Effect of Aqueous Extract from Lepidium meyenii on Mouse Behavior in Forced Swimming Test

摘要

The plant Lepidium meyenii (Walp.), with the common name of maca, is a less known domesticated plant of Peru. In the present study, we have investigated the activity of energy enhancement of aqueous extracts from roots of maca on the behavior in mice using forced swimming test. The results of dose-response study with the aqueous extract, MacaForce~(TM) AQ-1, in a range of daily dose at 4, 10, 20 and 40 mg/g body weight of mouse indicated that the maximum activity was reached by two weeks during a 21-day study. The energy enhancement was especially evident at the daily dose level greater than 20 mg/g body weight. The swim time in mice with 7-day oral administration with MacaForce~(TM) AQ-1 at daily dose of 20 and 40 mg/g body weight were 13.50 ± 3.18 minutes and 16.72 ± 2.94 minutes, respectively (control group at 10.47 ± 2.38 minutes); with 14-day oral administration of MacaForce~(TM) AQ-1 at the same doses were 17.42 ± 4.22 minutes and 19.33 ± 3.86 minutes, respectively (control group at 11.45 ± 2.46 minutes). In addition, the swim time in mice with 7-day oral administration of aqueous extracts, MacaForce~(TM) AQ-3 and MacaForce~(TM) AQ-4, at daily dose 40 mg/g body weight were 10.89 ± 2.74 minutes and 14.38 ± 3.09 minutes, respectively (control group at 11.74 ± 1.38 minutes); with 14-day oral administration of MacaForce~(TM) AQ-3 and AQ-4 at the same dose were 14.81 ± 2.11 minutes and 15.34 ± 2.60 minutes, respectively (control group at 10.90 ± 2.04 minutes). The study with aqueous extracts, MacaForce~(TM) AQ-1, AQ-2, AQ-3, and AQ-4, showed that the increase in swim time was directly related to the increase in content of polysaccharides in the aqueous extracts. Increase in serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and decrease in the concentration of serum lactic acid were dose related with the content of potential active constituents.