Maca
Lepidium meyenii Walp.Brassicaceae // hypocotyl/root-like storage organ
Overview
Plant parts
hypocotyl/root-like storage organ
Known constituents
macamides, glucosinolates, sterols
Research corpus coverage
Chemistry notes
- CHEMISTRY: Relevant reported constituents include macamides; glucosinolates; sterols; constituent presence alone does not establish clinical efficacy.
Uses & Evidence
Traditional / historical use
Documented traditional use — not a claim of established efficacy.
TRADITIONAL: Maca has been used for fertility; sexual function; energy; this records historical/traditional use and does not establish efficacy.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants
Modern evidence
EVIDENCE: For the major use set (fertility; sexual function; energy), the evidence assessment is limited/mixed: Limited/mixed small human trials for sexual function and menopausal symptoms.
MODERATE · randomized controlled trial · WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants
Mixed findings, product heterogeneity, or indirect evidence are preserved in the detailed profile.
Preparation
Forms used traditionally
A listed form does not imply it suits every plant part, or that one preparation is interchangeable with another — see the plant’s own notes below.
PREPARATION: The medicinal material is hypocotyl/root-like storage organ; traditional and modern forms include decoction, tincture, powder/capsule, standardized extract. No dose or potency is specified.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · EMA European Union herbal monographs and list entries
Preparation-specific evidence should not be generalized across extracts, teas, oils, or whole herb.
Safety
Additional safety notes (general, unstructured)
Free-text safety notes carried from their source — not broken out by species, route, or hazard type, and not equivalent to the structured records above. Each note names the kind of source it came from.
SAFETY: Major issues include GI upset; possible thyroid concern due to glucosinolates. Contraindications/cautions include Thyroid disease caution.
MODERATE · observational/case series and expert review · LiverTox: Herbal and Dietary Supplements
SAFETY: Clinically relevant interaction concerns include No well-established interactions; hormone-related effects uncertain.
MODERATE · observational/case series and expert review · LiverTox: Herbal and Dietary Supplements
Some interactions are theoretical or based on case reports/pharmacokinetics rather than outcome trials.
SAFETY: Pregnancy/lactation reference: Insufficient pregnancy/lactation evidence.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph or evidence synthesis · WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants
Absence of evidence is not evidence of safety.
Preparation × species risk matrix
Unknown means insufficient evidence was located — not that a form is safe.
Cats
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Dogs
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Identity
- Synonym
GBIF resolves Lepidium peruvianum Chacón de Popovici as a synonym of Lepidium meyenii. The older name still appears in herbal and taxonomic literature.
MODERATE · GBIF Species Match API
Botanical synonym
Lepidium peruvianum G.Chacón is sometimes treated as distinct
Taxonomic identity note
- Maca is treated here as Lepidium meyenii Walp. in the family Brassicaceae; recorded older names include Lepidium peruvianum G.Chacón is sometimes treated as distinct.
Sources
Research records are source-linked but may not yet be editorially reviewed.
WHO monograph
NIH LiverTox monograph
- Plants of the World Online1 claim
botanical taxonomy database
EMA monograph
- GBIF Species Match API1 claim
authoritative taxonomic database