“PAPA’S ORIGIN, MEDICINAL PLANTS, USES AND POSSIBLE DANGER

PAPAYA

Scientific Name: Carica Papaya Linn

Papaya whole plant bits, berries, stems, bark, peel, seeds, and pulp are all

considered to have healing properties, in addition to being tasty and nutritious. The high

content of Vitamins A, B, and C, as well as proteolytic enzymes like papain and

chymopapain, which have antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial effects, contribute to

papaya's several benefits. Carica papaya may be used to cure a variety of ailments. Carica

papaya's pharmacological applications and side/toxic effects are discussed in this article.

Papain, an enzyme found in the bark, leaves, and fruit of Carica papaya, is present in the

bark, leaves, and fruit.

 Papaya is a fast-growing, small, erect, usually unbranched tree that grows 3 to 6

meters tall. Wide petiole-scars adorn the trunk, which is soft and grayish. Leaves are

palmately 7- or 9-lobed, with each lobe pinnately incised or lobed, and are 1 meter wide or

less. Petioles are 1 meter long, hollow, and stout. Male flowers are fragrant, clustered

clusters of straw-colored flowers. The tube of the corolla is slender, measuring about 2

centimeters in length. Female flowers appear in axillary clusters or racemes of petals

measuring 7 centimeters or less. When mature, the fruit is indehiscent, subglobose,

obovoid or oblong-cylindric, 5 to 30 centimeters long, fleshy, yellowish or yellow-orange in

color, and contains various black seeds embedded in the sweet pulp.

Scientific Names of Papaya Common Names of Papaya

Other Venacular Names of Papaya
Origin and where it is likely to be found or widely spread

The papaya is believed to have originated in Central America or Mexico, but its

precise origins in tropical America are uncertain. In the early 16th century, the papaya first

appeared in the Dominican Republic and Panama. Spaniards introduced the seeds to the

Philippines in 1550, bringing the plant to Southeast Asia for the first time. The plant was

then promoted by the Portuguese and Spaniards in the Malay Peninsula and the East

Indies. The papaya (Carica papaya) is widely distributed in most tropical countries and

islands, where it thrives in the warm climate.

Properties

 Considered Anti-rheumatic, emmenagogue, and anthelmintic properties. Anti-

inflammatory, anthelmintic, analgesic, stomachic, and antifungal properties are all

associated with seeds. Tonic, stomachic, and analgesic properties are all found in the
 leaves.The roots are analgesic and abortifacient. Latex is a styptic and vermifuge

substance. Hypotensive, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, anti-sickling, anti-

inflammatory, anti-dengue, wound healing, anti-cancer, anthelmintic,

immunomodulatory, and antidiarrheal effects have been discovered in studies.

Use and Possible Danger

Part Used

 Leaves, fruit and latex of trunk.

Medicinal Studies

 Phytochemicals / Unripe Pulp: The discovery of saponins and cardenolides, as well

as minerals, were discovered in the mature unripe pulp of C papaya, explaining its

astringent medicinal properties.

 Toxicity study: In a sample of rats, no adverse effects or signs of toxicity on organ

functions were found in an aqueous extract of unripe papaya, which was ingested

for its anti-sickling activity by certain sickle cell patients.

 Hypotensive: Carica papaya (L.) fruit juice lowers blood pressure in rats with renal

and DOCA-induced hypertension: More so than hydralazine, the study found a

substantial reduction in mean arterial pressure. It is concluded that C papaya fruit

juice contains antihypertensive agent/s that primarily act on alpha-

adrenoreceptors. (4)
 Antihemolytic: Antihemolytic action of Carica papaya bark extract Usage of glucose-

6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

 Antioxidant / Antiulcer / Leaves: Cp can theoretically serve as a good therapeutic

agent against gastric ulcer and oxidative stress, according to a study of the aqueous

extract of leaves on alcohol-induced acute damage and the immediate blood

oxidative stress level in rats.

 Antiulcerogenic: In a study of the antiulcerogenic activities of Cp extract in rats with

an aspirin-induced ulcer, the ulcer index, lipid peroxide amounts, and alkaline

phosphatase activity were all decreased. Cp may have gastroprotective effects by

free radical scavenging and may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of

gastric diseases, according to the findings.

 Anthelmintic / Jejunal Contraction Modulation : The jejunal contraction was

inhibited by an ethanol extract of C papaya seeds in a concentration-dependent

manner. The most bioactive compound responsible for its anthelmintic action is

benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC).

 Antisickling Property / Leaves: Under osmotic tension, a study on methanolic leaf

extracts of Cp showed a reduction in hemolysis and defense of erythrocyte

membrane stability. Under extreme hypoxia, pretreatment with Cp leaf extract

blocked the development of sickle cells. The findings suggest that Cp may be a viable

candidate for treating Sickle Cell Disease..

 Nephroprotective / Seeds: The aqueous seed extract of Cp has a nephroprotective

function in carbon tetrachloride renal-injured rats, which may be induced by either

of the phytocomponents acting as antioxidants and/or free radical scavengers.. The

 effects of a papaya seed aqueous extract on CCl4-induced renal toxicity in Wistar

rats were studied. Except for potassium, the results showed a nephroprotective

benefit, with a dose-dependent statistically significant decrease in renal function

creators.

 Wound Healing Property / Latex: Based on hydroxyproline material, wound

contraction, and epithelialization duration, a study found papaya latex formulated in

the Carbopol gel to be useful in the treatment of burns, confirming its traditional

application.

 Pregnancy Concerns: In rats fed ripe papaya, there was no substantial change in the

number of implantation sites or viable fetuses compared to control rats. Similar to

oxytocin and prostaglandin F2a, crude papaya latex caused spasmodic contractions

of the uterine muscles. Unripe or semi-ripe papaya with a high latex content causes

significant uterine contractions.

