Division of Standard Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.
Maturitas. 2011 Nov;70(3):227-33. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2011.07.017. Epub 2011 Aug 15.
Maca (Lepidium meyenii), an Andean plant of the brassica (mustard) family has been used for centuries in the Andes as an adaptogenic plant to manage anemia, infertility and female hormone balance. The aim of this review was to assess the evidence for and against the effectiveness of the maca plant as a treatment for menopausal symptoms. We searched 17 databases from their inception up to June 2011 and included all randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that compared any type of maca-based intervention to a placebo for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. All studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Cochrane 'risk of bias' assessment tool. Four RCTs met all inclusion criteria. These RCTs tested the effects of maca on menopausal symptoms in healthy perimenopausal, early postmenopausal, and late postmenopausal women. Using the Kupperman Menopausal Index and the Greene Climacteric Score, all RCTs demonstrated favorable effects of maca. There have been very few rigorous trials of maca for menopausal symptoms. The results of our systematic review provide limited evidence for the effectiveness of maca as a treatment for menopausal symptoms. However, the total number of trials, the total sample size, and the average methodological quality of the primary studies, were too limited to draw firm conclusions. Furthermore, the safety has not been proved yet. Therefore, the efficacy and safety should be tested in larger studies.
玛咖（Lepidium meyenii），一种原产于安第斯山脉的十字花科植物，几个世纪以来，一直被用作适应原植物，用于治疗贫血、不孕和女性激素平衡。本综述旨在评估玛咖植物作为治疗更年期症状的有效性的证据。我们从数据库建立之初到 2011 年 6 月检索了 17 个数据库，并纳入了所有比较任何类型的玛咖干预与安慰剂治疗更年期症状的随机临床试验（RCT）。所有研究均使用 Cochrane“偏倚风险”评估工具评估方法学质量。四项 RCT 符合所有纳入标准。这些 RCT 测试了玛咖对健康围绝经期、早期绝经后和晚期绝经后妇女更年期症状的影响。使用 Kupperman 更年期指数和 Greene 绝经评分，所有 RCT 均显示玛咖对更年期症状有有利影响。对于玛咖治疗更年期症状的研究非常少，且严格程度有限。我们的系统评价结果为玛咖作为更年期症状治疗方法的有效性提供了有限的证据。然而，试验的总数、总样本量和主要研究的平均方法学质量都非常有限，无法得出明确的结论。此外，其安全性尚未得到证实。因此，应在更大规模的研究中测试其疗效和安全性。
