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Medicinal and Nutritional Importance of Carica papaya in Human Health
Abstract
Carica papaya is a perennial, herbaceous plant that is renowned for its wide range of biological functions. Various components of this plant, including seeds, leaves, fruits, peels, roots, and stems, have previously been documented to exhibit nutritional and therapeutic properties. This plant is highly nutritious, containing a wealth of vitamins and natural minerals, while being low in calories. Furthermore, each component of this plant has been utilized for the treatment of various ailments, such as wound healing, antibacterial properties, anthelminthic effects, conventional contraception, and numerous other applications. These findings emerged from the in vitro and in vivo investigations carried out on the extracts derived from various components of C. papaya. By providing an awareness of the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer benefits that are attributed to a range of phytochemicals, this topic offers a comprehension of the historical medicinal applications of phytochemicals as well as the contemporary significance of these compounds. Among the enzymes that are responsible for the digestive health benefits that are highlighted, papain and chymopapain are two examples of enzymes that are responsible for some of the benefits. This chapter aims to comprehensively explore the medicinal and nutritional importance of Carica papaya in the context of human health. By understanding the enzymatic composition, antioxidant capacity, and phytochemical profile of papaya, we seek to provide a nuanced understanding of its therapeutic potential. As a result, the fruit’s potential as a holistic health-promoting agent is demonstrated. The purpose of this research is to gain a comprehensive knowledge and usage of the entire spectrum of the medicinal and nutritional potential of Carica papaya, with the end goal of contributing to a more profound assimilation of this tropical jewel into human health and well-being.
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Carica papaya, commonly referred to as papaya, is a member of the Caricaceae family, boasting a diverse array of compounds and biomolecules, notably papain, with significant industrial and medicinal value. This comprehensive review meticulously examines the properties, extraction techniques, and pharmacological importance of papain, coupled with an exploration of the pharmacological activities inherent in C. papaya. Extensive research data from reputable sources such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were scrutinized to collate pertinent information on the plant and its enzyme. Within C. papaya, a spectrum of bioactive compounds were identified, encompassing alkaloids, tannins, phenolics, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, sugars, glycosides, amino acids, steroids, and the pivotal enzyme papain. Papain extraction methods and their activity modulation in response to pH, temperature, and other physicochemical parameters were examined in detail. This review provides a nuanced analysis of papain, addressing both its pharmacological implications and potential side effects. Its far-reaching applications in the medical, industrial, and pharmaceutical sectors were meticulously discussed, unveiling its market potential. Furthermore, C. papaya emerged as a reservoir of pharmacological activities, exhibiting antioxidant properties, anti-cancer potential, wound healing capabilities, digestive disorder management, and anxiolytic effects. The research underscores the promising potential of C. papaya and papain for diverse biological applications, prompting a call for further studies to unlock their therapeutic benefits, particularly in the realm of public health. Looking ahead, continued advancements in drug development hold the key to unraveling the intricate bioactive components of papaya and its papain cysteine proteases. These insights are poised to catalyze their development and application, promising substantial contributions to the betterment of humanity.
This study evaluated the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of polysaccharides extracted from unripe Carica papaya L. (papaya) fruit. Three papaya polysaccharide (PP) fractions, namely PP-1, PP-2, and PP-3, with molecular weights of 2252, 2448, and 3741 kDa, containing abundant xylose, galacturonic acid, and mannose constituents, respectively, were obtained using diethylaminoethyl–Sepharose™ anion exchange chromatography. The antioxidant capacity of the PPs, hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, ferrous ion-chelating assay, and reducing power assay revealed that the PP-3 fraction had the highest antioxidant activity, with an EC50 (the concentration for 50% of the maximal effect) of 0.96 mg/mL, EC50 of 0.10 mg/mL, and Abs700 nm of 1.581 for the hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, ferrous ion-chelating assay, and reducing power assay, respectively. In addition, PP-3 significantly decreased reactive oxygen species production by 45.3%, NF-κB activation by 32.0%, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 generation by 33.5% and 34.4%, respectively, in H2O2-induced human epidermal keratinocytes. PP-3 exerts potent antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects; thus, it is a potential biofunctional ingredient in the cosmetic industry.
Papain is one of the widely used enzymes in the industry. This study aimed to extract papain enzyme from various parts (i.e. latex, leaves, peels and seeds) of papaya using distilled water and citric phosphate buffer and subsequently purified with a two-step salt precipitation method. The optimum protein concentration of purified papain was obtained with citric phosphate buffer (0.159-0.319 mg/mL) and distilled water (0.119-0.347 mg/ mL). The protein concentration was almost similar for crude extracted with both the solvent. The purification procedure enhanced up to 1.56 fold when extracted with distilled water and 0.83 fold when extracted with citric phosphate buffer. Latex, leaves, peels and seeds showed maximum enzyme activity at 60oC and pH 8.0 as well as better thermal stability at 60oC for 30 mins. Findings highlighted that extracted papain enzyme from waste parts of papaya could be utilized as a potential source of industrial application in terms of waste to value-added products.
Papain is a globular cysteine-protease family consisting of a single polypeptide chain with three disulfide bridges and a sulfhydryl group necessary for proteolytic activity. Its application is extensive to the fields of medicine and food. The aim of this study is to extract, purify and characterize papain enzymes from the leaves of Carica papaya. Crude extracts containing the enzymes were extracted from the leaves of papaya in Mountain Top University, Nigeria, and purified in a 3-step purification using 70% NH4(SO4)2, DEAE-Cellulose column chromatography and Sephadex G-25 column chromatography to achieve a purification fold of 1.6424. The effects of temperature, pH, substrate concentration and Mg²⁺ concentrations on the activity of the enzymes were determined. From the author's extensive search, this is the first paper in the open literature to report the presence of five enzymes with different measures of binding affinity and catalytic efficiencies between the cysteine-proteases and the casein-substrate. The purified enzymes from Carica papaya are optimally active from 50°C - 59°C and pH 4.5 – 6.6. Its activity is generally enhanced by the addition of Mg²⁺. The Km and Vmax values for the enzyme in the various pools ranged from 1.47mg/ml - 8.70mg/ml and 0.42µmol/ml/min - 0.4167µmol/ml/min. In this study, papain E displayed optimum activity at pH 5.5 and 50°C in the presence of Mg²⁺ with the best catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km 59.776 - pmL/mg.min) and binding affinity (Km - 0.83 mg/mL) when compared to the isolated enzymes. Values of the parameters assessed from this study could be put to use by the industry in the production of papain and also for household and medical use in storing the product.
