WEREKE AND ITS PROPERTIES

Names: wereke, wareke, guareque, warequi, choyalhuani. Scientific name. Maximowisda sonorae It is a root or "sweet potato" that for several centuries has been used as medicine by the Mexican ethnic groups. At present, it is given a very successful use as a hypoglycemic for the treatment of diabetes, and is extremely effective. It is found in the hills, hills and valleys. It is a climbing branch that is entangled in the trees. Its root is perennial the size of a jicama, although sometimes grows up to weigh about 10 kilos (and even more). Florea in May; its flower is tiny yellow. It has potent antiseptic, healing, antidiabetic, antirheumatic properties. .

This root has been used a lot because it has hypoglycemic properties. Their assets are not entirely known, at least not those that act as hypoglycemic agents. Therefore, this plant is still studied, not only for its properties empirically tested by people, but also to extract and separate their compounds and in their case to prepare them in a synthetic way. To prepare them in a synthetic way is so that the help they provide can reach more people without having to depend on the plant, because being native of a place may not be easy to get their benefits to people from other continents or places , also protects the plant from overexploitation.

It is said that the wasque hypoglycemic properties do not work at all in patients with type 1 diabetes, since it requires a minimum amount of insulin to work.

The wasque bulb is used in capsules to control diabetes as a light analgesic, such as antirheumatic, lower glucose levels by working similarly to sulfonylureas, decrease gastritis, decrease pain and problems caused by increased glucose.

For the use of this root, the common way is to let the root dry, then pulverize and take it, dissolved in water or alcohol. From this preparation are taken a few drops diluted in water, as the taste is very bitter. You can eat the fresh tuber in small pieces, but few people tolerate that way because of the strong taste.

The most common way is to take it already processed, purified and pulverized in capsules, tablets or syrup, either in the pure state or combined with various herbs, the most common are: Ampalaya, cinnamon, dandelion, fenugreek, nopal and thresher.

Due to the alkaloids and other substances contained in the wasque, its use is restricted, both for pregnant women (for being abortive and harmful to the mother) and for people with stomach sensitivity, since excess is purgative and causes diarrhea, In addition people with hypoglycemia may have problems with their use. Although its toxicity is minimal it is not recommended for use in young children or without medical supervision.

For the suggested dosage: Root powder, 500mg before each food. Adults: 2 capsules 3 times a day. Children (> 10 years): 1 capsule 3 times a day. External use: Powder of the capsule on the wound, previous cleaning with water and soap of the same.

Finally, researchers at the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM) study the hypoglycaemic properties that reduce blood glucose levels, wereke and chilacayote, in order to identify substances that produce therapeutic effects in people with diabetes mellitus and develops phytomedicines.

Because some plants have the active principle and others do not, in the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory crops are made so that all plant species are grown under the same environmental components, in order that they always have the active principle of interest.