Anti-Melanogenic Activity of Yacon Leaves in Mouse Melanoma Cells: Anti-Melanogenic Activity of Traditional Andean Food Yacon

摘要

Traditional food yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius), a plant of asteraceae, is originally cultivated in the Andean of South America. Yacon contains beta-1, 2-oligofructans and polyphenols abundantly. Yacon leaves are used as a tea and the roots can be eaten raw. The leaves are known to contain components that led to a suppressing rise in blood glucose levels. Kurume city is one of the municipalities that an agricultural output is high in Japan. Although a number of agricultural products are cultivatedin Kurume city, there isn't unique one. Therefore, we focused on a specialty product yacon as an attractive healthy vegetable. In the present, we have cultivated yacon to introduce functional yacon tea and confectionery.