Carica papaya L. (family: Caricaceae), also known as 'papaya,' is a tropical American fruit tree. Due to the bioactive components (carpaines, BITC, benzyl glucosinolates, latex, papain, ze-axanthin, choline, etc.) in its seeds, leaves, and fruits, it is revered for its excellent antioxidant, digestive , and nutraceutical benefits. Papayas are high in vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, folate, panto-thenic acid, zeaxanthin, lycopene, lutein, magnesium, copper, calcium, and potassium. Being rich in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C, it lowers the cholesterol in the arteries; prevents arthritis; reduces aging, cancer, macular degradation, risk of cardiovascular diseases, and stress; increases platelet count; controls dengue fever; facilitates digestion, and lowers body weight. Papaya leaf extract , with many in vitro and case studies in combination therapies with modern medicine, especially for cancers and many other viral diseases, has been found to be an efficient cure. Humans have cultivated papaya cultivars for millions of years because of their significant commercial, medicinal , and agronomic value. Several reports have been published on the genetic modification of papaya for resistance to abiotic (herbicide, Al toxicity, etc.) and biotic stressors (PRSV, mites, Phy-tophthora, etc.), delaying ripening, and improving shelf life. However, most of these traits have not been introduced globally to all commercial papaya varieties. Unraveling the genetics of papaya has shed light on various domestication impacts, evolutionary patterns, and sex determination in fruit tree crops. It also serves as a potential step toward developing new cultivars to fight climate-oriented stress. Furthermore, extensive research on the stability of the 'transgene' across generations, and the 'yield-penalty' caused by the transgene, is required. Thus, meticulous crop improvement research on commercial papaya cultivars is necessary for long-term food and health security. This review article encompasses information on the traditional and modern medicinal uses, nutritional properties, phytochemistry, diseases and etiology, post-harvest measures, genomics, biotechnological strategies (for papaya improvement), and value-added products of papaya for food and health security.
The prevalence of viral infections, cancer, and diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate around the world, and these diseases are now considered to be the most serious risks to human well-being in the modern period. There is a widespread practice in Asian countries of using papaya leaves (C. papaya L.) as herbal medicine, either alone or in combination with prescribed medications, to treat a variety of ailments. The importance of conducting the necessary descriptive studies in order to determine the safety of papaya leaf consumption is also emphasized in the context of their application in the health-care sector. Electronic databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed were used to gather information on papaya leaves, their therapeutic potential, and clinical evidence-based studies. The literature was gathered from publications on papaya leaves, their therapeutic potential, and clinical evidence-based studies. The anti-dengue, anti-cancer, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory effects of papaya leaves discussed in this article are supported by evidence from preclinical, in-vivo, in-vitro, and clinical trial studies, as well as from other sources. Leaves have been investigated for their mechanism of action as well as their potential to be used in the development of novel herbal products for the health business. According to the reports gathered, only a small number of research demonstrated that leaf extract at high concentrations was hazardous to certain organs. The collective literature reviewed in this review provides insights into the use of papaya leaves as a cure for epidemic diseases, highlighting the phytochemical composition and pharmacological attributes of papaya leaves, as well as the results of various pre-clinical and clinical studies that have been conducted so far on the subject. The review clearly demonstrates the successful medical evidence for the use of papaya leaf extracts in the health-care system as a supplemental herbal medication in a variety of clinical settings.
Fermented foods have been used for several years all over the world, due to their unique nutritional characteristics and because fermentation promotes conservation and food security. Moreover, fermented foods and beverages have a strong impact on human gut microbiota. Papaya is the fruit of the Carica papaya plant, traditionally used as a medicinal fruit, but there are also references to the use of the fermented form of this fruit. The main purpose of this review is to provide an improved understanding of fermented papaya nutritional and health applications. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Both in vitro and in vivo studies were included. According to the retrieved studies, fermented papaya has proven to be an excellent antioxidant and an excellent nutraceutical adjuvant in combined therapies against several diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, allergic reactions, anticancer activity, and anemias. Therefore, it is concluded that fermented papaya has many benefits for human health and can be used as prevention or aid in the treatment of various diseases.
Carica papaya (papaya) leaf extract has been used for a long time in a traditional medicine to treat fever in some infectious diseases such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya. The development of science and technology has subsequently made it possible to provide evidence that this plant is not only beneficial as an informal medication, but also that it has scientifically proven pharmacological and toxicological activities, which have led to its formal usage in professional health care systems. The development of formulations for use in nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals has caused this product to be more valuable nowadays. The use of good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards, along with the ease of registering this product facilitated by policies of the national government, will absolutely increase the value of papaya leaf extract as a vital nutraceutical and cosmeceutical products in the near future. In this article, we review the potential of papaya leaf extract to be a high-value commodity in terms of its health effects as well as its industrial benefits.
Papaya fruits (Carica papaya L.) are valuable both as food, including concentrates and mixed beverages and in traditional medicine. The goal of the study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of various parts of unripe and ripe papaya fruit from the DPPH· kinetics point of view. Peel, pulp, seed, and seed-pulp of unripe and ripe papaya fruits (¼ and >¾ level of ripening) were extracted with ethanol and monitored at 517 nm in the presence of DPPH·. The radical scavenging capacity (RSC) at various time ranges and DPPH· reaction rates for specific time intervals were determined. The highest RSC values were obtained for papaya pulp extracts, consistently higher for the ripe samples in comparison with the unripe ones (86.4% and 41.3%). The DPPH· rates significantly differ for the unripe and ripe papaya extracts, especially for the first time range. They are more than double for the ripe papaya. These values were 2.70, 4.00, 3.25, 2.75 μM/s for the peel, pulp, seed, seed-pulp extracts from the ripe papaya and only 1.00, 1.65, 1.40, 1.80 μM/s for the unripe samples. DPPH· kinetic approach can be useful for a fast and simple evaluation of the overall antioxidant properties of fruit extracts.
Papaya (Carica papaya L.), one of the extensively studied plants, belongs to the family Caricaceae. Papaya is commonly known for its nutritional and medicinal value worldwide. Many parts of papaya plant such as roots, leaves, peels, fruits, and seeds have nutritional and therapeutic significance. The aim of this review is to consolidate the evidence-based information on papaya's functional activities, accumulated from online databases (Scopus, Dimensions, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science) up to December 2020. A considerable literature is available detailing biomedical uses of different papaya plant parts which made papaya a treasured nutraceutical plant. Papaya plant possesses the valuable phytochemicals such as phytosterols, tocopherols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and carotenoids. These compounds with interesting nutraceutical properties play key roles in ameliorating and treating some medical conditions such as inflammation, hyperglycemia, fertility-related complications, hypertension and possess anticarcinogenic activities. However, further studies are warranted to validate the dosage, mode of action, and safety profile of papaya seeds, peels, and leaves when used as medicine.
The tropical fruit Papaya is loaded with Vitamins A, B, C, D and E, fiber as well as healthy plant components. It also contains papain enzyme which is used to tenderize meat and which also aids the digestion process. The antioxidants present may help reduce the oxidative stress and thereby lower risks of other diseases. Adding to that, it may also help against sun damage and defend wrinkling of the skin. Papaya is delicious when eaten ripe, alone or it can also be easily combined with other foods. Papaya has several health benefits, previous studies have shown the plant extract effectiveness in the treatment of malaria and dengue. Not only the fruit is beneficial but also the extracted papaya leaf juice has antimalarial properties and is beneficial in increasing the platelets count, which can be done naturally rather than depending on any medications for the same. It has several properties such as anti-wrinkle,anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, which help in maintaining optimum health. Furthermore, the papaya fruit is also highly effective for healthy skin with anti-wrinkle, anti-acne properties. Currently it is a popular remedy for treating Melasma. It has beneficial effects on the hair such as hair conditioning, hair growth and dandruff prevention for healthy scalp and hair. Papaya consumption during PMS or menstruation cycle should be restricted due to its thermogenic effect on the body, portion control is important to avoid any adverse effects. Consumption of green or unripe papaya should be highly avoided during pregnancy or breastfeeding as it may be harmful for the fetus or the infant. Moreover, in the recent future,papaya in the form of capsules may be used for therapeutic treatments or as an ingredient within the range of skin and hair care products.
