Carica, Papaya Pawpaw Papita, Erand-Karkati (Ayurveda) Pipita (Unani) Pappai (Siddha)

Herbarium Amboinense, Rumpf, 1755

Illustrations Of Indian Botany, Vol. II, Wight, 1850

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Botanical name:

Carica papaya

Parts used:

Unripe and Ripe Fruit; Seed

Temperature & Taste:

Warm, moist. Unripe fruit is Cool, dry. Sweet, Sour

Uses:

1. Moistens the Intestines, Promotes Bowel Movements:
-chronic constipation (ripe fruit)
-Bleeding Piles; Diarrhea

2. Promotes Digestion:
-indigestion (ripe fruit)

3. Resists Poison:
-toxic effects of Cholera, Vomiting and Diarrhea
-plant and mineral poisons

4. Promotes Milk:
-unripe fruit is cooked and eaten to promote Milk in India

5. Moves the Blood:
-Promotes menstruation in amenorrhea (seed, milky juice; flower infusion)
-has also been used to promote abortion (seed)

6. Kills Worms:
-Round Worms (unripe fruit juice; seed)

7. Externally:
-juice is applied to remove Freckles, skin spots, Corns, Warts, Pimples
-unripe juice is applied to Ringworm
-seeds boiled in oil is applied to skin diseases and paralysis

Dose:

Seed Powder: 500mg–2 grams
Milky Juice: 3–6 grams

Correctives:

Chicory

Substitute:

Coconut (Unani)

Main Combinations:

1. Worms, the unripe fruit juice with Honey, followed by Castor oil

Cautions:

1. Green fruit and seed are not used during pregnancy

Main Preparations used:

Extracted Papain is used as a proteolytic enzyme