Administration Dependent Antioxidant Effect of Carica papaya Seeds Water Extract

Abstract

Carica papaya is widely used in folk medicine as herbal remedy to prevent, protect against, and cure several diseases. These curative properties are based on the presence in different parts of the plant of phytochemical nutrients with antioxidant effect. Seeds are the less exploited part; thus this study is aimed at assessing the antioxidant activities of the C. papaya seeds water extract against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) oxidative stress in human skin Detroit 550 fibroblasts. C. papaya seeds water extract is not toxic and acts as a potent free radical scavenger, providing protection to Detroit 550 fibroblasts that underwent H2O2 oxidative stress. Data show that (i) the maximum protective effect is achieved by the simultaneous administration of the extract with 1 mM H2O2; (ii) the extract in presence of an oxidative stress does not increase catalase activity and prevents the release of cytochrome C and the inner mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψ m) loss; (iii) the extract is more efficient than vitamin C to hamper the oxidative damage; (iv) the purified subfractions of the seeds water extract exert the same antioxidant effect of whole extract. In conclusion, C. papaya seeds water extract is potentially useful for protection against oxidative stress.

Medicinal Uses of Carica Papaya

“… Seed juice also used to treat Bleeding piles and in large liver and spleen [2].  C. papaya seeds protect fibroblasts from H2O2-induced stress due to the antioxidant activity of the water extract [32].  Also used in the treatment of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia  The seed has been shown to be a good source of oil (25.6%) that may be useful for medicinal, bio fuel and industrial purposes [33].…”

Metabolomic profiling of the phytomedicinal constituents of Carica papaya L. leaves and seeds by 1H NMR spectroscopy and multivariate statistical analysis

“…The cell line assay results confirmed the presence of antioxidants in both leaves and seeds as identified using NMR spectroscopy, with the highest quantities of antioxidants being present in young leaves. Previously, water extract of C. papaya seeds has been shown to be a potent free radical scavenger, providing protection to Detroit 550 fibroblasts cell line under H 2 O 2 oxidative stress [46].…”

Papaya black seeds have beneficial anticancer effects on PC-3 prostate cancer cells

“…Interestingly papaya seeds have not known for side effects, as these are common with pharmaceutical contraceptive. [24,25] It appears that Papaya seeds have activity for male reproductive system; it is, therefore, possible that papaya seeds may have anticancer effect against cancer of prostate gland, a vital organ of male reproductive system. We hypothesized that papaya seeds can be effective in inhibiting prostate cancer cells proliferation and, therefore, may be a good nutraceutical for preventing and/or treating prostate cancer in men.…”