A SWEET POTATO X ANTI CA

 A

Good call. Here’s a rundown of recent (2024–2025) research on sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) proteins / peptides and their anti‑cancer (or related) bioactivity — plus where things are still very preliminary.

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What’s New (2024–2025) on Sweet Potato and Anti‑Cancer Potential

1. Sporamin Phyto‑protein (Sweet Potato Storage Protein)

   • A 2024 study (“Tumor Suppression Potency of Sporamin Phyto‑protein …”) isolated sporamin from sweet potato and tested its anti‑cancer effects. (ResearchGate)

   • The results (in vitro + in vivo) suggested that sporamin could reduce tumour growth without obvious toxicity. (ResearchGate)

   • A review‑type article (“Reclaiming Agriceuticals from Sweetpotato”) also discusses sporamins: they make up 60‑80% of the soluble root protein, have antioxidant activity, and could be promising for agri‑pharmaceutical use. (MDPI)

2. Sweet Potato Leaf / Stem Extracts

   • A very recent study found that leaf and stem methanolic extracts from sweet potato significantly inhibited the viability of breast (MCF‑7) and lung (A549) cancer cells in vitro. (News-Medical)

   • According to a Chinese media science summary, these effects were seen at relatively low concentrations, suggesting potency. (medsci.cn)

   • Nutritional analysis work (2025) also confirms that sweet potato leaves are rich in protein, minerals, and flavonoids, which may contribute to their biological activity. (Nature)

3. Sweet Potato Peptides

   • A 2024‑2025 paper (“Bioactive peptides … from food science …”) identified a peptide called IbACP (Ipomoea batatas Anti‑Cancer Peptide) derived from sweet potato leaves. (ScienceDirect)

   • This IbACP peptide showed anticancer effects in experimental systems. (ScienceDirect)

4. Molecular / Mechanistic Screening

   • A frontiers in nutrition study (2025) applied metabolomics + network pharmacology + experimental validation to screen sweet potato for potential anti-leukemia (AML) compounds. (Frontiers)

   • They identified cynaroside, nepitrin, and yuanhuanin from sweet potato as candidate anti‑AML agents, with in vitro and in vivo validation. (Frontiers)

5. Anthocyanins from Sweet Potato

   • Newer research (2025) on anthocyanin-rich sweet potatoes (purple-fleshed) shows these compounds can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. (PMC)

   • These effects are relevant because oxidative stress / inflammation are often involved in cancer development.

6. Review of Protein‑Peptide Extraction and Bioactivity

   • A 2024 Chinese review details advances in how sweet potato proteins and peptides are extracted, characterized, and their known bioactivities (including anti‑cancer). (sciengine.com)

   • This helps highlight the increasing interest in sweet potato as a source of functional bioactive peptides.

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Interpretation & Caveats

• Very Early Stage: Much of this is preclinical (cell lines, animal models), or based on extract/peptide characterization. Not yet at the stage of human clinical trials for “sweet potato protein as a cancer therapy.”

• Different Mechanisms: The anti‑cancer activity isn't only from protease inhibitors (like sporamin/Kunitz-type TI). There’s also:

  • peptides (IbACP)

  • flavonoids (e.g., cynaroside)

  • anthocyanins
    So, the “anti-cancer potential” is multi‑mechanistic.

• Bioavailability Questions: Even if a peptide or protein is active in vitro, how well it’s absorbed, survives digestion, or reaches tumours in humans is unclear.

• Dose & Safety: Doses in studies may not translate to realistic dietary intake. Also, “no obvious toxicity in mice” ≠ “safe for long-term use in people at therapeutic levels."

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Why It Matters (Going Forward)

• These studies support the idea that sweet potatoes are more than just a healthy food — they could potentially be a source of functional or therapeutic compounds.

• If compounds like sporamin or IbACP show strong, reproducible anti-cancer effects, they could be developed into dietary supplements or even drug leads.

• Understanding the molecular mechanisms could help design novel peptides or derivatives with improved potency or bioavailability.

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If you like, I can check whether any human trials are currently registered (e.g. on ClinicalTrials.gov) for sweet potato‑derived proteins / peptides in cancer — do you want me to do that?