 Male Infertility: The alkaloid extract of Cp seeds was studied to see whether it might

inhibit ovum fertilization, decrease sperm cell numbers, sperm cell degeneration,

and cause testicular cell lesion, all of which could lead to reversible male infertility

and the development of a prescription male contraceptive.

 Acute Toxicity Study of Leaf Extract: Acute toxicity of Carica papaya leaf extract on

Sprague Dawley rats at a dosage of 2000 mg/kg body weight was explored in this

report. The experiment was carried out in a stepwise manner with set doses of 5, 50,

300, and 2000 mg/kgbw. There were no deaths or severe side effects from the

extract. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, RBC, and total proteins, on the other hand, were all

slightly higher, implying dehydration.

  Dried Seeds / Anthelmintic: Air-dried papaya seeds were shown to be effective

against human intestinal parasitosis in a study with no noticeable side effects.

Side Effects

 The unripe fruit is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth. Unripe papaya fruit

contains papaya latex, which contains an enzyme called papain. Taking large

amounts of papain by mouth may damage the esophagus.

 When applied to the skin: Applying unripe papaya fruit to the skin is POSSIBLY

UNSAFE. Unripe papaya fruit contains papaya latex. This can cause severe irritation

and allergic reactions in some people.

 Diabetes: Papaya that has been fermented can lower blood sugar. People with

diabetes who are taking medications to lower their blood sugar should pay close

attention to their blood sugar as adjustments to medications might be needed.

 Low blood sugar: Papaya that has been fermented can lower blood sugar. Taking

this form of papaya might make blood sugar too low in people who already have low

blood sugar.

 Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism): There is concern that eating large

amounts of papaya might make this condition worse.

 Surgery: Papaya that has been fermented can lower blood sugar. In theory, this

form of papaya might affect blood sugary during and after surgery. If you are taking

papaya, you should stop 2 weeks before surgery.

Others
  Beef tenderizer: Before frying, combine the peelings of unripe fruit or latex with raw

meat. Commercial meat tenderizers use the enzyme "papain" as a primary

ingredient.

 Papain is also the primary ingredient of an ointment that is commonly used to treat

wounds, rashes, stings, and burns.

 Soap substitution: Leaves are often used to wash laundry with soap or as a soap

replacement.

REFERENCES

1. Chemical Profile of Unripe Pulp of Carica papaya  / Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 4

(6): 379-381, 2005

2. Toxicity studies on an unripe Carica papaya aqueous extract: biochemical and

haematological effects in wistar albino rats  / Oduola, T et al /Journal of Medicinal

Plants Research Vol. 1 (1) pp. 001-004, August 2007

3. Blood pressure depression by the fruit juice of Carica papaya (L.) in renal and DOCA-

induced hypertension in the rat  / Phytotherapy Research / Volume 14 Issue 4,

Pages 235 – 239

4. Antihemolytic action of an extract of Carica papaya bark. Possibilities of use in

glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiencies

Dakar Med. 1979;24(3):255-62.

5. Chemicals in Carica papaya / Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical

Databases

6. Protective effect of Carica papaya L leaf extract against alcohol induced acute gastric

damage and blood oxidative stress in rats  / M Indrann et al / West Indian med. j.

vol.57 no.4 Mona Sept. 2008

7. Modulation of jejunal contractions by extract of Carica papaya L. seeds  / Adebiyi

Adebowale et al / PTR. Phytotherapy research • 2005, vol. 19, no7, pp. 628-632

8. The Anti-ulcerogenic Activity of Aqueous Extract of Carica Papaya Fruit on Aspirin –

Induced Ulcer In Rats / Augustine Ologundudu / The Internet Journal of

Toxicology™ ISSN: 1559-3916

9. Antisickling property of Carica papaya leaf extract  / N O A Imaga et al / African

Journal of Biochemistry Research Vol.3 (4), pp 102-106 April, 2009

10. Nephroprotective activities of the aqueous seed extract of Carica papaya Linn. in

carbon tetrachloride induced renal injured Wistar rats: a dose- and time-dependent

study / J A Olagunju et al / Biology and Medicine, Vol. 1 (1): 11-19, 2009.

11. Papaya (Carica papaya) consumption is unsafe in pregnancy: fact or fable? Scientific

evaluation of a common belief in some parts of Asia using a rat model / Adebowale

Adebiyi et al / British Journal of Nutrition (2002), 88, 199–203

12. Activity of Alkaloid Extract of Carica papaya. Seeds on Reproductive Functions in

Male Wistar Rats / F V Udoh et at / Summary / Pharmaceutical Biology • 2005, Vol.

43, No. 6, Pages 563-567

13. Sorting Carica Names / Maintained by Michel H. Porcher /MULTILINGUAL

MULTISCRIPT PLANT NAME DATABASE

14. Acute toxicity study of Carica papaya leaf extract in Sprague Dawley rats  / S. Z.

Halim, N. R. Abdullah, A. Afzan, B. A. Abdul Rashid, I. Jantan and Z. Ismail / Journal of

Medicinal Plants Research. 18 May 2011; 5(10): pp. 1867-1872

15. Carica papaya / Common name details from PIER

16. Dose-dependent Attenuating Effects of Aqueous Extract of Carica papaya Seed on

CarbonTetrachloride-Induced Renal Toxicity in Rats / Eze Kingsley Nwangwa /

Advances in Life Sciences 2012, 2(4): 124-127 / DOI: 10.5923/j.als.20120204.08

17. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-488/papaya

18. Journal_of_Medicinal_Plants_Studies_Traditional. Pdf

19. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-488/papaya