Before that tuna sub you eat for lunch even hits your stomach, it's already being digested. Chewing stimulates your salivary glands to produce enzymes, such as amylase, which break down your food. Digestive enzymes occur naturally in your digestive tract, but sometimes they may need some help. Papain, a digestive enzyme that is extracted from papaya, a tropical fruit, is sold as a supplement, sometimes called "vegetable pepsin," to aid digestion. This information is not to be construed as medical advice.
Papain Facts
Papain comes from the papaya, a tropical fruit with juicy, bright orange flesh and small, grayish black seeds. A milky substance found under the skin of unripe papayas, papain is a proteolytic enzyme, meaning it can break down protein, such as that found in meat fibers, into amino acids.
To harvest papain, workers cut the skin of the papaya fruit and the milky papain latex, as it is called, is collected. Then it is either dried naturally in the sun or in ovens, and sold as a powder. Commercially, it is sold as a key ingredient in meat tenderizer and as a natural aid to digestion.
Other Uses for Papain
Ray Sahelian, M.D., a physician known for his objective evaluations of natural supplements, says that a paste made from meat tenderizer and water can be used to treat stings from bees, wasps and jellyfish. According to Sahelian, the fruit of the papaya, mashed to a pulp, appears to be an effective treatment for burns. It is used in The Gambia at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Banjul, where it loosens dead tissue, prevents infection, making the burn area suitable for a skin graft. Sahelian theorizes that these beneficial effects may be due to the papaya's two proteolytic enzymes, papain and chymopapain.
Papain as Allergen
Papain has been deemed safe, but it can cause digestive upsets. Allergic reactions have also been noted. David I. Burnstein, M.D., Professor of Medicine, in the Department of Immunology and Allergy, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, warns that you can be allergic to the fruit or juice of papaya, and to meat tenderizer as well. If you are allergic to latex gloves, you could develop an allergy to papaya, kiwi and avocado.
FDA Action Against Papain-Containing Products
As reported by Absoluteastronomy.com, the Food and Drug Administration in 2008 issued a warning to companies to stop selling unapproved topical drug products that contained papain. The Administration cited severe reactions such as severe vision loss, increased heart rate, and extremely low blood pressure as reasons for this ruling. These products were marketed under trade names such as Accuzyme, Ethezyme and Ziox.
Some Unexpected Uses
According to Gaiamlife.com, papain is useful in healing injuries and easing back, shoulder and neck pain.
Diagnose Me reports that papain has been shown to reduce inflammation and swelling. It has also been used to treat ulcers, hay fever, psoriasis, tumors and diarrhea.
Warnings
Papain used in face creams often causes severe skin irritation, according to Diagnose Me.
Do not take any supplement or product containing papain without first consulting your doctor.
