration and standardization of cell-type annotation across multiple datasets. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: MACA is written in python and released under GNU General Public License v3.0. The source code is available at https://github.com/ImXman/MACA. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Optical nanofiber stretcher.

Piezoelectric stretching of optical fiber is a technique that enables the creation of optical delays of a few picoseconds; this is useful in a variety of applications in interferometry or optical cavities. Most commercial fiber stretchers involve lengths of fiber of a few tens of meters. Using a 120-mm-long optical micro-nanofiber, we can create a compact optical delay line that achieves tunable delays of up to 19 ps at telecommunication wavelengths. The high elasticity of silica and the micron-scale diameter allow this significant optical delay to be achieved with low tensile force while keeping the overall length short. We successfully report both static and dynamic operation of this novel, to the best of our knowledge, device. It could find application in interferometry and laser cavity stabilization, where short optical paths and strong resistance to the environment would be required.

Stem cell induction and plant regeneration are affected by medium components in maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp).

BACKGROUND: In medicinal plants, selection, reproduction and preservation of important genotypes are very necessary. Nowadays, using tissue culture and regeneration techniques of medicinal plants under in vitro conditions has been able to proliferate medicinal plants widely, which is much higher than traditional methods of vegetative propagation. Maca (Lepidium meyenii), is an industrial plant whose root is the usable part. Maca has valuable medicinal effects such as sexual enhancement and reproductive power, infertility treatment, improved sperm count and quality, anti-stress, osteoporosis prevention and more. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study was conducted to induce callus and regeneration of Maca. First, MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of Kinetin, Naphthaleneacetic acid and 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid [0.5, 1 and 2 µM respectively] and control were compared for callus induction from root and leaves. After 38 days of incubation, the first callus appeared, after 50 days of callus induction and after 79 days regeneration occurred. The callus induction experiment was performed for the study of the effect of three explants (leaf, stem and root) and seven hormone levels. The regeneration experiment was carried out by studying the effect of three explants (leaf, stem and root) on eight levels of the hormone. The results of data analysis on callus induction showed that the effects of explants, hormones and their interactions on callus induction percentage were highly significant but not significant on callus growth rate. The results of regression analysis showed that explants, hormones and their interactions had no significant effect on regeneration percentage. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, the best medium for inducing callus was Hormone 2,4-D [2 µM] and Kinetin [0.5 µM], in which the highest percentage of callus induction was in leaf explants (62%). And the lowest were in stem (30%) and root (27%) explants. According to the comparison of the mean, the best environment for regeneration of the environment was 4 µM 6-Benzylaminopurine 2.5 + Thidiazuron, in which the highest percentage of regeneration was in leaf explant (87%) and stem (69%) and the lowest in root explant (12). %).

Diverse responses of halophyte and glycophyte Lepidium species to the salt-mediated amelioration of nickel toxicity and accumulation.

Tolerance mechanisms employed by plants under environmental stresses can protect them against other co-occurring stresses. In this study, the effect of pre-exposure and simultaneous salt treatment on nickel (Ni) toxicity tolerance in one halophyte (L. sativum) and one glycophyte (L. latifolium) Lepidium species in hydroponics was investigated. In order to compare the species independent from their salt and Ni tolerance level, the glycophyte was subjected to lower salt and Ni concentrations and for a shorter period of time than the halophyte. Salt (NaCl) was applied at 50 and 100 mM concentrations and Ni was provided at an equal free Ni2+ activity by adding 100 and 200 µM Ni as single stresses, but 130 and 300 µM Ni for the treatment of its combination with salt in the glycophyte and halophyte, respectively. Temporal analyses of signaling molecules revealed that the halophyte is characteristically different from the glycophyte in that it exhibits a higher constitutive level of nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide, a longer duration of response to Ni, and its augmentation by salt. In addition to higher biomass and less Ni accumulation in salt-treated plants, the concentrations of free thiol groups, leaf pigments, proline, free and cell wall-bound phenolics contents, and the activity of phenolic metabolizing enzymes were higher in L. latifolium under the combined salt and Ni treatments than under the single Ni stress. In contrast, the biomass and most biochemical parameters of Ni-stressed L. sativum plants were not enhanced by salt treatment but rather decreased. Our findings shed light on cross-tolerance mechanisms in halophytes and uncovered halophyte survival strategies under multiple stresses.

