El aceite de los granos de Amaranthus caudatus L. “Kiwicha” (Anexo Nº1), se extrajo por el método de Soxhlet y se evaluó: la seguridad cutánea y ocular in vivo aplicando los métodos “Acute Dermal Irritation/Corrosion” (OECD 404) y “Acute Eye Irritation/Corrosion” (OECD 405) de Guidelines for Testing of Chemicals; se determinaron las propiedades físico-químicas del aceite: peso específico, índice de refracción, índice de acidez, índice de saponificación, índice de peróxido, índice de yodo. Se realizó una formulación O/W conteniendo 5% del aceite y se evaluaron las características microbiológicas de la fórmula según la USP 29; se evaluó la eficacia dermocosmética de la fórmula hasta las 24 horas con modernos equipos de Bio-ingeniería Cutánea, evaluando parámetros como: el efecto humectante empleando el Corneometer, la pérdida de agua transepidérmica empleando el Tewameter, los parámetros viscoeláticos de la piel empleando el Cutometer, el microrelieve cutáneo empleando el Visioscan; de los parámetros evaluados se demostró que la formulación que contiene 5% de aceite de Amaranthus caudatus L. “Kiwicha” proporciona a la piel un efecto humectante altamente significativo a través del día, además de brindar otros beneficios cosméticos importantes como son: incremento de la elasticidad, suavidad, atenuación de arrugas y mantenimiento de la eficacia de la función barrera de la piel, todos estos beneficios se atribuyen a la formulación que contiene este aceite. / --- The seed oil of Amaranthus caudatus L. “Kiwicha” (Annex Nº1) was extracted, by the method of Soxhlet and it was evaluated: the cutaneous and ocular in vivo safety of the oil was evaluated applying the methods “Acute Dermal Irritation/Corrosion” (OECD 404) and “Acute Eye Irritation/Corrosion” (OECD 405) of the Guidelines for Testing of Chemicals; the physical-chemical properties of the oil were determined: specific weight, refractive index, acid value, saponification index, peroxide index, iodine index. A formulation O/W containing 5% of the oil was made and it was evaluated the microbiology characteristic according to USP 29; the effectiveness was evaluated until the 24 hours with modern equipment of Cutaneous Bioengineering, the parameters evaluating are: the moisturizing effect using the Corneometer, the Transepidermical Water Loss using the Tewameter, the biomechanical parameters of the skin using the Cutometer, micro relief cutaneous using the Visioscan; of the evaluated parameters is demonstrated that the formulation that contains 5% of seed oil of Amaranthus caudatus L. “Kiwicha” provides to the skin a moisturizing effect highly significant through day, besides to offer other important cosmetic benefits as they are: increase of the elasticity, smoothness, attenuation of wrinkles and maintenance of the effectiveness of the function barrier of the skin, all these benefits are attributed to the formulation that contains this oil.

El aceite de los granos de Amaranthus caudatus L. “Kiwicha” (Anexo Nº1), se extrajo por el método de Soxhlet y se evaluó: la seguridad cutánea y ocular in vivo aplicando los métodos “Acute Dermal Irritation/Corrosion” (OECD 404) y “Acute Eye Irritation/Corrosion” (OECD 405) de Guidelines for Testing of Chemicals; se determinaron las propiedades físico-químicas del aceite: peso específico, índice de refracción, índice de acidez, índice de saponificación, índice de peróxido, índice de yodo. Se realizó una formulación O/W conteniendo 5% del aceite y se evaluaron las características microbiológicas de la fórmula según la USP 29; se evaluó la eficacia dermocosmética de la fórmula hasta las 24 horas con modernos equipos de Bio-ingeniería Cutánea, evaluando parámetros como: el efecto humectante empleando el Corneometer, la pérdida de agua transepidérmica empleando el Tewameter, los parámetros viscoeláticos de la piel empleando el Cutometer, el microrelieve cutáneo empleando el Visioscan; de los parámetros evaluados se demostró que la formulación que contiene 5% de aceite de Amaranthus caudatus L. “Kiwicha” proporciona a la piel un efecto humectante altamente significativo a través del día, además de brindar otros beneficios cosméticos importantes como son: incremento de la elasticidad, suavidad, atenuación de arrugas y mantenimiento de la eficacia de la función barrera de la piel, todos estos beneficios se atribuyen a la formulación que contiene este aceite. / The seed oil of Amaranthus caudatus L. “Kiwicha” (Annex Nº1) was extracted, by the method of Soxhlet and it was evaluated: the cutaneous and ocular in vivo safety of the oil was evaluated applying the methods “Acute Dermal Irritation/Corrosion” (OECD 404) and “Acute Eye Irritation/Corrosion” (OECD 405) of the Guidelines for Testing of Chemicals; the physical-chemical properties of the oil were determined: specific weight, refractive index, acid value, saponification index, peroxide index, iodine index. A formulation O/W containing 5% of the oil was made and it was evaluated the microbiology characteristic according to USP 29; the effectiveness was evaluated until the 24 hours with modern equipment of Cutaneous Bioengineering, the parameters evaluating are: the moisturizing effect using the Corneometer, the Transepidermical Water Loss using the Tewameter, the biomechanical parameters of the skin using the Cutometer, micro relief cutaneous using the Visioscan; of the evaluated parameters is demonstrated that the formulation that contains 5% of seed oil of Amaranthus caudatus L. “Kiwicha” provides to the skin a moisturizing effect highly significant through day, besides to offer other important cosmetic benefits as they are: increase of the elasticity, smoothness, attenuation of wrinkles and maintenance of the effectiveness of the function barrier of the skin, all these benefits are attributed to the formulation that contains this oil.