Oxidative stress is a result of disruption in the balance between antioxidants and pro-oxidants in which subsequently impacting on redox signaling, causing cell and tissue damages. It leads to a range of medical conditions including inflammation, skin aging, impaired wound healing, chronic diseases and cancers but these conditions can be managed properly with the aid of antioxidants. This review features various studies to provide an overview on how Carica papaya help counteract oxidative stress via various mechanisms of action closely related to its antioxidant properties and eventually improving the management of various oxidative stress-related health conditions. Carica papaya is a topical plant species discovered to contain high amounts of natural antioxidants that can usually be found in their leaves, fruits and seeds. It contains various chemical compounds demonstrate significant antioxidant properties including caffeic acid, myricetin, rutin, quercetin, α-tocopherol, papain, benzyl isothiocyanate (BiTC), and kaempferol. Therefore, it can counteract pro-oxidants via a number of signaling pathways that either promote the expression of antioxidant enzymes or reduce ROS production. These signaling pathways activate the antioxidant defense mechanisms that protect the body against both intrinsic and extrinsic oxidative stress. To conclude, Carica papaya can be incorporated into medications or supplements to help manage the health conditions driven by oxidative stress and further studies are needed to investigate the potential of its chemical components to manage various chronic diseases.
The papaya leaf decoctions have been widely used as a traditional treatment for malaria. The alkaloid of papaya leaves, carpaine, is reported to have the antiplasmodial activity in vitro. The industrial-scale commercial product development requires the quantification of the carpaine, and total alkaloids in the papaya leave as the raw materials. This study aims to optimize the extraction process leading to the highest yield and total alkaloids. The extraction process was carried out using different methods and solvents. The first method was maceration with the water-miscible solvent of ethanol: distilled water: HCl 37% (89: 10: 1 v/v/v). The second method was maceration with the water-immiscible solvent of dichloromethane solvents in pH 8-9 with ammonium hydroxide. The third method was digestion with acid water solvent of 0.05 N HCl. The identification of alkaloids employed the analysis using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and Dragendroff reagent. The quantification of carpaine used a densitometer, while the spectrophotometric method was used to estimate the total alkaloids. The results showed that despite the extraction methods used, the tested extracts confirm the alkaloids content with the highest yield of 3.09% (84.72% of total alkaloids).
Medicinal plants have played an essential role in the development of human culture. Carica papaya Linn.is a monoecious, dioecious or hermaphrodite tree; it belongs to the family Caricaceae. It is widely cultivated throughout world and is used as food and traditional medicine, particularly as an antiseptic and contraceptive. Papaya contains many biologically active compounds. Fruit, leaves, latex and stem are used to treat indigestion, diarrhoea, swelling of the lungs, stoppage of urination, blindness, tachycardia, ringworm and alopecia. The papaya is a nutritive fruit containing a small amount of proteins and the same amount of minerals consisting mainly of iron, calcium and phosphorus, vitamin A and C and is rich in the enzyme papain. The seeds of Papaya have been reported to have both antimicrobial and antihelmintic activities. The latex of Papaya and fluconazole has synergistic action on the inhibition of the growth of Candida albicans. The molluscicidal activity of C. papaya seed and latex may be due to the presence of papain.
Human skin considered as the first line of defense and barrier against the majority of infections caused through the skin that are affecting human populations. Healthy skin, promotes healthy body that can achieve with the usage of modern, allopathic and natural remedies. Major skin ailments affecting human populations are skin cancers, eczema, herpes infection, fungal infection, anti-aging, itching, insect bites, pemphigus vulgaris, trauma, psoriasis, athlete’s foot infections, rashes, skin pigmentation, acne, major and minor wound infections that are slowly becoming a burden on health care. Skin infections can be treated from sources that originate from animals and plants. In spite of advancement in science and technology the emergence of natural herbal remedy for managing Skin disorders become a pivotal and essential contributor for treating skin infections due to increased demand of herbals and their lower price and continued adverse effect of modern medicines. In the recent era, herbal extracts and their phytomedicines make a vital contribution to human health care. Herbal products now days are considered as a single line of treatment for many diseases like Cancers, Diabetes, Cardiovascular disorders and brain disorders that create awareness regarding purity, efficacy and safety of Herbal medicine for health care management. Many therapeutically active natural herbal resources like Aloe, Neem, Liquorice, Tulsi, Amla, Papaya, Ginger and Eucalyptus are potent and safe in the treatment of dermatological infections. This review article summarizes the significances of herbal plants for protecting, treating and minimizing skin Infections through the utility of herbal pharmaceuticals like creams, Decocted extracts, poultice, paste and lotions that aid in the treatment of skin infections and diseases at relatively lower cost with lesser side effects as compared to modern and allopathic medicines.
Pawpaw is a fast growing fruit tree with edible fruits which are consumed in many countries of the world. The fruits are edible in its unripe and ripe forms such as in salads, juices, smoothies, soups and for therapeutic purposes. Other uses include in medicine and cosmetic industries were the fruits as well as other parts of the tree are used in the production of drugs and several cosmetic items. Pawpaw fruits are rich in several nutrients especially vitamins and minerals however its consumption is low when considered to other popular fruits. Hence this review looks at the nutritional potential of pawpaw fruit as a good micronutrient source just as other fruits.
Carica papaya leaves are one of the vegetables consumed by Indonesian people, especially in Java Island. Carica papaya is easy to grow in Indonesia and has many variants, so, Carica Papaya leaves is a local potent to be developed for functional food and nutraceutical. The aim of this study was to investigate antioxidant activity and total flavonoids of Carica papaya leaves with different varieties, maturity and solvent. Carica papaya leaves (CPL) was firstly extracted by methanol to select two CPLs with high antioxidant capacity and total flavonoid. The two selected CPLs were further tested with different ages mainly young and mature leaves. One selected CPL was further tested with different extraction solvents. Antioxidant activity was determined by 2.2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH and Ferric reducing antioxidant power, FRAP. This study used five varieties of Carica papaya leaves, namely Bangkok, California, Purple, Golden and Grendel. The result showed that Golden and Grendel varieties had a higher percentage of radical scavenging property than the others, which was 78.37% and 77.40% by the DPPH method. Grendel and Purple had a higher percentage of radical scavenging property, which was 45.82 and 34.32 mmol/mg. Grendel and Purple had a higher total flavonoid property, which was 50.33 and 46.02 µg/g. Mature leaves had a higher percentage of radical scavenging property than young leaves by DPPH and FRAP methods. Mature leaves had a higher total flavonoid property than young leaves in both Grendel and Purple. Grendel had a higher antioxidant activity and a higher total flavonoid property than Purple. Grendel with water extraction had a higher antioxidant activity by DPPH and FRAP methods. The total flavonoid of Grendel papaya leaves’ extract with water extraction was lower than ethanol 70% and methanol.
