Sweet Potato

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Turkey, UK, Hawaii, China, Haiti, Dominican Republic, India(Santal), Panama(Cuna)

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Alterative, Aphrodisiac, Asthma, Astringent

Science studied: ALUMINUM, ASCORBIC-ACID, ASH, BATATIC-ACID

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Convolvulaceae

Scientific name: Ipomoea batatas

Common names: Sweet Potato, Akage, Apichu, Batata, Batate, Boniato, Camote, Camote de bejuco, Chinkiamai inchi, Cumar, Fan shu, Gan shu, Hong shu, Inchi, Ipomée patate, Ipomée patate, Patate douce, Batate, Patate, Kayuk inchi, Kumal, Kumara

POWO: 1101088-2 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Turkey, UK, Hawaii, China, Haiti, Dominican Republic, India(Santal), Panama(Cuna) and 6 additional places.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Alterative
• Aphrodisiac
• Asthma
• Astringent
• Catarrh
• Ciguatera
• Demulcent
• Dyslactation

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Turkey
• UK
• Hawaii
• China
• Haiti
• Dominican Republic
• India(Santal)
• Panama(Cuna)
• Elsewhere
• Malaya
• Chile
• West Indies

Documented cultural uses

• Alterative
• Aphrodisiac
• Asthma
• Astringent
• Catarrh
• Ciguatera
• Demulcent
• Dyslactation
• Evil eye
• Excipient
• Fungicide
• Kidney

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Alterative · Turkey · "
• Aphrodisiac · UK · "
• Aphrodisiac · Turkey · "
• Asthma · Hawaii · "
• Astringent · China · "
• Catarrh · Haiti · "
• Ciguatera · Dominican Republic · "
• Demulcent · Turkey · "
• Dyslactation · India(Santal) · "
• Evil eye · Panama(Cuna) · "
• Excipient · Elsewhere · "
• Fungicide · Elsewhere · "
• Kidney · China · "
• Poultice · Malaya · "
• Spleen · China · "
• Stomach · China · "
• Tonic · Turkey · "
• Tumor · Chile · "
• Bite(Bug) · Haiti · "
• Aphrodisiac · China · "
• Burn · Haiti · "
• Diarrhea · China · "
• Tumor · West Indies · "
• Tumor(Throat) · Brazil · "

1 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• DNA extraction from sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) root tissues supports routine genotyping · 2026 source ↗
• Characterization of a polysaccharide from Ipomoea batatas and its in vitro hypoglycemic activity. · 2026 source ↗
• DNA extraction from sweetpotato (<i>Ipomoea batatas</i>) root tissues supports routine genotyping. · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• ALUMINUM
• ASCORBIC-ACID
• ASH
• BATATIC-ACID
• CAFFEIC-ACID
• CARBOHYDRATES
• BETA-CAROTENE
• ZETA-CAROTENE
• CHLORINE
• CHLOROGENIC-ACID
• TRANS-CINNAMIC-ACID
• CYANIDIN-3-(CAFFEOYLSOPHOROSIDE)-5-GLUCOSIDE
• CYANIDIN-3-DICAFFEOYLSOPHOROSIDE-5-GLUCOSIDE
• FAT
• FOLACIN
• GLYCINE

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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