Reprotoxicity induced by acute exposure to aqueous tuber extract of Peruvian Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) has been used in folk medicine to treat fertility disturbances, a claim that has been evidenced in some studies. However, the clinical trials validating this use have shown paradoxical findings and then maca safety is not well known. This study investigated the effects and mechanisms by which maca affects the reproductive system using an in vivo model, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Tuber maca powder, obtained from local commerce, was used to prepare the aqueous extract. Worms were acutely exposed to maca extracts (40, 120, 240, and 330 µg/µl), and 48 h after treatments, physiological and biochemical assays were conducted. Maca extract caused a significant decrease in total number of eggs and in the number of eggs per worm. These effects were associated to increased lipid peroxidation, reduced triacylglycerol levels, and also impaired vit-2 (vitellogenin) expression, besides increase in the number of apoptotic germline cells. We have found quantifiable levels of alkaloids in this maca extract, which presence could be related to this toxicity. Collectively, our data suggest that maca extract exposure causes reproductive toxicity to worms that could be, at least in part, associated to both an increase in apoptosis of germline cells and also to a decrease in vitellogenin expression, needed for egg yolk production and, consequently, successful reproduction.

The maleness of larger angiosperm flowers.

Flower biomass varies widely across the angiosperms. Each plant species invests a given amount of biomass to construct its sex organs. A comparative understanding of how this limited resource is partitioned among primary (male and female structures) and secondary (petals and sepals) sexual organs on hermaphrodite species can shed light on general evolutionary processes behind flower evolution. Here, we use allometries relating different flower biomass components across species to test the existence of broad allocation patterns across the angiosperms. Based on a global dataset with flower biomass spanning five orders of magnitude, we show that heavier angiosperm flowers tend to be male-biased and invest strongly in petals to promote pollen export, while lighter flowers tend to be female-biased and invest more in sepals to insure their own seed set. This result demonstrates that larger flowers are not simple carbon copies of small ones, indicating that sexual selection via male-male competition is an important driver of flower biomass evolution and sex allocation strategies across angiosperms.

Two new flavonoid thioglucosides from the seeds of Lepidium apetalum.

Two previously undescribed flavonoid thioglucosides lepidiumflavonosides A and B (1-2) and two known megastigmane compounds (7E,9S)-9-hydroxy-5,7-megastigmadien-4-one 9-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (3) and (9S)-4-oxo-ß-inol ß-D-glucopyranoside (4) were isolated from the water extract of the seeds of Lepidium apetalum Willd. The structural elucidation of isolated compounds was unambiguously determined based on extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses. All compounds were evaluated for their estrogen-like effects on MCF-7 cells in vitro. The results showed that compounds 1-4 significantly promoted the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, and the proliferation was antagonized by the specific ER antagonist ICI182,780, suggesting that compounds 1-4 might have the estrogen-like effect in vitro potentially.

Downregulation of the INDEHISCENT Gene by RNAi Resulted in Desired Pod Shatter Reduction of Lepidium campestre in Subsequent Generations.

Wild species field cress (Lepidium campestre) has favorable agronomic traits, making it a good candidate for future development as an oil and catch crop. However, the species is very prone to pod shatter, resulting in severe yield losses. This is one of the important agronomic traits that needs to be improved in order to make this species economically viable. In this study, we cloned the L. campestre INDEHISCENT (LcIND) gene and prepared two LcIND-RNAi constructs with the IND promoter (long 400 bp and short 200 bp) from Arabidopsis. A number of stable transgenic lines were developed and evaluated in terms of pod shatter resistance. The majority of the transgenic lines showed increased resistance to pod shatter compared to the wild type, and this resistance was maintained in four subsequent generations. The downregulation of the LcIND gene by RNAi in the transgenic lines was confirmed by qRT-PCR analysis on T3 lines. Southern blot analysis showed that most of the analyzed lines had a single-copy integration of the transgene, which is desirable for further use. Our results show that it is possible to generate stable transgenic lines with desirable pod shatter resistance by downregulating the LcIND gene using RNAi in field cress, and thus speeding up the domestication process of this wild species.

UPLC-QE-Orbitrap-Based Cell Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology to Reveal the Mechanism of N-Benzylhexadecanamide Isolated from Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) against Testicular Dysfunction.