Background
Carica papaya, tree-like herb, is cultivated in more than 50 tropical and subtropical countries in the world. The parts [leaves, fruit (ripe and unripe), seeds and latex] are used as food as well as traditional medicine in variety of ways for number of diseases. Papaya, with a variety of phytochemicals like carotenoids, polyphenols, benzyl isothiocynates, benzyl glucosinates, prunasin (cyanogenic substrate), papain and chymopapain, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, vitamins (A, C, E), carotenoids, cyanogenic glucosides, cystatin, and glucosinolates exhibit significant health benefits ranging from digestive to immune modulation. These compounds have antioxidant, chemoprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, anti-plasmodial and anti-fungal activities. Papayas aqueous leaf extract is reported with immunomodulatory and anti-tumor activities through cytokine modulation with Th1 type shift in human immune system. It also deserves special mention in platelet augmenting potential to treat dengue hemorrhagic fever.
Objective
The review discusses status of carica papaya knowledge in the post-genomic era including molecular studies and clinical trials.
Method
The review comprehend botany, chemical composition, ethno pharmacology, and use of papaya in food and medical industry with supported literature search based on several databases like PubMed, Scopus, Google scholar.
Results
Many novel usages of Carica papaya for the human benefit are detailed in the review that significantly adds to the scientific knowledge.
Conclusion
Each component of papaya plant is rich in phytochemicals and is economically important. Most of the phytochemicals are linked to biological functions and influence variety of cellular processes; hence they have implications in refining human health.
In this work, papaya agroindustrial wastes were treated with ethanol and subsequently dehydrated to produce pulp or peel dietary fibre concentrates (DFCs). Hot air convection (CV) and microwave (MW) assisted dehydration were studied. The DFCs produced were mainly composed by cell wall polymers such as cellulose, lignin, proteins and non‐cellulosic carbohydrates. It was found that convective drying produced DFCs with lower uronic acid content than microwave drying. Besides, pulp DFCs dehydrated by MW presented higher values for hydration properties, compared to those reported in literature. Peel DFCs presented better antioxidant properties than those from the pulp. Use of peel tissue, as well as CV produced DFCs with higher values of glass transition temperature. The characteristics found in the DFCs allow concluding that these products may be added in a diverse range of food products, granting benefits that would normally be obtained using several additives.
The study mainly focused on the secret behind the papaya seed against cancer. Papaya (Carica papaya Linn.) is well known for its exceptional nutritional and medicinal properties throughout the world. The whole plant including its fruit, leaves, seed, root, bark, juice and latex obtain from papaya plant used as nutritionally, medicinally and for various other purposes. A papaya in vitro study shows that it will treat many cancer cell line and papaya physiochemical having anticancer activities. Papaya is rich in enzyme papain which is effective against cancer. Papain breaks down the fibrin cancer cell wall and protein into amino acid form. Other than papain it also contain lycopene which highly reactive towards oxygen and free radical. Isothiocyanate contained in papaya seed, work well for colon, breast, lung, leukemia and prostrate cancer. These enzymes capable of inhibiting both formation and development of cancer cell.
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a deliciously sweet tropical fruit with musky undertones and a distinctive pleasant aroma. It was first cultivated in Mexico several centuries ago but is currently being cultivated in most of the tropical countries. Everything in papaya plant such as roots, leaves, peel, latex, flower, fruit and seeds have their nutritional and medicinal significance. Papaya can be used as a food, a cooking aid, and in medicine. Papaya is considered as a low calorie nutrient dense fruit. The fresh fruit is commonly used as a carminative, stomachic, diuretic and antiseptic in many parts of the world. The nutrients and phytochemicals contained in papaya help in digestion, reduce inflammation, support the functioning of cardiovascular, immune and digestive systems and may also help in prevention of colon, lung and prostate cancers. Overall, the papaya can act as a detoxifier, activator of metabolism, rejuvenating the body and in the maintenance of body's homeostasis because it is rich in antioxidants, B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid, and potassium and magnesium as well as fiber. Because of its high vitamin A and carotenoids contents, it can help in preventing the cataract and age-related macular degeneration. Papaya pastes can be used externally as a treatment for skin wounds and burns. This paper discusses the nutritional and medicinal value of papaya (Carica papaya L.) and its relationship to human health.
Background:
Papain-like cysteine proteases (PLCPs), a large group of cysteine proteases structurally related to papain, play important roles in plant development, senescence, and defense responses. Papain, the first cysteine protease whose structure was determined by X-ray crystallography, plays a crucial role in protecting papaya from herbivorous insects. Except the four major PLCPs purified and characterized in papaya latex, the rest of the PLCPs in papaya genome are largely unknown.
Results:
We identified 33 PLCP genes in papaya genome. Phylogenetic analysis clearly separated plant PLCP genes into nine subfamilies. PLCP genes are not equally distributed among the nine subfamilies and the number of PLCPs in each subfamily does not increase or decrease proportionally among the seven selected plant species. Papaya showed clear lineage-specific gene expansion in the subfamily III. Interestingly, all four major PLCPs purified from papaya latex, including papain, chymopapain, glycyl endopeptidase and caricain, were grouped into the lineage-specific expansion branch in the subfamily III. Mapping PLCP genes on chromosomes of five plant species revealed that lineage-specific expansions of PLCP genes were mostly derived from tandem duplications. We estimated divergence time of papaya PLCP genes of subfamily III. The major duplication events leading to lineage-specific expansion of papaya PLCP genes in subfamily III were estimated at 48 MYA, 34 MYA, and 16 MYA. The gene expression patterns of the papaya PLCP genes in different tissues were assessed by transcriptome sequencing and qRT-PCR. Most of the papaya PLCP genes of subfamily III expressed at high levels in leaf and green fruit tissues.
Conclusions:
Tandem duplications played the dominant role in affecting copy number of PLCPs in plants. Significant variations in size of the PLCP subfamilies among species may reflect genetic adaptation of plant species to different environments. The lineage-specific expansion of papaya PLCPs of subfamily III might have been promoted by the continuous reciprocal selective effects of herbivore attack and plant defense.
The papaya plant yields a lot of by-products after its fruit is harvested. Papaya leaves contain a bio-active phytochemical that can serve as a potential source of natural antibacterial agents. Phytochemical screening has discovered that papaya leaf extract contains compounds such as alkaloids, tannins and saponins. Crude alkaloid detection by Dragendorff's test was positive. Chemical structure characterisation of extracted crude alkaloids revealed by 1 H-NMR spectrum testing was partial, as the spectrum identified only the chemical structure corresponding to aliphatic carbon compounds. Crude alkaloid dissolved in organic solvent dichloromethane showed no antifungal properties towards Candida albicans. Antibacterial properties of crude alkaloid dissolved in dichloromethane were selective on both Gram positive and negative bacteria. Kirby Bauer test results showed negative inhibition for both Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive) and Salmonella typhi (Gram negative) but inhibition was positive for antibiotic resistant bacteria, MRSA (Gram positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram negative) bacteria. Inhibition efficacy increased with the amount of crude alkaloids used. The present study supports the use of papaya by-products as an alternative natural antibiotic for both the community and healthcare personnel.
