Ube shows promise as cure for hypertension

Yam (ube) contains a substance that shows some potentials as a cure for hypertension.

The substance has been named PhilRootcrops Protein-1 (PRP-1) by the Visayas State University (VSU), whose research has discovered the root crop’s medicinal properties.

It can safely be used as a hypertensive drug, Dr. Edgardo Tulin of the VSU-PhilRootcrops said.

Dr. Tulin said PRP-1 is a naturally-derived angiotension-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor from yam. ACE inhibitors are proteins that are commercially important for the treatment of hypertension.

He said the yield of PRP-1 from crude protein extracts of yam roots was 364 milligrams per 100 grams of tubers.

PRP-1 can also be purified from cooked yam tubers and was still able to include proliferation of bone marrow cells and spleen cells, he added. Spleen is an organ near the stomach or intestine of most vertebrates.

Dr. Tulin observed that PRP-1 was not allergenic to mice, suggesting that it can be administered safely without worry of having an allergic response.

“No observable morphological changes in the internal organs of the test animals were observed for both acute and chronic toxicity studies. Hence, PRP-1 can be used safely as a potential hypertensive drug,” he said.

Dr. Tulin said that the promising activity of PRP-1 is an opportunity to create natural drugs from widely cultivated crops in the country.

He concluded: “It is a natural protein that could safely be produced and could be readily available, particularly in the developing countries. PRP-1 has great potential for treatment against hypertension and, additionally, this protein has an essential role in metabolic regulation, particularly in glucose metabolism.” – Rudy A. Fernandez