The following lines of white-seeded amaranth were tested in three locations within the Imbabura province of Ecuador: Ecu-0113, Ecu-0014, Ecu-2210, Ecu-4737, and Ecu-4744. The three locations used were Caranqui, Urcuquí, and Pucará which are 2228, 2423, and 2513 meters above sea level respectively. The objectives of this study were: 1) to identify which of the five experimental amaranth lines respond best at each altitude, 2) to establish which of the three locations is most appropriate for cultivation, 3) to understand the vegetative period of the five lines in each location, 4) to analyze which of the five experimental lines possesses the best characteristics in regard to yield, and 5) to determine the cost of producing one hectare of amaranth. The hypothesis was that at least one of the five amaranth lines has a different response in each of the three locations. A randomized block design with five treatments (varieties) and three repetitions in each location was used. Tests of significance were conducted via the Tukey method at 0.05 examining stem length, panicle length, yield, and days to harvest for all varieties and locations. Combined analysis was used to evaluate variety interaction by location. Significant differences in stem length were observed among the different locations and varieties. The Ecu-0113 variety reached lengths of 1020.00 mm. In regard to panicle length, significant differences were also observed among different locations and varieties. The most promising locations were Urcuquí and Caranqui while the most promising varieties were Ecu-0113 and Ecu-4737. Significant differences in grain yield were also observed among the different locations and varieties. In the Urcuquí area, the Ecu-0113 variety had the highest yield with a yield of 2404.24 kg/ha. In the Caranqui and Pucará areas, the Ecu-2210 variety had the highest yields with values of 1605.88 and 833.99 kg/ha respectively. The Ecu-4744 variety was the first ready to harvest in all three locations while the variety Ecu-2210 was the last. The production of one hectare of amaranth resulted in a cost-benefit ratio of 2.48 which means that for every dollar invested, $1.48 USD was recovered. In the Imbabura province, Urcuquí and Caranqui can be considered favorable environments for cultivation and Ecu-0113 and Ecu-2210 were the varieties that exhibited the greatest production potential. We recommend planting the Ecu-0113 variety in Urcuquí and the Ecu-2210 variety in Caranqui and Pucará to obtain maximum grain yield.