Testicular dysfunction (TDF) is characterized by testosterone deficiency and is caused by oxidative stress injury in Leydig cells. A natural fatty amide named N-benzylhexadecanamide (NBH), derived from cruciferous maca, has been shown to promote testosterone production. Our study aims to reveal the anti-TDF effect of NBH and explore its potential mechanism in vitro. This study examined the effects of H2O2 on cell viability and testosterone levels in mouse Leydig cells (TM3) under oxidative stress. In addition, cell metabolomics analysis based on UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS showed that NBH was mainly involved in arginine biosynthesis, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, the TCA cycle and other metabolic pathways by affecting 23 differential metabolites, including arginine and phenylalanine. Furthermore, we also performed network pharmacological analysis to observe the key protein targets in NBH treatment. The results showed that its role was to up-regulate ALOX5, down-regulate CYP1A2, and play a role in promoting testicular activity by participating in the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway. In summary, our study not only provides new insights into the biochemical mechanisms of natural compounds in the treatment of TDF, but also provides a research strategy that integrates cell metabolomics and network pharmacology in order to promote the screening of new drugs for the treatment of TDF.

The Efficient Synthesis and Anti-Fatigue Activity Evaluation of Macamides: The Unique Bioactive Compounds in Maca.

Macamides are a class of amide alkaloids that are only found in maca and are widely considered to be its bioactive marker compounds. More than thirty macamide monomers have been identified in recent years; however, it is difficult to obtain a single macamide monomer from the maca plant because of their similar structures and characteristics. We used the carbodiimide condensation method (CCM) to efficiently synthesize five typical macamides, including N-benzyl-hexadecanamide (NBH), N-benzyl-9Z,12Z,15Z-octadecenamide, N-(3-methoxybenzyl)-9Z,12Z-octadecenamide, N-benzyl-9Z,12Z-octadecenamide, and N-(3-methoxybenzyl)-9Z,12Z,15Z-octadecadienamide. All the synthesized macamides were purified by a one-step HPLC with a purity of more than 95%. NBH is the most abundant macamide monomer in natural maca, and it was selected to evaluate the anti-fatigue effects of macamides. The results indicated that NBH could enhance the endurance capacity of mice by increasing liver glycogen levels and decreasing blood urea nitrogen, lactate dehydrogenase, blood ammonia, and blood lactic acid levels. Macamides might be the active substances that give maca its anti-fatigue active function.

Developmentally interdependent stretcher-compressor relationship between the embryonic brain and the surrounding scalp in the preosteogenic head.

BACKGROUND: How developing brains mechanically interact with the surrounding embryonic scalp layers (ie, epidermal and mesenchymal) in the preosteogenic head remains unknown. Between embryonic day (E) 11 and E13 in mice, before ossification starts in the skull vault, the angle between the pons and the medulla decreases, raising the possibility that when the elastic scalp is directly pushed outward by the growing brain and thus stretched, it recoils inward in response, thereby confining and folding the brain. RESULTS: Stress-release tests showed that the E11-13 scalp recoiled and that the in vivo prestretch prerequisite for this recoil was physically dependent on the brain (pressurization at 77-93 Pa) and on actomyosin and elastin within the scalp. In scalp-removed heads, brainstem folding was reduced, and the spreading of ink from the lateral ventricle to the spinal cord that occurred in scalp-intact embryos (with >5 µL injection) was lost, suggesting roles of the embryonic scalp in brain morphogenesis and cerebrospinal fluid homeostasis. Under nonstretched conditions, scalp cell proliferation declined, while the restretching of the shrunken scalp rescued scalp cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: In the embryonic mouse head before ossification, a stretcher-compressor relationship elastically develops between the brain and the scalp, underlying their mechanically interdependent development.

The benefits of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) extract administration for male rabbits affected by environmental heat stress.

