A review of therapeutic potentials of sweet potato: Pharmacological activities and influence of the cultivar

Abstract

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a global food crop, now being recognized as a functional food due to several of its nutraceutical components. Several experimental studies have reported that sweet potato can generally be beneficial in the prevention or treatment of chronic diseases through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anticancer/antitumour, antimicrobial and antiulcer activities. Studies on the haematinic effect of potato leaves and their ability to enhance some haemotological parameters are reviewed in this paper. Furthermore, the review provides an overview of the significance and influence of cultivar on the composition and pharmacological activities of sweet potato. Sweet potato contains a lot of beneficial phytochemicals, some of which are peculiar to certain varieties. There is, therefore, a need for the continuous evaluation and selection of cultivars with the appropriate phytochemical composition and bioactivities to be able to fully explore the medicinal value of sweet potato. Studies aimed at the isolation, characterization and toxicological evaluation of its bioactive compounds may help to strengthen and confirm the possible role of sweet potato as a health promoting food and an alternative remedy for chronic diseases. This review highlights the pharmacological reports on different forms of sweet potato and their potential medicinal values.