Health benefits from the use of naturally grown and plant-derived food and food products have earned a great deal of attention. This is due to the fact that these food products contain health-promoting nutrients and dietary phytochemicals, are considered to be an important tool for the treatment of body diseases and are believed to have no harmful effects on the biological system.
Carica papaya L. is an herbaceous laticiferous plant commonly cultivated in the tropics as a food and cash crop. C. papaya cultivars have been developed to increase yield, fruit quality, and nutritional content. Native to tropical America and first introduced in the Philippines during the Spanish regime (1521–1898), papaya is a fast-growing, short-lived, single-stemmed, polygamous, arborescent herb that grows up to 10 m tall. Its trunk is usually cylindrical, hollow, 10-30 cm in diameter and roughened by large, prominent leaf, and inflorescence scars. Leaves are dark green, alternate, crowded at apex of trunk, long-petioled, 25–75 cm in diameter, and deeply lobed. Papaya grows best in light, well-drained, slightly acidic soils (pH 5.5–6.5) rich in organic matter. Plants grown on clay soils that lack good aeration are spindly and produce less fruits. Furthermore, those grown on low-lying areas where rain water accumulates and remains after heavy rains wilt and die due to root rot disease.
Papaya is adapted to low and medium altitudes with warm weather and abundant rainfall. Growing temperature, ranging from 21ºC to 33ºC, is preferred. Areas with evenly distributed rainfall are ideal, although areas with a distinct dry season can also be used if provision for irrigation could be made.
Papaya has been commonly used in traditional medicine for many diseases. Extracts of papaya leaves accelerate the rise of platelet counts and shorten the hospitalization time during dengue fever. (Yunita et al., 2012). Brown dried papaya leaves are best used as a tonic to help improve balance and reinforce structures as well as a blood purifier. It has the potential to clean the intestines that facilitate healthy digestion and helps to treat diseases such as overweight and obesity, arteriosclerosis, elevated blood pressure and weakness of the core. (Ayoola & Adeyeye, 2010).
Papaya leaf can be used for the processing of green tea. Nwofia et al. (2012) referred that papaya leaf can be used for the preparation of tea and mentioned different medicinal values of papaya leaf tea. Aqueous extract of papaya leaf tea plays an important role as a tumor destroying agent. Papaya leaf tea is the most powerful anti-cancer agent. Doctors and researchers from US and Japan have discovered that enzymes found in papaya leaf tea have dramatic cancer fighting properties against a broad range of tumors. In a bid to promote good health and make a genuine effort in assisting the prevention of cancer papaya leaf tea is very effective (Otsuki et al., 2010). A recent study by Purdue University showed that Papaya Leaf Tea consists of over 50 active ingredients found to kill fungi, worms, parasites, bacteria, and many forms of cancer cells (McLaughlin, 2008). In addition to its long list of cancer fighting substances, papaya leaves boast large doses of important nutrients that support the immune system, including vitamins A, C, and E. Most importantly, it contains vitamin B-17, which in concentrated form is already used as part of traditional chemotherapy treatments. Papain, an important enzyme in papaya leaves is also a powerful digestive aid. It breaks down proteins naturally and eases the burden of digestion on the pancreas and stomach. Scientific research shows that papain is most active at higher tea temperatures.
The papaya leaves were analyzed using standard method such as moisture content, protein, ash, fat (AOAC, 2005), Vitamin C content (Ranganna, 2004) while carbohydrate content was calculated by difference (Pearson, 1981). Proximate composition of fresh papaya leaves is shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Proximate composition of fresh and dried papaya leaves.
A one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out to analyze the color, flavor, taste and overall acceptability of papaya leaf tea. Then, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) was used to find significant differences between the sample if exist. The first judgment of any product is done by seeing. So, color is one of the most important sensory attributes which add to the aesthetic value of a product. Result (Table 3) shows that there was significant difference in color. The sample S2 secured the highest mean score (7.7) and ranked as ‘like moderately’. There was no significant difference of color between the samples S1 and S2. The samples S1 and S2 Secured 6.9 and 6.6 mean score respectively and both the samples were ranked as ‘like slightly’.
Table 3: Mean scores for color, flavor, taste and overall acceptability of papaya leaf tea.
Mean values with the different alphabets in the column are significantly different at (p<0.05).
Where, S1 = Papaya leaf tea of 1 minute brewing time, S2 = Papaya leaf tea of 2 minute brewing time, S3 = Papaya leaf tea of 5 minute brewing time
Mean values with the different alphabets in the column are significantly different at (p<0.05).
Where, S1 = Papaya leaf tea of 1 minute brewing time, S2 = Papaya leaf tea of 2 minute brewing time, S3 = Papaya leaf tea of 5 minute brewing time
Reference:
Dev et al (2014). Processing and Quality Evaluation of Green Papaya (Carica
papaya L.) Leaf Tea. Retrieved from http://www.jakraya.com/journal/pdf/3-jacsArticle_1.pdf
Ahh i remember this being used in so many anticancer research yet it never did have any conclusive note to it. I recall tgat mode of intake was through injection or through capsules though the risk of degrading it was there