BENEFITS, APPLICATIONS , SIDE EFFECT AND PHARMACOLOGICAL EFFECT OF PAWPAW , ITS SEEDS AND LEAVES||CLUB100

INTRODUCTION

Hello steemian, its another exciting time to make a post in this great community. In steemit , we learn everyday.
Today i will like to talk about Carica papaya (pawpaw) a fruit we are very familiar with . Sit back and read .

PAWPAW

Paw paw whose scientific name is Carica papaya is an edible fruit , which has pale, orange , red or yellow colour flesh with some glossy dark brown seeds which are edible but taste bitter.
Their shape is similar to pears and can be up to 20inches long.
Their skin is green when its unripe and orange or yellow when its ripe.
The fruit is packed with some nutritional value and the other parts like the seeds, peels and leaves are also beneficial to health.

The active ingredient in pawpaw is papayina

CULTIVATING PAWPAW

The best time to plant pawpaw is during summer , although it can be planted any time of the year.
It grows well in a hot area and in any soil ,provided it is well drained because the roots can get diseases if the soil becomes too moisted but the best is loamy soil.

To plant pawpaw seed;
Firstly, you take out the seeds from the ripe pawpaw, remove the seeds from the glossy bag that covers it cause the bag will not allow it to grow. dry it and store in a tight container till summer and then plant it.

They require small amount of water to grow. Watering them every 2 weeks in summer will yield more and bigger fruits.

The female bear fruits but the male requires pollination to be able to bear fruits

To identify both male and female; The flowers of the female are bigger and are very close to the branch , while that of the male are smaller with many flowers growing on a long branch of the stem.

SOME BENEFITS OF PAW PAW FRUIT

1. It boost and makes the immune system stronger, cause one papaya fruit can give over 200% vitamin C required in the body daily. which gets rid of free radicals that have negative impart on the immune system.

2. The presence of Vitamin A and flavonoids in pawpaw help keep the eyes healthy.

3. An enzyme called Papain in pawpaw helps relieves menstrual pains.

4. It keeps the hair smooth, shiny and moisturized through the aid of a compound called sebum.

5. They are effective against cancer

6. The presence of lycopene and Vitamin C in papaya can reduce skin damage from sun exposure and and slow down the signs of aging. Lycopene content is higher in red flesh than in yellow flesh

7. The antioxidant Lycopene reduces the risk of many diseases that comes with age.

8. Papaya is high in beta-carotene which lowers the risk of developing Asthma

9. Vitamin K in pawpaw helps in calcium absorption which strengthens and rebuilds the bones

10. Papain in pawpaw also helps in digestion.

11. The presence of potassium, fibre and vitamins helps prevent heart diseases.

12. Applying it on a wound makes it to heal faster

13. taking pawpaw juice help in internal healing of vitiligo. Applying the paste on it helps to restore the skin to normal by increasing the melanin production.

14. It improves breast milk production.

SOME PROPERTIES OF PAWPAW

1. Rich in fiber: Due to its high fiber content, pawpaw helps in digestion and also makes our skin to glow. This fiber removes toxins from the colon that can cause cancer in the body through bowel movement.

2. High in vitamins and minerals: it contain high amount of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. which boost the immune to fight some aliment like cold and cough, it also makes wounds to heal faster and can reduce the risk of cancer.

3. Abundant in antioxidants: These antioxidants help to boost immunity and also get rid of free radicals that are dangerous to our health.

4. High in Vitamin P : This is also called Bioflavonoids . They protect the body from harmful and life-threatening diseases by modifying the way our body reacts to viruses, allergens (substance that causes allergic reaction) and carcinogens( cancer causing agents)

SOME OF THE NEGATIVE EFFECT OF PAWPAW

1. it is regarded as a hot fruit for pregnant women, in otherwords it is harmful for pregnant women. This is because there is a large amount of latex in raw and semi-ripe pawpaw which can trigger uterine contractions and may lead to termination of pregnancy. The unriped one should be cooked before eating during pregnancy.

2. unripe paw paw can cause pain in the abdomine.

3. It lowers blood sugar level which may not be good for a diabetic patient

4. excessive consumption can lead to respiratory issues.

SOME PARTS OF PAWPAW

Source

pawpaw fruit is made up of the following;
The peel
The Pulp
The seed
The seed pulp.

PAWPAW SEEDS

pawpaw seeds are generally black in colour and contain the following antioxidants in abundance; polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins and saponins. These constituents play some roles vital in disease prevention and treatment
pawpaw seeds can be chewed raw, dried or grind.
Though people prefer to throw them away, yet they are quite potent with so many advantages when consume regularly.

BENEFITS OF PAWPAW SEEDS

1. The presence of Carpaine in pawpaw seed helps get rid of bacteria and parasites in the intestine, thereby keeping the gut healthy.

2. They help prevent obesity by helping to prevent our bodys from absorbing fats

3. The presence of polyphenols in pawpaw seed helps prevent all manner of cancers, and also acetogenin is capable of preventing cancer cell from growing.

4. Consuming pawpaw seeds keeps the kidney healthy. Chewing 7 seeds 7 times daily does not only keeps the kidney healthy, it also cures already existing kidney problem.

