Common names | Papaya
Scientific name | Carica papaya
Used part | Leaf
Known active compounds | carpaine, rutin, malic acid
Potential benefits in cosmetics | anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, wound healing 

Product name | Papaya Leaf-ANB

 

 

Plant Story

Papaya (Carica papaya) is a small tropical tree with a straight stem native to South America. The fruits are eaten raw or cooked, and well-known for its enzyme, papain, with protein digesting properties. The leaves and young stems are also edible, eaten as a vegetable after steaming. The tea made with green papaya leaves promotes digestion and good for chronic indigestion, obesity, and high blood pressure. The leaves are known for various medicinal properties, as a treatment to Dengue fever, malaria, and cancer.

 

Papaya leaves contain bioactive compounds, such as carpaine, rutin, malic acid, quinic acid, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, and caffeoyl malate. Papaya leaves are reported to have anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing properties. The leaves showed the highest anti-oxidant capacity when compared with unripe fruit, ripe fruit, and seed. The anti-microbial activities by papaya leaves were shown against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, andCandida albicans. The anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities were evaluated with animal models. The oral administration of papaya leaf juice downregulated inflammatory cytokine genes and topical application of leaf extract significantly accelerated wound healing.