Papaya as Medicaments 181
15–19 years old at 45.73%. People at least 30 years old have increased knowledge in
terms of medicinal plants, while lower knowledge levels occur in the younger age
groups (Razafindraibe et al. 2013).
16.3 Therapy Cases
Papaya has several antibiotic, allergic, anti-nutritional and toxic properties. Untested
herbal medicines could be potentially injurious to human health (Saran and
Choudhary 2013). Many plants used in traditional and folk medicines are potentially
toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic (Dharmarathna et al. 2013). Many biologically
active phytochemicals from different parts of papaya tree (latex, seed, leaf, root,
stem, bark and fruit) have been isolated and studied for their potency.
16.3.1 Case Studies
Papaya fruit is a rich source of nutrients such as provitamin-A (carotenoids),
vitamin B, vitamin C, lycopene, dietary minerals and dietary fibre. Biochemical
TABLE 16.2
Relative Importance of Various Disease
Management Categories Perceived by RespondentsDiseaseFrequency of
Adopter Farmers
Score (%) Rank
Abortifaciant, anti-implantation (abortion) 00.78h IV
Anti-haemolytic activity 22.51f IV
Dengue fever 67.38c II
High blood pressure (heart patients) 02.21h IV
Jaundice 94.96a I
Ringworm 26.30e III
Roundworm 27.00e III
Snakebite to remove poison 01.22h IV
Stomach problems (digestive, carminative,
dysentery and chronic diarrhoea)87.66b IIUrinary complaints (diuretic) 44.15d III
Weight loss 09.07g IV
Wound dressing 25.83e IIISource: Adapted from Saran, P. L. et al., 2015, Indian Journal of
Traditional Knowledge, 14(1): (in press).
Note: Means with the same letter (superscript) in the columns show
no significant difference (P = 0.05) based on the Duncan
Multiple Range Test.