<em>Solanum tuberosum</em> L: Botanical, Phytochemical, Pharmacological and Nutritional Significance

Abstract

&lt;p&gt;Solanum tuberosum commonly known as potato belongs to solanaceae family. The whole part of potato plant including leaves; tuber, peel and juice are used in traditional medicine. A number of pharmacological activities of potato have been reported viz. Antioxidant, anticancer, antiallergy, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiobesity, anti-ulcer activity. Potato contains Phenolic acids, anthocyanin, flavonoids, vitamin B6, vitamin B3, pantothenic acid, potassium, manganese, phosphorous; copper and fibres. The medicinal properties, traditional uses, nutritional value, phytochemical constituents, taxonomy, geographic origin and distribution have been mentioned in this present review to provide collective data for multipurpose benefits.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;

Nutritional Composition and Biochemical Properties of Solanum tuberosum

“…The amylose molecule is smaller, with approximately 5000 glucose residues. There are trace amounts of phosphorus in the amylopectin fraction, which is chemically combined with starch [3]. Because of the high starch content, manufacturing Solanum tuberosum starch is now economically feasible in developed countries.…”

“…Meals in some developing countries are frequently served with a combination of boiled tubers of Solanum tuberosum and rice or pasta. However, consumers in developed countries frequently mistakenly believe that such mixtures provide nothing more than large amounts of carbohydrate energy [3]. It has been proposed that Solanum tuberosum comparative advantage as a food in the tropics, on a unit weight basis, stems from its ability to supply high-quality protein.…”

“…Solanum tuberosum is not a high-energy food, providing only about 80 kilocalories per 100 g, but it does provide high-quality protein. This is especially important in developing countries, where energy is more readily available than protein [3]. When compared to many other vegetable crops, the nitrogenous content of the Solanum tuberosum tuber has a high nutritional value.…”

“…Potato is in the 4th order with respect to production and area harvested after maize, wheat and rice, as a staple crop for human nutrition with a production of more than 368 million tonnes [1,2]. This famous tuber is grown in 80 percent of the world's countries [3,4]. This shows that Solanum tuberosum is one of the most productive crops in the world.…”

“…Solanum tuberosum tubers with no or low-fat addition have high levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidants, such as phenolic acids, primarily chlorogenic acid, ascorbic acid, and flavonoids, which are phytochemicals [10]. Increased consumption of potato tubers may increase antioxidant levels in blood and tissues and protect against oxidative stress, which is responsible for lipid, protein, and enzyme damage [3]. One of the global health goals is to increase nutrient availability to a large portion of the world's population.…”