Objective: To characterize the types, contents, and peroxynitrite-scavenging activities of flavonoids in the leaf of Carica papaya (C. papaya).
Methods: Chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques along with high performance liquid chromatography quantitative analysis and peroxynitrite-scavenging assay were performed to isolate and quantify flavonoid compounds in the flavonoid-rich fraction (BuOH fraction) derived from MeOH extract of C. papaya leaves and evaluate their peroxynitrite-scavenging activities.
Results: Seven flavonoids were isolated from the leaves of C. papaya, including quercetin 3-(2G-rhamnosylrutinoside), kaempferol 3-(2G-rhamnosylrutinoside), quercetin 3-rutinoside, myricetin 3-rhamnoside, kaempferol 3-rutinoside, quercetin, and kaempferol. All of the substances exhibited potent activities on peroxynitrite scavenging (IC50 ≤ 4.15 μmol/L), which were stronger than the positive control, l-penicillamine (6.90 μmol/L). The content of kaempferol 3-(2G-rhamnosylrutinoside) was significantly higher than other identified compounds (123.18 mg/g BuOH fraction and 7.23 mg/g MeOH extract).
Conclusions: The results of the present study demonstrate the potent antioxidant flavonoids of C. papaya leaf, with kaempferol 3-(2G-rhamnosylrutinoside) as the major one.
Natural products or products from the plant source show pivotal role in the diseases prevention and treatment since ancient. Numerous plants and their ingredients such as Nigella sativa, curcumin, olive and dates fruits have proven health promoting effects. In this vista, Papaya (C. Papaya family Caricaceae) is a medicinal plant that has been extensively used in traditional medicine due to their versatile approach in diseases treatment and prevention. The health-promoting activities of papaya and their constituents are recognized due to antioxidant activity. C. Papaya holds a range of valuable constituents such as vitamin, flavonoids and minerals in the different parts of plants and each constituent shows role in the disease management. Earlier reports have proven that C. papaya fruits and its ingredients shows role in health management via prevention of the pathogenesis of diseases. Its leaf juice also contains significant constituents, and they shows very effective role in the management of dengue fever with platelet increasing property. In this review, we aimed to evaluate the applications of papaya in cancer, diabetes, wound healing, malaria, dengue fever and other various disease prevention and treatment. © 2016 The Authors. Published by Innovare Academic Sciences Pvt Ltd.
This paper aims at reviewing Carica papaya as potential natural medicinal source. Several studies on methods used in extracting Carica papaya materials from different parts of the plant were highlighted. Extracts from different parts of Carica papaya plant have shown protective effects against many diseases such intestinal worms infection and different types of wounds. Extracts also showed positive effects when used as antiparasitic, antiseptic, antiparasitic, antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, antihyperlipidemic, antihypertensive and antidiabetic. For instance, treating rats with extract prepared from Carica papaya leaves resulted in significant effects on wound healing. However, when rats supplemented with diet mixed with extract from the leaves it protected them against gastric damage. Moreover, extracts of both ripe and unripe fruit have proven antiulcer when examined in laboratory animals. However, studies on the effects of the types of the extracts on treatments of laboratory animals in selected pharmaceutical applications were also summarized. As a conclusion, Carica papaya is one of the most effective sources of natural medicine and widely used in pharmacological applications. It is used treat several diseases such as tumors, nervous pain, asthma and wounds.
Papaya (Carica papaya L. cv. Hongkong) is an economically important fruit crop grown in Malaysia. During its ripening stages, (C. papaya L.) exhibits different physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacities, and sensory quality results. The objective of this study was to elucidate in detail the antioxidant capacity of C. papaya as determined by total phenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP),2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and scavenging systemand (ABTS). The study also aimed to study physicochemical changes of papaya fruits based on measured pH, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), moisture and fruit color at five different stages of ripening. The fruits were harvested at five different, stages RS1, RS2, RS3, RS4, and RS5 corresponding to 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 weeks after anthesis, respectively. Significant differences were found at different stages of ripening. The pH of the fruit decreased significantly (P < 0.05), whereas TA, moisture, and TSS increased significantly (P < 0.05) during the ripening process. The redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) values of fruit color both increased significantly (P < 0.05), whereas lightness (L*) varied. The total phenol content TPC, TFC, FRAP, DPPH and ABTS values increased significantly (P < 0.05) with the ripening process. Sensory evaluation based on the color, sweetness, sourness, flavor, and overall acceptance for the last three maturity stages was also performed. RS5 had a better score than RS3 or RS4. The results showed the important role of the ripening stage in increasing the antioxidant content of papaya fruits.
This study was conducted to compare the total antioxidant activity (TAA), total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) from the different parts of papaya tree including their ripe and unripe fruit, seeds and the young leaves. Two methods namely DPPH radical scavenging activity and β-carotene bleaching assay were used to determine the TAA, whereas TPC was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu's method while TFC by aluminium trichloride (AlCl3). For these purposes, methanolic extracts (80%) were prepared. The results showed that the highest antioxidant activity through β-carotene bleaching assay was observed in unripe fruit (90.67 ± 0.29%) followed by young leave, ripe fruit and the seed. In other hand, young leaves exhibited a significant higher scavenging effect compared to others and the dose required in reducing the absorbance of DPPH control solution by 50% (EC50) was calculated at 1.0 ± 0.08mg/ml. The EC50 values were 4.3 ± 0.01mg/ml, 6.5 ± 0.01mg/ml and 7.8 ± 0.06mg/ml for unripe fruit, ripe fruit and seeds respectively. Interestingly, both TPC and TFC also showed that young leaves had the highest antioxidant content (424.89 ± 0.22mg GAE/ 100 g dry weight and 333.14 ± 1.03mg rutin equivalent/ 100 g dry weight, respectively). Statistically, Pearson correlation showed there were positive correlations between TPC and TFC with antioxidant activity assayed by DPPH radical scavenging assay (r=0.846 and r=0.873, respectively). However there was no correlation between TPC and TFC with β-carotene bleaching activity. In brief, taken into account all the parameters measured, antioxidants were highly remarkable in the sequence of young leaves > unripe fruit > ripe fruit > seed. Nevertheless, further investigation for isolation and identification of the phytoconstituents responsible for antioxidant activity is desirable.