5. It can help kill bacteria that cause food poisoning.

6. it relieves menstrual pain

7. Its antifungal property helps in controlling and preventing dandruff

8. Grinded pawpaw seed has an enzyme that helps wound to heal faster when applied on it.

9. The seed extract has chemotherapeutic effect

10. It combats dengue virus , hence cures dengue fever

11. It is a good and healthy alternative way to control birth. It should be taken for 90days. It is also necessary to seek medical advise too.

12. Cirrhosis of the liver is cured by consuming pawpaw seeds

Note:
Do not consume more than 1 teaspoon of pawpaw seed , too much consumption of pawpaw seed can reduce fertility in men.

SIDE EFFECT OF PAWPAW SEEDS

consuming pawpaw seeds does not result in any side effect. Just consume the required quantity, base on the illness you want to get rid of .

The peels

It contains high concentration of Papain.

USES

1. it has an enzyme that can get rid of dead cell from the skin, This in turn reduces the sign of aging. All you need to do is to rub it over your face and your neck.

PAWPAW LEAVES

source

They are rich in enzymes, minerals and vitamins. They contain phenolic acids as their main compound with traces of chlorogenic acid, flavonoids and coumarin compounds.

CHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF PAWPAW LEAF EXTRACT

source

USES

1. It has a compound called acetogenin which has a powerful antimalaria property.

2. Its a powerful liver cleanser

3. The leave extract can heal peptic ulcer, this is because of its antimicrobial property.

4. It keeps the blood sugar level in check for people with diabetics and also reduce the complications of diabetes like kidney damage

5. It is a good remedy for menstrual pains

6. It is a natural conditioner, It promotes hair growth, and prevent balding

7. A compound called acetogenin has a great anti-cancer property which can fight breast cancer, lung cancer and pancreatic cancer.

8. Its anti-inflammatory property can reduce chemotherapy side effect.

Note
The toxicity study of pawpaw leaf was carried out on a rat and the result shows that pawpaw leaf extract has no toxicity effect, hence it is safe.

SOME APPLICATIONS OF PAWPAW

1. Acne and uneven skin pigmentation: Apply pawpaw juice on the affected place with a cotton ball or clean towel , leave it for 15mins and wash it off with cold water

2. To minimize wrinkles: Get pawpaw peels, rub it on the face and neck region , leave it for 20mins and then wash off with cold water.

3. To get rid of dark circles: Crush green pawpaw into paste, apply under the eyes gently with the fingertips, leave it for 10mins, then wipe off the paste with clean cloth and finally wash with warm water.
   This should be done daily for quicker result.

4. Dandruff control: Blend pawpaw pulp and seeds into a paste, massage it into the hair and scalp, leave it for one hour and then wash off with shampoo

5. Healing of wounds: crush pawpaw seeds and apply it on the affected area for faster healing of wounds.
   Applying green pawpaw juice to wound also prevents it from swelling and forming pus.

6. To reduce the inflammation of the lungs: Drink a glass of pawpaw juice

7. Treatment of throat issues: Mix pawpaw juice with honey and drink

8. Vitiligo condition : Drink pawpaw juice for the internal healing and apply a crushed pawpaw or the juice on the affected area for external healing.

9. Birth control : taking large amount of unripe green pawpaw can hinder pregnancy . Thereby controlling child birth.

PHARMACOLOGY ACTIVITY OF PAWPAW LEAVES, SEEDS

• Antimicrobial activity: An investigation of the antimicrobial activity was carried out on dry and fresh pawpaw leaves which was extracted using acetone, aqueous (water) and ethanol by disc diffusion method .
  The result showed that the acetone and ethanol extract were more effective than the aqueous.
  Secondly, the dry leaves extracts were very efficient against gram positive and gram negative bacteria whereas the fresh leaves extracts were only efficient against gram negative bacteria.
  Some seeds extracted with methanol also showed antibacterial activity against K.pneumonia, E.coli, and p.vulgaris.

• Anticancer effect: Methanolic extract of black pawpaw seed (riped pawpaw) and white pawpaw seed(unriped pawpaw) were investigated against postrate cancer cell, it was discovered that the black seeds were effective against postrate cancer cell while the white seeds showed a stimulating effect on prostate cancer that already existed.
  Another research, showed that the leaf extract of pawpaw stopped the progression of cancer cells.

• Anti-malarial properties: Chloroform extract of pawpaw fruit rind and petroleum ether extract of pawpaw fruit rind were examined, petroleum ether extract showed the highest anti-malarial activity .Leaf extract also displayed antiplasmodial activity against some strains of plasmodium.

• Anti-dengue activity : pawpaw leaf juice prepared by traditional method were given to 5 dengue patients in the dosage of 2 tablespoons three times daily . it was discovered that the platelet counts of the patients increased after taking the leaf juice for 5 days.

• Wound healing activity: The wound healing activity of ethanolic pawpaw seed extract was tested on Sprague‐Dawley rat and the result revealed that it helped in healing the wound of the rat.

There are other pharmacological activities of pawpaw but these are just the few we can in this post.

CONCLUSION

pawpaw is not only consumed as food, but also used for medicinal and skin care purpose. Medically, it does not just treat some diseases but also prevents them from occuring. I will strongly advise , that we utilize it , and use it to keep ourselves healthy.

Thanks for stopping by
God bless you