Purple Sweet Potato as Natural Medicines For Healthy Family

Purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a useful tuber plant, especially from the bulging roots called tubers. Potatoes are white, red or purple. Potatoes that have purple tubers are starting to be in high demand by consumers because they have good nutritional composition and have certain physiological functions for health.

The purple color in the purple sweet potato tuber  is caused by the anthocyanin compounds in the purple sweet potato tuber. Anthocyanin is a pigment found in the tuber of purple sweet potato which is thought to have antioxidant properties 2-3 times higher than some varieties of "blueberries". Anthocyanins in purple sweet potato tubers have a high stability compared to anthocyanins from other sources so that they are chosen as antioxidants and alternative natural dyes.

Purple sweet potato is also a food ingredient as a source of carbohydrates and a source of calories which is quite high (80-85%). Purple sweet potato also contains lysine, Cu, Mg, K, Zn on average 20%. Other content that is in purple sweet potato is protein, fat, crude fiber and ash. In addition, purple sweet potato is also a source of vitamins and minerals, vitamins contained in purple sweet potato include vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamin (vitamin B1), and riboflavin. While the mineral content in purple sweet potato include iron (Fe), phosphorus (P), and calcium (Ca).

Anthocyanin in purple sweet potato is one of the flavonoids that is suspected to play a role in maintaining health through its efficacy as an antioxidant both directly and indirectly. Anthocyanins are derived from the Greek antos (flower) and cyanos (blue), which are active ingredients in plants which are grouped into flavonoids. Anthocyanins are compounds that play a role in giving the red, purple, and blue colors to flower petals, bulbs and fruit. As glycosides, all anthocyanins are soluble in water and insoluble in organic solvents. Anthocyanins can be precipitated from their solution as lead salts that are blue, which dissolve in glacial acetic acid to produce a deep red color. Of the three main types of anthocyanidins namely pelargonidin, cyanidin and delfinidin, all are hydroxylated at positions 3.5 and 7. While the individual differences between anthocyanin compounds lie in the position of the glycosyl groups (sugar residues) in their molecules.

In vitro studies with the small intestine of mice found that the absorption of anthocyanin (cyanidin 3-glicoside) occurs best in the smallest jejunal region of the duodenum. Anthocyanin uptake almost does not occur in the ileum and colon. Several other studies have found that absorption of anthocyanins in the small intestine varies greatly. It is estimated that after oral administration only 0.1% is absorbed, but other researchers report reaching 13-22% of the dose given. The mechanism of anthocyanin absorption in the gastrointestinal tract is suspected through glucosetransporter or Na dependent glucosecotransporter.

Research examining anthocyanin levels in certain tissues has proven that cyanidin-glicoside, one of anthocyanins, can penetrate the blood brain barrier so that it can be detected in brain tissue. Cyanidin-glicoside can also penetrate eye tissue so that it can be found in the eyes of mice and rabbits. Partial metabolism of glycosides occurs in the intestine to methylated glycoside and glucuroconjugated. This is evident from the discovery of these two forms in plasma after administration of anthocyanin. Besides in the intestine the process of anthocyanin metabolism also occurs in the liver / liver. In the heart there will be a methylation process carried out by the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). The main metabolic product in the liver from anthocyanin is a form of methylation of anthocyanin which will then be excreted through bile.

The Role of Purple Sweet Potato Tuber for Healthy Families

Based on invitro research on cell-lines, animal studies and clinical trials, anthocyanins from purple sweet potato tubers, have powerful antioxidant properties along with anti-inflammatory effects. Another biological effect of anthocyanin that has been widely studied is its ability to prevent the emergence of various chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. These biological effects occur because of the strong antioxidant effect of anthocyanins. The mechanism of the antioxidant effect of anthocyanins is suspected in several ways namely; as a free radical scavenger, forming chelates with metals, binding to proteins and other unknown mechanisms. Free radicals or reactive oxygen compounds such as hydroxyl radicals, peroxyl radicals and superoxid anions, are compounds that are always formed as a result of metabolic reactions in living organisms. Under normal circumstances these reactive oxygen compounds will be neutralized by endogenous antioxidants consisting of; superoxid dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and other enzymes so that there is no damage due to oxidative reactions. When oxidative stress occurs where free radicals are very high beyond the ability of endogenous antioxidants, oxidative damage will occur with all the consequences, and various diseases arise. Exogenous antioxidants can prevent oxidative stress thus preventing damage to various cell components.

 Anthocyanin, which is one of the flavonoids, can capture free radicals with a much stronger ability than vitamin E. Anthocyanin has different abilities in capturing various types of free radicals. The difference in the ability to capture free radicals is determined by the wake formula of each anthocyanin. Anthocyanins which have the ability to capture the most powerful free radicals in vitro are cyanidin (found in purple sweet potato tubers) and the weakest is pelargonidin. The general mechanism of anthocyanins neutralizing free radicals is by donating H atoms from phenolic hydrogen so that free radicals become stable, and anthocyanin itself will become free radicals but far more stable than neutralized free radicals. Anthocyanidin is more effective as an antioxidant than anthocyanin, because what acts as an antioxidant is the form of aglycon which is owned by anthocyanidin.

Antioxidant effects of anthocyanins can cause effects on health, among others; prevent cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease that is dangerous is the occurrence of atherosclerosis, causing abnormalities in certain organs. The process of atherosclerosis begins with oxidative stress, which causes LDL oxidation which will stimulate macrophage accumulation, thus initiating the inflammatory process and atherosclerosis. Anthocyanin can inhibit the LDL oxidation process so that it inhibits atherosclerosis. In addition to the antioxidant effects of anthocyanins can also cause other pharmacological effects such as: stabilizing collagen, maintaining capillary permeability, anti-inflammatory, reducing blood sugar levels, affecting cholesterol metabolism, anti-platelet aggregation and can cause relaxation of smooth muscle of blood vessels so that it can be used as an antihypertensive agent.

The efficacy of pholyphenol / flavonoid as an antihypertension occurs through various mechanisms, namely increasing nitric oxid (NO) which is a vasodilator. The increase in NO due to administration of cyanidine 3-glycoside occurs due to increased eNOS (enzyme that synthesizes NO) and the presence of phosphorylation regulation from eNOS.

From the description above it can be concluded that purple sweet potato tubers can overcome family health problems such as hypertension, atherosclerosis which will cause heart attacks and strokes as well as antioxidants so that they are healthier in general. Good luck