The fruits of Carica papaya L. (Caricaceae) are valuable as food and are also used in traditional medicine. The present study was designed to assess the antioxidant potential of the juices of 3 papaya cultivars (PCJ): Sunrise Solo, Red Lady, and Tainung. The antioxidant capacity of PCJ obtained from fully ripened fruit was determined by the following methods: scavenging of the free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), reducing power assay, scavenging of superoxide radicals, 2-deoxyribose oxidation assay, and thiocyanate assay. Total phenolic content (TPC) of PCJ was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. In the DPPH assay (IC50 values), the effect of Sunrise Solo (52.1 ± 1.5 mL PCJ/g DPPH) was better than that of the Red Lady (63.4 ± 2.9 mL PCJ/g DPPH) and Tainung juices (71.8 ± 1.8 mL PCJ/g DPPH). PCJ showed a linoleic acid peroxide scavenging activity that was 5 times higher (during 72 h) than in the negative control but close to that of vitamin E, which served as the positive control. These PCJ antioxidant activities were significantly different from each other (P < 0.05). The tested reducing power activity, superoxide anion scavenging activity, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity were found to follow the order of Sunrise Solo > Red Lady > Tainung, depending on their concentrations. This study demonstrated that different papaya cultivars have different antioxidant capacities and TPC amounts. Significant correlations were found between antioxidant capacity and TPC, indicating that phenols contribute to antioxidant capacity.
Daily consumption of papaya (Carica papaya) leaves as greens and an herbal infusion is common in some parts of Indonesia as a means for preventing malaria. Antiplasmodial activity of the leaf extracts and of the main alkaloid carpaine were recently confirmed. A quantitative assay for determination of carpaine in papaya leaves was developed and validated. The assay involved pressurized liquid extraction and quantification with the aid of ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy. Extraction conditions were optimized with respect to solvent, temperature, and number of extraction cycles. The ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy assay was validated over a range of 20-5000 ng/mL (R(2) of 0.9908). A total of 29 papaya leaf samples were analyzed, and carpaine concentration in dry leaves was found to range from 0.02 to 0.31 %. No obvious dependence on geographic origin and leaf maturity was observed.
The leaves and fruits of five Carica papaya morphotypes were harvested from trees in home gardens in Umu-ahia, Abia state, Nigeria. The morphotypes were based on fruit shape and pulp colour and are oblong red, oblong yellow, pear orange, round orange and round yellow. Seeds were extracted from the fruits and the proximate, mineral and vitamin analysis carried out on the leaves, fruits and seeds. All the determinants were carried out in triplicates. The result showed that there was a highly significant difference (P< 0.01) for proximate, chemical and vitamin compositions of theses mor-photypes. The leaves had more crude protein, carbohydrate, crude fibre, Ca, Mg, Fe, and K than the fruit pulps and seeds. Beta-carotene was the most abundant vitamin in these Carica papaya morphotypes while papain activity was detected only in the leaves.
Objective:
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is used as a natural remedy in abnormal digestion in tropical and industrialized countries. Besides this wide distribution little evidence has been produced with reference to its physiological effect in humans and the proof of efficacy. Former clinical observations had revealed positive effects for patients with constipation, heartburn, and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) after eating papaya preparations. In line with these former positive clinical observations, we studied the clinical effects of the papaya preparation Caricol® in a double blind placebo controlled study design.
Methods:
In this study the participants were volunteers, with chronic (prevailing) indigestions and dysfunctions in the gastrointestinal tract. During the trial the intake of the substance of intent and placebo was 20 ml daily for 40 days. The endpoints were the frequency of 22 symptoms recorded before and after the documented intake recorded by questionnaire.
Results:
The symptoms "Constipation", "Bloating", and "Heartburn" were defined as primary and frequency of "painful (straining) bowel movements" as secondary endpoint. The participation ended after the intake period within two days ("early returnees"). Wash out effects were observed in "late returnees", who returned with a delay of 8.6 (±5.95 days). In the verum group early returnees revealed statistically significant improvements of the symptoms "constipation" and "bloating". The analysis of "heartburn" felt short of significant improvement because of the small number of included cases with this criteria (N=13, p=0.114). None of the significant benefits were observed after the washout phase.
Conclusion:
We conclude from these results, that the papaya preparation (Caricol®) contributes to the maintenance of digestive tract physiology. It ameliorates various functional disturbances, like symptoms of IBS. The mechanism of this digestive tract physiology support is discussed.
The antioxidant activities of the ethanol, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water extract fractions from the seeds of papaya were evaluated in this study. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the strongest DPPH and hydroxyl free radical-scavenging activities, and its activities were stronger than those of ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate, respectively. The n-butanol fraction demonstrated the greatest ABTS⁺ radicals scavenging activity. The ethyl acetate fraction and the n-butanol fraction not only showed higher antioxidant activities than the petroleum ether fraction, water fraction and ethanol fraction, but also showed higher superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide radicals scavenging activities than those of the other extract fractions. The high amount of total phenolics and total flavonoids in the ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions contributed to their antioxidant activities. The ethyl acetate fraction was subjected to column chromatography, to yield two phenolic compounds, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillic acid, which possessed significant antioxidant activities. Therefore, the seeds of papaya and these compounds might be used as natural antioxidants.
In the present study, the dose related effect of the aqueous seed extract of Carica papaya Linn. extract(CPE) was evaluated by pre-treating three groups of rats (made up of six male rats per group) with 100– 400 mg/kg body weight per oral of the extract for 7 days before challenging with 1.5 ml/kg body weightof 20% carbon tetrachloride in olive oil in addition to the untreated control and model control rats. Also,the time-course effect of 400 mg/kg per oral of the extract were determined at 3 hr pre-, 0 hr, 1 hr post-,3 hr post-, and 6 hr post-CCl4 induction, respectively, in addition to the untreated control and modelcontrol groups. After 72 hours, serum levels of uric acid, urea and creatinine of all study groups weremeasured using standard procedures. Histological studies of rat kidneys of all study groups were alsodone. Results showed that intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 caused a significant (p<0.001) elevation inthe serum levels of uric acid, urea and creatinine and induced histological features of severe tubulointerstitialnecrosis. However, elevations in the measured biochemical parameters were significantly(p<0.05, p<0.01 and p<0.001) attenuated in rats pre-treated with the graded oral doses of the extract, indose related fashion. Maximum nephroprotection was offered by the extract at 400 mg/kg/day CPEwhich lasted up to 3 hours post-CCl4 exposure and these biochemical evidences were corroborated byimprovements in the renal histological lesions induced by CCl4 intoxication. In conclusion, our studyshowed that CPE has nephroprotective effect on CCl4 renal injured rats, an effect which could bemediated by any of the phytocomponents present in it via either antioxidant and/or free radicalscavenging mechanism(s).
In the present study we wish to report a method of crystallizing papain from fresh papaya latex which gave higher yields than previously reported. This method does not involve the use of sulphydryl reagents. The papain thus obtained is practically pure and shows a single band when submitted to electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel, and is identical to the papain obtained by other methods. In routine enzymatic assays, specific activity was measured using Z-gly-pNP and BAEE as substrates. Papain crystallized by this method, without the use of high concentrations of salts or thiol-containing substances such as cysteine and dithiothreitol, is obtained in the form of a complex with natural inhibitors existent in latex which can be removed by dialysis.