This study was conducted in two locations: Pucará (2,413m above sea level) and Mojandita (2,922m above sea level), both of which are found in the province of Imbabura, Ecuador. The objectives of this study were to: characterize the morphological and agronomic traits as well as the overall quality of the ten amaranth accessions in this study; identify the accessions with the highest yield and biomass; determine the nutritional characteristics of the experimental accessions; and determine the cost of production of amaranth per hectare. The following null hypothesis was assumed: the agronomic and nutritional characteristics of the ten accessions in this study are equal in both locations. A randomized block design with ten treatments and three repetitions was employed for each location. The following tests of significance were performed: Tukey test at the 5% significance level for accessions, DMS at 5% for locations and Combined Analysis for the variety x location interaction. The following lines were used: ECU-0014, ECU-0113, ECU-2210, ECU-4737, ECU-4744, which represented pale-seeded grain types, and ECU-0069, ECU-0082, ECU-0102, ECU-0123 and ECU-0162 represented dark-seeded grain types. These accessions were analyzed for: plant height, diameter of the base of the stem, stem length, panicle length, grain/plot yield. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that no significant difference exists between the accessions on the basis of plant height and stem length in either location. For stem diameter, panicle length, and yield, however, significant differences among the accessions were detected. Between locations, the most promising results were observed in Pucará. The accession ECU-2210 gave the highest yield in Mojanda, with 1,300 kg/ha, while the accession ECU-0014 had the highest yield in Pucará, with 1,400 kg/ha. Overall, the best protein and iron content was observed in Mojanda; the accessions ECU-0162 and ECU-4744 had the highest percentage of protein, with 14.93% and 14.58% respectively. The highest observed iron content was 465.0 ppm in the accession ECU-0102. The cost of producing one hectare of cultivated amaranth grain is $1,543.95. The sale of this investment totaled $2,520, giving a cost-benefit ration of $0.63. Growing the accessions ECU-0612 and ECU-4744 is recommended if high protein content is desired, while the accession ECU-0102 is recommended in order to obtain the highest iron content. To obtain the highest yield per square meter, the accessions ECU-2210 is recommended at altitudes of 2,900m above sea level, while ECU-0014 is recommended for altitudes less than 2,600m. Based on the results of this study, it is not recommended that amaranth be planted at altitudes higher than 3,000m.

Amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus L.) is an important pseudocereal in the Andes. The seed has excellent nutritional value (high in protein, essential amino acids, and minerals) and ample capacity for growth in diverse, harsh Andean subsistence-production conditions such as water deficiency, salt stress, and soil mineral nutrient deficiency. The objective of this study was to characterize and quantify the genetic diversity among a series of 178 mostly Peruvian amaranth genotypes using 96 biallelic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. A total of 96 co-dominant, biallelic markers were developed using KASPar™ assays on a 96.96 Fluidigm EP1 array system. The 178 amaranth genotypes included white-opaque and white-translucent (vitreous) putative A. caudatus seed types, along with black-seeded A. hybridus and brown-seeded types, all isolated from among 48 accessions of the CICA-UNSAAC collection. Variation among and within samples and accessions was compared for empirically determined clusters (northern, north-central, south-central, and southern Peruvian Andes). Variation was highest within samples for all groups, but only in white-seeded amaranth was the p-value significant (17.43). The greatest variation among samples was found in the vitreous-seeded group (99.35). The highest average observed heterozygosity within-groups (Ho) was 0.19 in the brown-seeded group, and expected within-group heterozygosity (He) was highest in the vitreous-seeded group (0.359). Cluster analysis (UPGMA), PCA and PCO results partitioned the amaranth accessions into six discrete clusters. Clusters did not manifest obvious structure among accessions, which indicates that genetic diversity has been conserved across a broad region of the Peruvian Andes. The diversity characterization pointed to a center of origin and domestication of A. caudatus in the Ayacucho-Cusco region of southern Peru.

Epidemiological, experimental, and clinical observations provide support for a colorectal cancer chemopreventive role for aspirin. We have evaluated the effects of aspirin on proliferation biomarkers in normal-risk and high-risk human subjects for colorectal cancer. Colorectal biopsies were obtained at baseline and at 24h after 28 daily doses of 81mg of aspirin from 13 high-risk and 15 normal-risk subjects for colorectal cancer. We evaluated aspirin's effects on proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemistry and epithelial mucin histochemistry using the lectin, Amaranthus caudatus agglutinin (ACA) in crypt sections from rectal biopsies. The baseline whole crypt PCNA LIs differed significantly between normal-risk and high-risk subjects. PCNA LIs are not affected by 28 days of aspirin at 81mg daily. ACA LIs are decreased by 28 days of aspirin at 81mg daily in both normal-risk and high-risk subjects. Aspirin's effects on ACA LIs may have mechanistic and biological implications that deserve further attention. PCNA and ACA LIs are not useful as proliferation biomarkers for aspirin's chemopreventive activity in morphologically normal human colorectal mucosa.