Health benefits of fruits: Pawpaw

PUNCH

While writing this article, I looked back to the 80s with nostalgia. One day, while in the secondary school, our agric science teacher came into the class and started discussing pawpaw and she told us that it is botanically called Carica papaya.

We found the name so amusing just like we did when she said plantain is called Musa paradisiaca. Musa is a person’s name and paradisiaca also reminds one of “Isiaka” which is a person’s name too. These botanical names were on our lips for a very long time.

Today, on our visit to nature’s pharmacy, I will be discussing pawpaw. Like I already mentioned, it is botanically called Carica papaya. It is in the family Caricaceae.

Papaya contains an enzyme called papain, which can break down the tough protein chains found in muscle meat. Because of this, people have used papaya to tenderise meat for years.

Papain may help ease a sore throat, it may reduce pain and inflammation, it may aid digestion, it may help heal wounds. It can also help reduce the progression of weight gain.

Papaya is a true nutritional powerhouse, boasting an impressive array of essential minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. It contains vitamins A, B, folate, potassium, fibre.

Additionally, papaya is a source of various other vitamins and essential minerals, including vitamins E and K, calcium and magnesium, making it a genuinely well-rounded fruit in terms of nutritional value.

Papaya contains alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and glycosides which may be responsible for its therapeutic activity. It also contains healthy antioxidants known as carotenoids particularly one type called lycopene.

The papaya fruit pulp is known for numerous activities such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer, anti-fertility, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective and many more.

While on medicine in unlikely parts series, I discussed pawpaw peels and seeds. I will like to remind you that we said that the seeds can be chewed raw and that you can dry them and grind.

You can make tea out of the powdered seeds or add them to your smoothies. Papain is found at a higher concentration in green papaya. So, to enjoy the benefits of papain, get the peels of unripe but almost mature papaya and dry, then grind into powder and use for your skin care. You can also  brew them as tea.

Carica papaya leaf contains active components such as alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, saponins, and flavonoids, which are responsible for its medicinal activity.

It may treat symptoms related to dengue fever, it promotes balanced blood sugar infact, the leaf is often used in Mexican folk medicine as a natural therapy for treating diabetes and improving blood sugar control.

It supports digestive function. It supports skin and hair health. It prevents cancer. It has anti-inflammatory effects. Papaya leaves are commonly taken in extract, tea or juice form.

In one study, people who took a papaya-based formula for 40 days had significant improvement in constipation and bloating. In one study, supplementing with lycopene for 10–12 weeks decreased skin redness after sun exposure.

In another, older women who consumed a mixture of lycopene, vitamin C and other antioxidants for 14 weeks had a visible and measurable reduction in depth of facial wrinkles. Studies note that fermented papaya can reduce oxidative stress in older adults and people with prediabetes, mild hypothyroidism and liver disease.

In a small study in older adults with inflammation and pre-cancerous stomach conditions, a fermented papaya preparation reduced oxidative damage. In a study, among 14 fruits and vegetables with known antioxidant properties, only papaya demonstrated anti-cancer activity in breast cancer cells. In one study, people who took a fermented papaya supplement for 14 weeks had less inflammation and a better ratio of “bad” LDL to “good” HDL than people given a placebo.

A 2017 study found that using dressings containing papain helped lower the amount of dying tissue, reduce the incidence of infection and lowers hospitalisation time in people with diabetic foot ulcers.

A 2017 animal study found a gel containing 3% papain led to better wound healing in rats than a placebo gel. Another 2019 animal study confirmed these findings. A 2023 study compared different types of wound dressings for ulcers and also found greater effectiveness in various formulations containing papain extract.

There is some animal research to suggest papain can help reduce the progression of weight gain by lowering the accumulation of body and blood fat.

One study found that papaya leaf extract significantly reduced inflammation and swelling in the paws of rats with arthritis. One study in rats given a medication to induce toxicity found that papaya seed extract helped prevent kidney damage.

One test-tube study found that papaya seed extract helped reduce inflammation and protect against cancer development. One test-tube study found that papaya seed extract helped reduce inflammation and protect against cancer development. Similarly, another test-tube study showed that black papaya seeds decreased the growth of prostate cancer cells.

In traditional medicine, papaya leaves are boiled and the water is taken to treat malaria. Science has confirmed that it truly has antimalarial activity.

Papaya has powerful antioxidant effects which may reduce oxidative stress and lower your risk of several diseases. Early research suggests that the antioxidants in papaya may reduce cancer risk and perhaps even slow cancer progression.

Papaya’s high vitamin C and lycopene content can improve heart health and may reduce your risk of heart disease. Chronic inflammation is at the root of many diseases, papayas are very high in carotenoids that can reduce inflammation.

Papaya has been shown to improve constipation and other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. The seeds and other parts of the plant have also been used to treat ulcers. The powerful antioxidants in papaya can help your skin recover from sun damage and may defend against wrinkling.

A study, titled, “Therapeutic application of Carica papaya leaf extract in the management of human diseases” by Surya P. Singh et al concluded that papaya leaf extract had strong medicinal properties such as antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, hypoglycaemic and anti-inflammatory activities.

A study, titled, “Beneficial Role of Carica Papaya Extracts and Phytochemicals on Oxidative Stress and Related Diseases: A mini review” by Yew Rong Kong et al concluded that Carica papaya counteracts oxidative stress via its potent antioxidant properties.

Therefore, it can be incorporated into nutraceuticals or conventional medications to be used as a potential preventative or treatment option for various health conditions.

Pregnant women should abstain from eating unripe pawpaw because it is high in papain. Ripe pawpaw is safe for them. Some animal studies have shown that papaya seeds may reduce fertility, one study found that administering large doses of papaya seed extract to monkeys caused a condition called azoospermia, which is characterised by a lack of sperm in the semen.