Decoding Multiple Biofunctions of Maca on Its Anti-allergic, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-thrombotic, and Pro-angiogenic Activities.

Four active partition layers and ten isolates, including (5 R )- and (5 S )-macapyrrolidone A ( 1a , 1b ), and four new alkaloids, (5 R )- and (5 S )-macapyrrolidone B ( 2a , 2b ) and macapyrrolins D, E ( 3 , 4 ), were isolated from maca ( Lepidium meyenii Walp.), an indigenous food plant from Peru. Derived from the n -hexane layer, the macamide-rich fraction exhibited pro-angiogenic activity on EPC and HUVEC cells. Anti-thrombotic activity was displayed by the polar part of maca extracts ( n -butanol and water layers). Both 75% methanol aq. (midlower polar part) and n -hexane (low polar part) layers, which showed signs of fatty acid content, markedly inhibited superoxide and elastase release in an anti-inflammatory assay. The 75% methanol aq. layer showed strong anti-allergic activity, and macapyrrolin A ( 5 ) was found active based on β-hexosaminidase release inhibition assays and a ChemGPS-NP experiment. These valuable bioactivity results suggest that maca is a food plant with good benefits for human health.