Heat stress (HS) is the most substantial environmental issue in rabbit health status impairment, which can lower productivity. Maca is a common medicinal plant with important biological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue, and neuroprotective effects. The present research explored the alleged protective role of Maca extract in alleviating the adverse impact of HS on rabbits. Growing V-line 6-week-old buck rabbits (N = 48) were orally administered Maca extract at levels of 0 (MAC0), 200 (MAC2), 400 (MAC4), or 600 (MAC6) mg/head twice per week. Compared to the control groups, rabbits provided Maca had better growth performance, feed intake and feed conversion ratio. Liver and tests weights were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in Maca treated groups compared to the control. hemoglobin, white blood cell, red blood corpuscles, platelet count, hematocrit, and lymphocytes were significantly increased in the MAC4 group compared with the control group. MAC4 treatment significantly reduced aspartate aminotransferase and malondialdehyde levels compared with other groups. Moreover, the concentrations of total bilirubin, creatinine, glucose, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were lower (p < 0.05) in the MAC4 group than in the controls. Oral administration of Maca improved cortisol and testosterone values, total antioxidant capacity, and superoxide dismutase. The MAC4 group exhibited significant improvement (p < 0.05) in sperm motility, survival, membrane functionality, concentration, and libido, with a significant decrease in abnormal sperm compared with the control group. Also, aforementioned group showed sperm cells with a normal structure and intact plasma membranes, acrosomes, and well-organised axonemal components. Histopathological screening of liver sections showed moderate to severe degenerative and necrotic changes in rabbits exposed to HS, which were alleviated with Maca oral administration. In conclusion, oral administration of Maca extract at 400 or 600 mg/head-weekly enhanced growth performance, hemato-biochemical attributes, antioxidant status, and semen quality in rabbits during the hot season.

[Design and analysis of shoulder type exoskeleton stretcher for individual soldier].

For the transportation process of rescuing wounded personnel on naval vessels, a new type of shoulder type exoskeleton stretcher for individual soldier was designed in this paper. The three-dimensional model of the shoulder type exoskeleton stretcher for individual soldier was constructed using three dimensional modeling software. Finite element analysis technique was employed to conduct statics simulation, modal analysis, and transient dynamics analysis on the designed exoskeleton stretcher. The results show that the maximum stress of the exoskeleton stretcher for walking on flat ground is 265.55 MPa, which is lower than the allowable strength of the fabrication material. Furthermore, the overall deformation of the structure is small. Modal analysis reveals that the natural frequency range of the exoskeleton stretcher under different gait conditions is 1.96 Hz to 28.70 Hz, which differs significantly from the swing frequency of 1 Hz during walking. This indicates that the designed structure can effectively avoid resonance. The transient dynamics analysis results show that the maximum deformation and stress of exoskeleton stretcher remain within the safety range, which meets the expected performance requirements. In summary, the shoulder type exoskeleton stretcher for individual soldier designed in this study can solve the problem of requiring more than 2 people to carry for the existing stretcher, especially suitable for narrow spaces of naval vessels. The research results of this paper can provide a new solution for the rescue of wounded personnel on naval vessels.

Comparative transcriptomics identifies candidate genes involved in the evolutionary transition from dehiscent to indehiscent fruits in Lepidium (Brassicaceae).

BACKGROUND: Fruits are the seed-bearing structures of flowering plants and are highly diverse in terms of morphology, texture and maturation. Dehiscent fruits split open upon maturation to discharge their seeds while indehiscent fruits are dispersed as a whole. Indehiscent fruits evolved from dehiscent fruits several times independently in the crucifer family (Brassicaceae). The fruits of Lepidium appelianum, for example, are indehiscent while the fruits of the closely related L. campestre are dehiscent. Here, we investigate the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying the evolutionary transition from dehiscent to indehiscent fruits using these two Lepidium species as model system. RESULTS: We have sequenced the transcriptomes and small RNAs of floral buds, flowers and fruits of L. appelianum and L. campestre and analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differently differentially expressed genes (DDEGs). DEGs are genes that show significantly different transcript levels in the same structures (buds, flowers and fruits) in different species, or in different structures in the same species. DDEGs are genes for which the change in expression level between two structures is significantly different in one species than in the other. Comparing the two species, the highest number of DEGs was found in flowers, followed by fruits and floral buds while the highest number of DDEGs was found in fruits versus flowers followed by flowers versus floral buds. Several gene ontology terms related to cell wall synthesis and degradation were overrepresented in different sets of DEGs highlighting the importance of these processes for fruit opening. Furthermore, the fruit valve identity genes FRUITFULL and YABBY3 were among the DEGs identified. Finally, the microRNA miR166 as well as the TCP transcription factors BRANCHED1 (BRC1) and TCP FAMILY TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR 4 (TCP4) were found to be DDEGs. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals differences in gene expression between dehiscent and indehiscent fruits and uncovers miR166, BRC1 and TCP4 as candidate genes for the evolutionary transition from dehiscent to indehiscent fruits in Lepidium.

