Papaya fruit grows on a large single-stemmed plant that is native to tropical American regions. The plant can reach 15 to 30 feet in height. Both ripe and unripe papayas are used for food and in some places the leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Papaya enzyme, known as papain, has a number of purported health and medicinal uses, some of which have been scientifically studied, with varying results.
Fat Digestion
Papaya enzyme works well at digesting fats, according to a study published in the January 2011 journal "FEBS." In the study, a purified form of papaya enzyme showed 74 times more fat-digesting activity than a crude extract. Much interest in the potential uses of papaya enzyme is being expressed in the world of biotechnology research. Papaya enzyme may be used to modify dietary fats and oils to make them more healthy. The enzyme may also be useful in the manufacture of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Wound Healing
Papaya enzyme has been incorporated into a wound cleaning product. Protein-digesting enzymes in papaya help to break up wound tissue and speed healing, according to a study published in the June 2010 "Pakistani Journal of Biological Science." In the study on laboratory animals, the papaya-based cleanser performed better than an iodine-based cleaning agent at speeding the rate of healing and encouraging new tissue formation. Papaya enzyme also exerted antibacterial properties. The researchers concluded that papaya enzyme cleanser formulations may offer effective therapy for wound management and called for further studies to ascertain its safety.
Family of Enzymes
The "Journal of Integrative Plant Biology" reported in the October 2010 issue on a family of plant compounds known as thioglucosidases, which, in plants, provide defense systems to help ward off pathogens. Many are found in brassicales, such as mustard plants, and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli. Papaya fruit has also been identified as a source of these compounds, with potential for commercial development of these enzymes in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.
Lower Back Pain
Low-back pain may respond well to papaya enzyme therapy in some people, according to a study published in the September 2010 "European Spine Journal." The meta analysis reviewed studies in which doctors used papaya enzyme injections to relieve low back pain and found that, while the evidence was not overwhelmingly in favor of papaya enzyme therapy, the approach did work well in certain patients. The researchers concluded that careful screening for the most appropriate patients may result in pain-relief benefits for some low back conditions.
References
- "Plant Foods for Human Nutrition"; Carica Papaya Lipase: A Naturally Immobilized Enzyme With Interesting Biochemical Properties; S. Abdelkafi; et al.; 2011
- "Pakistani Journal of Biological Science"; Efficacy of Papain-based Wound Cleanser in Promoting Wound Regeneration; S.A. Ajlia, et al.; 2010
- "Journal of Integrative Plant Biology"; Characterization of a Novel β-thioglucosidase CpTGG1 in Carica Papaya and Its Substrate-dependent and Ascorbic Acid-independent O-β-glucosidase Activity; H. Nong, et al.; 2010
- "European Spine Journal"; Injection Therapy and Denervation Procedures for Chronic Low-back Pain: A Systematic Review; N. Henschke, et al.; 2010
- "Biotechnology Advances"; Carica Papaya Lipase (CPL): An Emerging and Versatile Biocatalyst; Maria de Domínguez, et al.; 2006
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