Bioactivity prospection, antimicrobial, nutraceutical, and pharmacological potentialities of Carica papaya

The plant kingdom was valued as a major source of treatments for ailments in ancient medicine because of the presence of major bioactive elements and secondary metabolites. Plants are considered as nutraceuticals as they consist of many phytoconstituents such as flavonoids, terpenoids, major enzymes, and vitamins. Carica papaya has been a popular medicinal as well as nutritious plant for many years. Each portion, such as latex, seed, flower, root, stem, fruit, rind, and leaf, has its individual nutraceutical attributes. It has been used as ethnomedicine (to prevent and treat a huge number of disorders and diseases), as a cooking aid, and as food. Traditional uses of papaya include vermifuge (antiparasitic drugs), medicine to treat acne, appetite improver, purgative, abortifacient (causing abortion), and meat tenderizer (to reduce toughness of meat). To verify the nutritional and pharmacological properties of Carica papaya, several scientific trials were made over the centuries. Effectivity of papaya against cancer, dengue, and parasites was proved through these studies. It has also been revealed that papaya possesses antitrichomonal, antiseptic, antidiabetic, antiinflammatory, and contraceptive properties. Management of diseases including heart, sickle-cell anemia, digestive ailments, and HIV is reportedly achieved with papaya. However, the bioactive molecules that are responsible and their mechanism of action remain unexplored and vague. This highlights the importance of further clinical and pharmacological investigation on these molecules. In conclusion, although many properties related to drugs and nutrition are still not understood, it cannot be denied that papaya is a gifted plant by nature. Hence, there is need for research, so that maximum benefits can be obtained in preventing and treating several diseases.