While antioxidants, carotenoids, and vitamin C have been shown to quench reactive oxygen species, the mechanism by which they or other constituents of papaya might protect against viral infection remains unclear. For burns, ulcers, wounds Papaya has demonstrated efficacy in treating burns, chronic ulcers, scars, and other wounds and injuries (Wimalawansa 1981, Ahmad 1998, Starley 1999, Hewitt 2000, Edwards-Jones 2003, Pieper 2003). In a preliminary study to assess the effects of papaya in 104 patients with infected ‘wounds, it was noted that the healing time varied from 5 to 10 days (Wimalawansa 1981). A survey conducted to assess the effect of papaya as a topical treatment for chronic ulcers indicates that its use helped promote healing of chronic ulcers (Hewitt 2000). For pain “ ‘Chymopapain, an extract from papaya, is approved for chemonucleosis, the treatment of herni- ated intervertebral discs by injection; however, due to allergic and other adverse reactions, this extract of papaya enzymes is not routinely used medically. Proteolytic enzymes found in papaya decreased pain up to 85% after injection into the lumbar intervertebral disc of 80 patients suffer- ing from intractable root pain due to herniated discs (Troisier 1980). For intestinal parasites A double-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted comparing the efficacy of papaya seed suspension and albendazole suspension in the treatment of intestinal ascariasis among children 5-14 years old. The result showed a 67.5% cure rate For papaya seed suspension, compared to a 90% cure rate for albendazole. ‘The papaya seed suspension showed a safe profile in the treatment of light intestinal ascariasis (Landingin 2003). For dengue A case study was reported of a 45-year-old male dengue fever patient who was treated twice a day for five consecutive days with the water extract of C. papaya leaves. A pretreatment and post- treatment blood analysis was done and the results showed that there was an increase in the plate- et count, white blood cell count, and neutrophils after the papaya treatment. The C. papaya aque- ous leaf extract exhibited potential activity against dengue fever (Ahmad 2011), “The juice from the leaves of C. papaya leaves was administered to patients with dengue fever inan open-labeled randomized, controlled trial with 228 patients. Approximately half the patients received the juice for three consecutive days, while the others remained as controls and received the standard regimen. There was a significant increase in mean platelet count in the intervention group but not in the control group. It was concluded that the juice from the leaves of C. papaya significantly increases the platelet count in patients with dengue fever (Subenthiran 2013). Herpes zoster (shingles) A.linical study of papain taken orally showed that it may improve the symptoms of herpes zoster Gilligmann 1995), D. Toxicity Anaphylaxis was reported in about 1% of eases of chymopapain injections (DiMaio 1976). Exter- nally, the latex is an irritant, dermatogenic, and vesicant. Internally it causes severe gastritis. Papain can induce asthma and rhinitis. The acrid fresh latex can cause severe conjunctivitis and vesication. It was suggested that the latex digests tissue and causes sores under rings and brace- 90 Carica papaya L. » PapayaCarica papaya L. Papaya 1. BOTANY FAMILY Caricaceae ‘VARIETIES ‘There are several varicties of papaya cultivated in the country. The fruits of these cultivars vary in size, shape, color, texture, sweetness, and fragrance. SYNONYMS: . Carica papaya var. bady Ake Assi C. papaya var, jimenezii Bextoni C. papaya. correae Solms C. papaya f. mamaya (Well) Stellfeld C. papaya f. emnstii Solms ©. papaya f. portoricensis (Urb,) Solms COMMON ENGLISH NAMES papaw apaw tree LOCAL NAMES apaya (Isg, Itg) lapaya (Bon) tapadya (Bon, Ibl) appey (Kla) papaya (Tag, Sp) tapaya (Bon) kabbano (wt) papaye (Tsp) tapayas (Bik) kapaya (BisSL) pappay (Kla) tofaya (To) kapayas (BisPn, CBis) ‘papyas (Sub) BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION Tiga small, erect teee 5 m of taller. The trunk is soft, 20-30 em in diametes, and marked with targe petiole scars. The leaves are spirally arranged, and have elongate petioles upto Tm long and holley and rounded in cross-section, The lamina is more ot less rounded in outline, palmately seven. to nine-lobed, each lobe being pinnately incised or lobed. The plant is dioecious, the sta ninate inflorescence is axillary, pendulous, branched, and up to 1.5 m long, The male flowers ine in crowded clusters, are straw-colored, and fragrant; the corolla tube is slender, up to 2.om Tong, The female flowers are borne in short, axillary spikes or racemes; the petals are up t0 7 ¢m long, The fruit is subglobose, obovoid or oblong-cylindric, 30 cm or longer, yellowish or yellow igh-orange when mature and fleshy, The soeds are namerous, globose, black, andl adhere to the surface of the sweet pulp. DISTRIBUTION ‘The plant is found throughout the Philippines. It originated from tropical America, probably in Southern Mexico and Costa Rica (Purseglove 1985) and introduced to the Philippines during the Spanish period. It is now naturalized and grows in a cultivated or semi-cultivated state fn almost all parts of the country. 84 Carica papaya L. + PapayaEncyclopedia of Common Medicinal Plants : of the Philippines ae Bs VOLUME 1 5 een es BEN aa BST TY ORB ECT NT Mra tea Se ery ear ee eet ed Peperomia pellucida, Ulasimang-bato EO eee ed CO reece Lone etd emer Tart Euphorbia hirta, Tawa-tawa Psidium guajava, Bayabas Artemisia vulgaris, Damong Maria eae eee ety Quisqualis indéca, Niyog-niyogan ee een Lagerstrocmia speciosa, Banaba ee eer) ore Dera eines Ree Seen’ ea eee Momordica charantia, Ampalaya Sn ene Tn er ota Bae eatery See taro aan ee Ce eet ea Rae mee Cement rene eae Pen Tee Zingiber officinale, Laya ieee)