An unusual combination in papaya (Carica papaya): The good (glucosinolates) and the bad (cyanogenic glycosides)

Dietary Glucosinolates Sulforaphane, Phenethyl Isothiocyanate, Indole-3-Carbinol/3,3′-Diindolylmethane: Antioxidative Stress/Inflammation, Nrf2, Epigenetics/Epigenomics and In Vivo Cancer Chemopreventive Efficacy

“…Glucosinolates are a group of sulfur-containing glycosides found in the plant order Brassicales, which includes the Brassica or Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, brussels, and cauliflower [19]. These plants have been used for food or medicinal purposes, with the latter partially due to their relatively high content of glucosinolates, which distinguish them from other plant species [20].…”

Phytochemicals of papaya and its traditional health and culinary uses – A review

“…Papaya is one of the few examples known of a plant containing both glucosinolates and cyanogenic glucosides (Williams et al, 2013). It is rich in benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) which may provide potential for use in chemoprevention of cancer.…”

“…The glucosinolates are known to be degraded into isothiocyanates by enzymatic action of plantspecific myrosinase or intestinal microbiota in the human body (Basu and Haldar, 2008). Glucosinolate (glucotropaeolin) levels of 1430 mg/100 g FW in latex, 610 mg/100 g FW in newly expanded leaves, 285 mg/100 g FW in seeds and less than 40 mg/100 g FW in the edible flesh fraction (mature and immature) and the ripe placenta were reported in the literature (reviewed by Williams et al, 2013).…”

“…There is no current data available on the individual compound(s) that demonstrated the anti-cancer and immunomodulatory effects, however isothiocyanates extracted from papaya fruit have been proven to act as glutathione S-transferase inducers (Nakamura et al, 2000). BITC is the predominant compound in papaya seed extracts, regardless of cultivar (Williams et al, 2013). BITC in the seed possesses anthelmintic properties which have been used successfully against intestinal parasites.…”

Optimized Formation of Benzyl Isothiocyanate by Endogenous Enzyme and its Extraction from <i>Carica Papaya</i> Seed

“…David J Williams pointed that papaya is one of the few tropical fruit species to contain a glucosinolate [2]. Since most glucosinolate-containing plants possess [4][5] glucosinolates of which 1-2 predominate, the difference is in papaya seed benzyl glucosinolate (BG) appears to be the sole glucosinolate present [2].…”