Small paraquat resistance proteins modulate paraquat and ABA responses and confer drought tolerance to overexpressing Arabidopsis plants.

Adaptation of higher plants to extreme environmental conditions is under complex regulation. Several small peptides have recently been described to modulate responses to stress conditions. The Small Paraquat resistance protein (SPQ) of Lepidium crassifolium has previously been identified due to its capacity to confer paraquat resistance to overexpressing transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Here, we show that overexpression of the closely related Arabidopsis SPQ can also enhance resistance to paraquat, while the Arabidopsis spq1 mutant is slightly hypersensitive to this herbicide. Besides being implicated in paraquat response, overexpression of SPQs enhanced sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA), and the knockout spq1 mutant was less sensitive to ABA. Both Lepidium- and Arabidopsis-derived SPQs could improve drought tolerance by reducing water loss, stabilizing photosynthetic electron transport and enhancing plant viability and survival in a water-limited environment. Enhanced drought tolerance of SPQ-overexpressing plants could be confirmed by characterizing various parameters of growth, morphology and photosynthesis using an automatic plant phenotyping platform with RGB and chlorophyll fluorescence imaging. Our results suggest that SPQs can be regulatory small proteins connecting ROS and ABA regulation and through that influence responses to certain stresses.

Glucosinolate-Enriched Fractions from Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Exert Myrosinase-Dependent Cytotoxic Effects against HepG2/C3A and HT29 Tumor Cell Lines.

The consumption of glucosinolate (GL)-rich foods, including Brassica vegetables, such as mustard, broccoli, and maca, is associated with decreased risk of developing cancer. The GL content in maca, which is recognized as a "superfood", is approximately 100-times higher than that in other brassicas. Although maca is a potential dietary source of GLs, limited studies have examined the bioactivity of maca GLs using the combination of chemical characterization and bioassays. In this study, the fractions (Lm-II and Lm-III) rich in intact GLs (glucotropaeolin and glucolimnanthin) were isolated and characterized from maca ethanolic extracts using chromatography and mass spectrometry. Additionally, the growth-inhibitory effects of Lm-II and Lm-II fractions against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2/C3A) and colon adenocarcinoma (HT29) cell lines were examined in the absence or presence of myrosinase (MYR). Fractions lacking low molecular weight sugars dose-dependently exerted cytotoxic effects in the presence of MYR. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration values of Lm-II and Lm-III against HepG2/C3A were 118.8 and 69.9 µg/mL, respectively, while those against HT29 were 102.6 and 71.5 µg/mL, respectively. These results suggest that the anticancer properties of maca can be attributed to GLs and corroborate the categorization of maca as a "superfood."Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/01635581.2021.1952444.

Maca Root (Lepidium meyenii) Extract Increases the Expression of MMP-1 and Stimulates Migration of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells.

Maca root (Lepidium meyenii) extract is a worldwide consumed food supplement for sexual dysfunctions, increasing sperm production and its motility, and alleviating menopausal symptoms. Once maca root has a role in cell proliferation and motility, and its consumption may increase along with age, mainly in menopausal women, we aimed to investigate the plant effects on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. Standardized maca root powdered extract showed significant cytotoxic activity in both MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T cells, and the IC50s were 2000 µg/ml and 3000 µg/ml, respectively. Both cell lines showed an increase in migratory capacity. Using bioinformatics tools, we established genes involved in the metastatic process, CAV1, LAMA4, and MMP-1, and the mRNAs expression was assessed by qPCR. Comparing the treated cells to the negative control, CAV1 presented a decreased expression by 2-fold in MDA-MB-231. LAMA4 presented a decrease by 4-fold in Hs578T cells. MMP-1 showed substantially increase mRNA expression in MDA-MB-231 by 86-fold and in Hs578T by 5-fold. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study indicating that the human consumption of maca may be dangerous due to the upregulation in MMP-1 expression and the increase in TNBC migrated cells.