Caricaceae
Papaya Leaf
Carica papaya
⚠ Use with Caution
Avoid in Pregnancy
Native to: Tropical America, Mexico
Also known as: Papaw Leaf, Paw Paw Leaf
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
Parts Used
Leaf
Therapeutic Uses
Dengue fever (increases platelets — clinical evidence from Sri Lanka, Malaysia), intestinal parasites, digestive enzyme insufficiency, inflammatory conditions, malaria support.
Herbal Actions
Anthelmintic (alkaloids), anti-inflammatory, immunomodulator, platelet-increasing (dengue), digestive (papain), antimicrobial
Active Constituents
Papain (proteolytic enzyme), chymopapain, alkaloids (carpaine, pseudocarpaine), flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol), vitamin C, carotenoids
Preparation Methods
🏺 Tincture☕ Herbal Tea💊 Capsule
Traditional Preparation Notes
| Herbal Tea | 2–3 fresh leaves or 1 tsp dried per 250ml, steep 10 min, 2x daily — bitter |
| Tincture | 5–10 ml fresh leaf juice 2x daily for dengue; 2–4 ml tincture for other uses |
| Notes | For dengue: 25ml fresh leaf juice 2x daily for 5 days (clinical study dose). Standardized extract: 1–2g leaf equivalent daily. Significant bitter — may need to dilute or capsulize. |
Safety Information
Safety Rating
⚠ Use with Caution
Pregnancy
Avoid in Pregnancy
Drug Interactions
Possible — consult doctor
Contraindications: Avoid in pregnancy (carpaine uterotonic, papain breaks down cervical collagen). Caution with anticoagulants (may increase bleeding risk). Allergic reactions in latex-sensitive individuals.
Side Effects: GI upset. Latex allergy cross-reaction. Uterine contractions in pregnancy.