Compound Monograph
Sulforaphane
Sulforaphane — an isothiocyanate found among the glucosinolate-derived compounds of maca, notable in this context for increasing rather than degrading when the root is heated.
Classification
Sulforaphane is an isothiocyanate, part of the other constituents class. Compounds outside the major chemical classes — nucleosides, simple amines, mixed volatile oils, and as-yet uncategorised constituents.
Where Does It Come From? (1)
Sulforaphane is a naturally occurring isothiocyanate, found in Maca. It is well tolerated orally (low toxicity).
Research & Evidence
Sulforaphane is an isothiocyanate that occurs among maca’s glucosinolate-derived constituents, a profile typical of plants in the Brassicaceae (mustard) family to which maca belongs. The maca monograph in this database does not assign sulforaphane any specific pharmacological action; the one detail it records concerns preparation. Whereas the glucosinolates in maca are sensitive to heat, sulforaphane is actually increased when the root is heated 1Reference 1Ethnobiology and ethnopharmacology of Lepidium meyenii (Maca), a plant from the Peruvian highlands — a relevant point given that maca is commonly boiled or otherwise cooked before use. This makes it one of the few maca metabolites that may benefit from, rather than be diminished by, thermal processing.
Beyond this preparation note, the source does not characterise sulforaphane’s activity in maca, so no further compound-specific findings are claimed here.
Toxicity & Safety
The source monograph reports no toxicity attributable to sulforaphane. Maca as a whole is described as very low in toxicity: population studies found no toxicological indications from prolonged use of high doses, and no hepatotoxic or general toxic effects (including on embryo development in mice) were found with maca or its extracts 1Reference 1Ethnobiology and ethnopharmacology of Lepidium meyenii (Maca), a plant from the Peruvian highlands.
References
- Gonzales, G. F. (2012). Ethnobiology and ethnopharmacology of Lepidium meyenii (Maca), a plant from the Peruvian highlands. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012.