Carica Papaya (WL. Wagner; DR. Herbst; SH.

Sohmer) Caricaceae
Tracy Mae P. Estefanio

Introduction

The plant Carica papaya is part of the Caricaceae family. It is sometimes called

the pawpaw, although this common term more accurately applies to the small

trees with large fruit of the genus Asimina. Carica papaya is also known as fruta

bomba in Cuba and part of Caribbean, lechosa in Venezuela, Puerto Rico,

Philippines and the Dominican Republic, mamão, papaw in Sri Lankan, and

papol\guslabu in Sinhalese (Duke, B.2005). It is native to the tropics of the

Americas, but which is now cultivated in tropical and warm, semi-tropical zones

around the world (Berrin, K.1997). Carica papaya has been used for over

thousands of years by indigenous Americans for medicinal purposes. The

fleshy fruit of carica papaya is high in vitamins A and C and in potassium, and

has significant amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, and iron, while

being low in calories that is useful in tenderizing meat and for treatment of

indigestion (Herbst 2001; Prior 2007).