Natural rubber (NR) was purified by saponification of fresh latex from Hevea brasiliensis and soaking process of the coagulum with aqueous NaOH solution. This treatment resulted in the decrease of nitrogen content to the same level as enzymatic deproteinized NR. The saponification of NR latex and soaking of the coagulum gave the rubber having good processability with easy to cure. The saponified rubber showed outstanding physical and dynamic mechanical properties such as high tensile properties, high storage modulus, low tan 6, low heat build-up and low dynamic compression set. The saponified rubber blend with styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) according to the recipe of rubber tire showed also a good performance. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 118: 3524-3531, 2010