Antibiotics and immunotherapies possess unavoidable adverse effects that hinder sepsis management. Herbal drugs have demonstrated potential immunomodulatory properties vital for sepsis treatment. We hypothesized in the present study that the use of Carica papaya leaves extract had the potential to improve survival and modulate immune cytokine release during sepsis. Animals were subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) to induce sepsis. Septic rats divided into 10 groups received ethanol extract of C. papaya leaves (50 and 100 mg/kg), imipenem (120 mg/kg) and cyclophosphamide (CP, 10 mg/kg). To investigate the immunomodulatory potentials of EE, cytokine levels like interleukin (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and IL-10 along with hematological and biochemical parameters were analyzed. Our results exhibited improved survival rates concerning ethanol extract treatment alone and in combination with imipenem and CP (100%) as compared to the CLP group (33.3%) on day 7 post-surgery. The combination treatment of ethanol extract with imipenem and CP significantly (P < 0.001) ameliorated cytokine levels and hematological and biochemical parameters in septic rats. A histopathological examination suggested improved liver and kidney tissue condition after combination treatment as compared to the CLP group. Therefore, it was concluded that combination therapy of extract with imipenem and CP improved survival rates and marked immunomodulatory potential in septic rats compared to monotherapy. The findings suggested the use of a mixture of these drugs in clinical settings to treat sepsis.
Papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical fruit having commercial importance because of its high nutritive and medicinal value. Papaya seeds are traditionally used by human beings from centuries to heal many illnesses. Papaya seeds contains antioxidants and antimicrobial virtues which gives protection against harmful free radicals and reduce rate of cancer and heart disease. Papaya seeds contain a variety of essential macro and micronutrients. The papaya seeds contain large amounts of nutrients, including fibre which is effective for combating constipation and other digestive problems. Seeds can be used to treat health complications such as urinary tract infection, candidiasis and sepsis. Papaya seeds are sometimes used in salads and can even be used as a substitute for black pepper. Products developed from papaya seeds are considered to be nutritionally rich with diverse sources of all nutrients. Papaya seeds have the potential to produce oil with nutritional and functional properties highly similar to olive oil. The papaya seed, and products may be useful for bio-fuel, medicinal and industrial purposes. Therefore, Papaya seeds are usually thrown away but their proper utilization can lead to the development of novel drug in medicine and considered as safe for consumption. ‘In this review subtopics covered are nutritional and Phytochemicals composition, antioxidant effect, antibacterial Activity, anthelminthic effect, Phytochemicals with Anticancer activity, Lycopene and isothiocyanate applications in papaya, papaya seed products and in vivo animal studies.’
Papain (E.C.3.4.22.2) is a proteolytic enzyme which has important role due toits diverse uses in textile, pharmaceutics, cosmetics and food industries.Papain enzyme can be found in almost all parts of the papaya plant and mostof the stem and fruit. The objective of this study is to compare the Californiavar. and Indonesian local var. of papaya fruits, in papain production and alsoto characterize the enzyme properties. Results showed that the highest yield ofcrude papain was obtained from local papaya latex (24.87%) whichprecipitated by ethanol with ratio of 1:2. The highest of activity enzyme,soluble protein and specific enzyme activity obtained from the local papayawere 3154 ± 11.31unit/mL, solubility protein of 0.94± 0.08 mg/mL andspesific enzyme activity of 3355.32 unit/mg protein, respectively. The activityof enzyme fraction F7 obtained from purification by DEAE sepharose columnwas 202.33 U/mL dan the molecular weight of this fraction was between 17-28 kDa.© 2
Introduction. Maximizing the production and productivity of pawpaw (Carica papaya L.) under rain-fed conditions requires a better understanding of the crop, which in turn will enhance its acceptability among fruit growers in the tropics. Materials and methods. This paper reviews the important limitations observed in the production practices, assesses the various factors that contribute to pawpaw productivity and evaluates the potential to optimize the crop development, its management and economic outputs. Results and discussion. The number of leaves and plant leaf area index are very responsive to growing conditions but more research is needed on the effect of canopy variation between cultivars. Studies on pawpaw root systems are few, especially the impact of different soil types on rooting volume, despite their essential role in the plant growth. As a long duration crop with replant problems, early inter-planting with annuals and crop rotation or inclusion with compatible crops are discussed. Successful inter-planting requires plant spacing suitable for the plant architecture of various cultivars as well as appropriate plant population and time of inter-planting with secondary crops. Conclusion. Optimizing pawpaw management can improve the economic performance of this underutilized crop and increase the benefits accruable from its adoption by fruit growers.
This paper reviews the current research on phytochemical composition and non-Western traditional culinary food preparation and health uses of papaya. Only ripe papaya fruit flesh is normally eaten in Western countries. The orange or red flesh is an excellent source of pro-vitamin A and ascorbic acid. In South-East Asia, both ripe and green fruit are used and additionally leaves are popularly consumed either raw in salad or cooked as a green vegetable. The leaves contain alkaloids as well as quercetin and kaempferol as the main phenolic compounds. In contrast to Western use papaya has a reputation as a medicinal plant in tropical countries where it is grown. Different plant parts such as fruit, leaf, seed, root, bark and flowers have been used as health treatments. These have included use as topical dressings for treating ulcers and dermatitis, gastrointestinal uses such as antihelminthic and antibacterial activity treatments and traditional uses for fertility control. The differences in use for food and health illustrate potential applications and nutritional benefits of the plant which require further research. With better verification the health applications of papaya could be more widely adopted into Western culture.
The proximate composition (ash, titratable acidity, crude fat, crude fibre, moisture and sugars), soluble solids, ascorbic acid, polyphenol oxidase activity, macro-nutrients and heavy metal contents of storage-ripened papaya (Carica papaya L.) fruits from Mbezi, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania were determined. The determinations were repeated for early, middle and late-season papaya fruits. The fruits were always harvested at the mature green stage and allowed to ripen during room temperature storage. The results showed that papaya fruits had high moisture content (>85.5%), low acidity (<0.18% c.a.), low crude fat (0.10 g/100 g-edible portion), moderate crude fibre (1.45 g/100 g-edible portion), high ascorbic acid content (>84.5 mg/100 g-fw), moderate total sugars (>13.0%) and soluble solids (>12.9%) content. Early-season fruits had the highest polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity while late-season fruits had the lowest PPO activity. During storage-ripening the PPO activity in the papaya fruit decreased. Of the determined macro-nutrients (Ca, K, Mg, Na), potassium content (420 mg/100 g-fw) was the highest. Heavy metals content was very low in the papaya fruits. Variations in moisture content, reducing sugars, total sugars, soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content and PPO activity were observed during the season and during the ripening period. INTRODUCTION Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is an important fruit in Tanzania as it is a good source of vitamins, dietary fibre and minerals and provides flavor, aroma and texture to the pleasure of eating. Fully ripened papaya fruits are usually eaten fresh as the enzymes in the fruit produce calm, soothing feelings in the stomach. Papaya is known for its fine and natural laxative virtue which aids digestion. Papaya fruits are rich in enzymes called papain and chymopapain that break down the proteins from the food a person eats into amino acids and therefore helps digestion. The anti-inflammatory properties and high antioxidant content of papaya is known to prevent cholesterol oxidation and can be used in preventative treatments against strokes, heart attacks, diabetic, heart disease and blood pressure (Eno et al., 2000). Nutritionally, papaya is a good source of calcium and an excellent source of vitamins A and C (Nakasone and Paull 1998). Physico-chemical characteristics are important qualitative indexes of any fruit for fresh consumption (Zaman et al. 2006). Such characteristics are yet to be reported for Carica papaya of Tanzania. The proximate composition (ash, acidity, crude fat, crude fibre, sugars and moisture), ascorbic acid, soluble solids, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and mineral elements present in storage-ripened papaya fruits from Mbezi, Dar es Salaam, were determined.
