Safety and Effectiveness Study of Maca Root to Treat Antidepressant-Induced Sexual Dysfunction
Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine the dose of Maca Root effective for the treatment of antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in patients with DSM-IV defined Major Depressive Disorder. We propose to carry out a dose-finding pilot study to determine the minimum effective dose of Maca Root. We hypothesize that patients who receive Maca Root will experience alleviation of their sexual dysfunction, and this effect will be more pronounced in those who receive higher doses of maca root.
Description
The purpose of this study is to determine whether Maca Root is effective for the treatment of antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction, and to further determine whether higher doses of Maca Root powder would be more effective than lower doses in reducing the symptoms of antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction. An additional aim of the study is to document the safety and tolerability of Maca Root, which could be particularly helpful in treating antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in elderly and cardiac-impaired populations taking oral nitrates who may not be eligible for treatment with the current oral phosphodiesterase inhibitors.
Subjects will be randomized into two arms of 10 for this 12-week study. The study will be double blind with regard to doses received. Ten subjects will receive 1500mg/day of maca for the 12-week period and the other 10 subjects will receive 3000mg/day of maca per day for the 12-week study period. Patients will be seen every other week. There is no placebo arm.
At the final study visit, week 12, subjects will be evaluated to see if their sexual function has returned.
After careful review of the literature we have found that there are very few studies that have evaluated Maca Root in humans. However the one very relevant study completed by Gonzalez and colleagues looked at doses of 1500 and 3000mg in men and found there were increased sexual interests on both doses. Thus, since this is a dose-finding study we believe this dose is an appropriate place to begin.
Hypotheses A:
The response rate will be higher for the high-dose maca group compared to the low-dose group; and this response will be comparable to the 50-85% reported with sildenafil.
Hypothesis B:
There will be a statistically significant difference in the magnitude of response between the two testing conditions, as measured by a decrease in baseline sexual dysfunction scores. The reduction in sexual dysfunction scores will be greater in the high-dose maca group than in the low-dose maca group.
Study Design
Allocation: Randomized, Control: Dose Comparison, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Double-Blind, Primary Purpose: Treatment
Conditions
Depression
Intervention
Maca Root
Location
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston
Massachusetts
United States
02114
Status
Active, not recruiting
Source
Massachusetts General Hospital
Results (where available)
Links
- Source: http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00181961
- Information obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov on July 15, 2010
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Lepidium
A plant genus of the family BRASSICACEAE growing in Peru mountains. It is the source of maca root.
Decompression
Decompression external to the body, most often the slow lessening of external pressure on the whole body (especially in caisson workers, deep sea divers, and persons who ascend to great heights) to prevent DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS. It includes also sudden accidental decompression, but not surgical (local) decompression or decompression applied through body openings.
Depression, Postpartum
Depression in POSTPARTUM WOMEN, usually within four weeks after giving birth (PARTURITION). The degree of depression ranges from mild transient depression to neurotic or psychotic depressive disorders. (From DSM-IV, p386)
Depression
Depressive states usually of moderate intensity in contrast with major depression present in neurotic and psychotic disorders.
Tooth Root
The part of a tooth from the neck to the apex, embedded in the alveolar process and covered with cementum. A root may be single or divided into several branches, usually identified by their relative position, e.g., lingual root or buccal root. Single-rooted teeth include mandibular first and second premolars and the maxillary second premolar teeth. The maxillary first premolar has two roots in most cases. Maxillary molars have three roots. (Jablonski, Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992, p690)
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PubMed Articles
Escherichia coli MacAB-TolC is a tri-partite macrolide efflux transporter driven by hydrolysis of ATP. In this complex, MacA is the periplasmic membrane fusion protein that stimulates the activity of...
Maca (L. meyenii) for improving sexual function: a systematic review.
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is an Andean plant of the brassica (mustard) family. Preparations from maca root have been reported to improve sexual function. The aim of this review was...
Lepidium meyenii (maca) is a plant that grows exclusively above 4000 m in the Peruvian central Andes. Red maca (RM) extract significantly reduced prostate size in rats with benign prostatic hyperpla...
Role of ATP binding and hydrolysis in assembly of MacAB-TolC macrolide transporter.
MacB is a founding member of the Macrolide Exporter family of transporters belonging to the ATP-Binding Cassette superfamily. These proteins are broadly represented in genomes of both Gram-positive an...
MacA is a Second Cytochrome c Peroxidase of Geobacter sulfurreducens.
The metal-reducing δ-proteobacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens produces a large number of c-type cytochromes, many of which have been implicated in the transfer of electrons to insoluble metal oxides....
