In recent research from Japan, "The present report describes the effects of antidiabetic ingredients from white-skinned sweet potato (AWSSP) on the immune response of human cells. We studied the effects of inactive Staphylococcus aureus cells coated with AWSSP on phagocytic activity, phagosome-lysosome fusion, and superoxide anion release by human leukocytes in vitro. AWSSP increased phagocytic activity and phagosome-lysosome fusion in neutrophils and monocytes in a dose-dependent manner."

"In contrast, AWSSP had no significant effect on superoxide anion release (O-) from human neutrophils," said Yoshiko Miyazaki and collaborators at Mukogawa Women's University and Fuji Sangyo Company Ltd. "These results show that AWSSP is useful in the prevention and improvement of diabetic symptoms by stimulating human immunity and that Ipomoea batatas is a beneficial food because it increases immune activity in addition to its antidiabetic effects."

Miyazaki and associates published their study in Nutrition (“Effects on Immune Response of Antidiabetic Ingredients from White-skinned Sweet Potato” (Ipomoea batatas L.). Nutrition, 2005;21(3):358-362).

For additional information, contact Yoshiko Miyazaki, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Human Environmental Sciences, Institute for Biosciences, Mukogawa Women's University, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan. E-mail: miyazaki@mwu.mukogawa-u.ac.jp.