The papaya (Carica papaya) leaf (PL) contains high levels of saponins and polyphenolic compounds, and historically, it has been used as a folk medicine for numerous ailments, including cancer. PL is traditionally prepared by hot water extraction; however, optimised extraction conditions have not been assessed. This study optimised conditions for the extraction of saponins from PL and assessed their antioxidant capacity and antipancreatic cancer activity. Optimisation was achieved using response surface methodology. Saponins and total phenolic compounds were assessed for their antioxidant, free radical scavenging, ion-reducing capacity, and antipancreatic cancer activity. Optimal aqueous extraction conditions were 85 °C, 25 min. and a water-to-leaf ratio of 20:1 mL g−1. Ethanol extracts demonstrated higher antioxidant, free radical scavenging and ion-reducing capacity, as well as antipancreatic cancer activity. This study revealed that the PL contains numerous bioactive compounds, with significant anticancer activity warranting further studies on the isolation and characterisation of individual bioactive compounds from the PL.
Defatted and undefatted seeds of papaya (Carica papaya) were analyzed for proximate composition, some toxicants, sugar composition, mineral content, physico-chemical properties of the seed oil and the fatty acid spectrum of the seed oil. The seed is a rich source of proteins (27·8% undefatted, 44·4% defatted), lipids (28·3% undefatted) and crude fibre (22·6% undefatted, 31·8% defatted). Of the toxicants estimated, glucosinolates occur in the highest proportion. The seed is low in free monosaccharides. Sucrose is the predominant sugar (75·0% of total sugars). Mineral content is generally low. However, Ca and P occur in appreciable quantities (17 340 μg/g and 10 250 μ/g, respectively). The seed oil is low in iodine value (74·8), free fatty acids (0·94%) and carotene (0·02 μg/g). The major fatty acid is C18:1 (79·1%).
In this study we have determined the contents of macroelements (Na, K, Ca, Mg and P) and microelements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and B) in papaya samples (Carica papaya) obtained and consumed on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands. The analysis shows the existence of significant differences in mineral content in the papaya samples. The papaya coming from MercaTenerife (wholesaler) presents higher K, P and Mn concentration levels than the papaya coming from the South Area of Tenerife. On the other hand, Na concentration levels are higher in the samples coming from the South Area of the island. There are differences between the mineral contents of this fruit shown in some food composition data tables and those analyzed in this work. The former are lower in Na, K, Ca and higher in Fe. In the same way, it is appreciated that the levels of Na concentration found in this work are greater than those found by other authors, and lower in Fe. When we compare the results obtained in this work and the recommended daily intakes or daily estimated demands of mineral elements proposed by different institutions or authors we realize that papaya is an important source of certain mineral elements, mainly K, Mg and B.
Carica papaya L. (Linn) (Caricaceae) is traditionally used to treat various skin disorders, including wounds. It is widely used in developing countries as an effective and readily available treatment for various wounds, particularly burns. This study evaluated the wound-healing and antimicrobial activity of C. papaya seed extract. Ethanol extract of C. papaya seed (50 mg/kg/day) was evaluated for its wound-healing activity in Sprague-Dawley rats using excision wound model. Animals were randomly divided into four groups of six each (group 1 served as control, group 2 treated with papaya seed extract, group 3 treated with a standard drug mupirocin and papaya seed extract (1:1 ratio) and group 4 treated with a mupirocin ointment. Rate of wound contraction and hydroxyproline content were determined to assess the wound-healing activity of the seed extract. The group 2 animals showed a significant decrease in wound area of 89% over 13 days when compared with groups 1 (82%), 3 (86%) and 4 (84%) respectively. The hydroxyproline content was significantly higher with the granulation tissue obtained from group 2 animals which were treated with C. papaya seed extract. Histological analysis of granulation tissue of the group 2 animals showed the deposition of well-organized collagen. The extract exhibited antimicrobial activity against Salmonella choleraesuis and Staphylococcus aureus. Our results suggest that C. papaya promotes significant wound healing in rats and further evaluation for this activity in humans is suggested.
Unripe pulp of Carica papaya was screened to test for the presence of certain phytochemicals. Chemical composition of the pulp were determined. Phytochemical screening of mature unripe pulp of Carica papaya (dry weight) showed the presence of saponins and cardenolides while chemical analysis revealed the presence of potassium (223.0mg/100g) as well as sodium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, copper, magnesium and manganese in considerable quantities. Proximate analysis of the pulp showed that it contained starch (43.28%), sugars (15.15%), crude protein (13.63%), crude fat (1.29%), moisture (10.65%) and fibre (1.88%). All these results indicate that the pulp of mature unripe Carica papaya contains nutrients and mineral elements that may be useful in nutrition. The presence of some phytochemicals like saponins and cardenolides explained the astringent action of the plant encountered in the numerous therapeutic uses.
Aim of the study:
Various parts of Carica papaya Linn. (CP) have been traditionally used as ethnomedicine for a number of disorders, including cancer. There have been anecdotes of patients with advanced cancers achieving remission following consumption of tea extract made from CP leaves. However, the precise cellular mechanism of action of CP tea extracts remains unclear. The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of aqueous-extracted CP leaf fraction on the growth of various tumor cell lines and on the anti-tumor effect of human lymphocytes. In addition, we attempted to identify the functional molecular weight fraction in the CP leaf extract.
Materials and methods:
The effect of CP extract on the proliferative responses of tumor cell lines and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and cytotoxic activities of PBMC were assessed by [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation. Flow cytometric analysis and measurement of caspase-3/7 activities were performed to confirm the induction of apoptosis on tumor cells. Cytokine productions by PBMC were measured by ELISA. Gene profiling of the effect of CP extract treatment was performed by microarray analysis and real-time RT-PCR.
Results:
We observed significant growth inhibitory activity of the CP extract on tumor cell lines. In PBMC, the production of IL-2 and IL-4 was reduced following the addition of CP extract, whereas that of IL-12p40, IL-12p70, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha was enhanced without growth inhibition. In addition, cytotoxicity of activated PBMC against K562 was enhanced by the addition of CP extract. Moreover, microarray analyses showed that the expression of 23 immunomodulatory genes, classified by gene ontology analysis, was enhanced by the addition of CP extract. In this regard, CCL2, CCL7, CCL8 and SERPINB2 were representative of these upregulated genes, and thus may serve as index markers of the immunomodulatory effects of CP extract. Finally, we identified the active components of CP extract, which inhibits tumor cell growth and stimulates anti-tumor effects, to be the fraction with M.W. less than 1000.
Conclusion:
Since Carica papaya leaf extract can mediate a Th1 type shift in human immune system, our results suggest that the CP leaf extract may potentially provide the means for the treatment and prevention of selected human diseases such as cancer, various allergic disorders, and may also serve as immunoadjuvant for vaccine therapy.