Papain is a proteolytic enzyme extracted from the papaya fruit. Let's see in detail how papain is obtained and what benefits it has .

Papain: what it is and what benefits it presents

Papain is obtained from the latex of the unripe fruits of papaya or papaya, affecting the pericarp of the fruit.

The latex is collected, coagulates in the air and coagulates by shaking . After collection, the latex is dried, obtaining the " brute papain " consisting of rounded yellowish or brown fragments and a characteristic odor.

Papain is partially soluble in water and is purified by dissolution in water and subsequent precipitation with alcohol.

Read also the benefits of plant enzymes >>

Papain is a mixture of proteolytic enzymes, such as bromelain present in pineapple and ficina present in different species of Ficus: it hydrolyses mainly polypeptides that contain basic amino acids such as leucine and glycine.

Thanks to its proteolytic action, papain is used to formulate products to be taken in case of digestive disorders, in gastric and duodenal insufficiencies. Papain is also used in cases of pancreatic insufficiency, meteorism and diarrhea .

In addition to health, papain is used in the production of cosmetics, particularly in anti-wrinkle creams and in depilatory creams.

The papaya

The papaya ( Carica papaya ) is a tree of the Caricacee family, originating in Central America and now cultivated throughout the tropical area.

The papaya plant can reach ten meters in height, has a bearing that resembles that of the palms, with fleshy trunk, large palmatosette and petiolate leaves.

All plant organs are characterized by the presence of latex .

It produces male flowers and female flowers and the fruit is a large oval berry that can weigh up to five kilos. At maturity, the papaya fruit is yellow-green on the outside, while inside it has an orange flesh and numerous black seeds surrounded by mucilage.

The papaya pulp is consumed fresh or used to produce thirst-quenching drinks. In addition to papain, the papaya fruit contains vitamins, minerals, fibers and sugars.

There are also products based on fermented papaya on the market.

The consumption of papaya is not recommended in the case of treatments with anticoagulants, antiplatelet agents and anti-diabetics.