Sweet Potato Leaves and Stems Show Potential in Slowing Cancer Growth

Key Points:

A recent study suggests that parts of sweet potatoes typically discarded could slow the growth of lung and breast cancer cells.

Researchers found that compounds in the leaves and stems of sweet potatoes may have cancer-killing properties.

The study compared the effects of sweet potato extracts with a common breast cancer drug, tamoxifen.

Further research is needed to identify specific compounds in sweet potato leaves and stems that combat cancer progression.

PARTS of a popular vegetable that are usually thrown away could slow the growth of lung and breast cancer cells, a study suggests.

High in fibre and antioxidants, sweet potatoes are a staple for many meals.

Compounds in the leaves and stems of sweet potatoes could help slow cancer cell growth.

It's uncommon for the leaves to be eaten in the UK.

The spinach-like leaves that sprout from the spuds are eaten in many parts of Asia, Africa, and the Pacific.

But it's rare to see sweet potatoes sold with their greenery in the UK.

Now, Tennessee State University researchers say compounds in the sweet spud's leaves and stems could be used to stop the growth of cancerous cells.

The study looked into the cytotoxic effects of sweet potato greens, using purple and orange-fleshed strains grown in Tennessee State University’s Organic Research Farm.

Researchers tested how effective extracts from the potatoes were against human breast and lung cancer cells, comparing them against tamoxifen – a drug that's used to treat breast cancer.

The study – published in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies – found that leaf extracts from purple sweet potatoes and stem and leaf extracts from orange sweet potatoes significantly inhibited the survival of lung and breast cancer cells.

The findings suggest that sweet potato leaf extracts may affect different cancer types in different ways.

The study also compared the effects of sweet potato extracts with tamoxifen and found that at certain levels, the leaf extracts had a similar or even stronger impact on lung cancer cells.

Overall, the study found that the sweet potato leaf and stem compounds only had a minimal cytotoxic effect at lower concentrations but were able to slow cancer growth significantly at higher doses.

Scientists said that further research is needed to identify particular compounds in sweet potato leaves and stems that can combat cancer progression.

But researchers suggested it may be worth incorporating the greenery into our diets.

"Incorporating these leafy greens into our diet and the bioactive compounds isolated from the plant could serve as a protective strategy against cancer," they wrote.