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Plant description: C. papaya is a palm-like, soft-stemmed, fast-growing evergreen tree. It has palmate-lobed leaves, whitish funnel-shaped flowers borne in clusters, and large spherical yellowish-orange fleshy fruits that contain numerous black wrinkled seeds. 

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Plant properties: The juice from papaya leaves is potent in anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antimicrobial, antimalarial, antioxidative, antispasmodic, and anti-sickling properties. It also exhibits analgesic, wound healing, and anti-human immunodeficiency virus properties. The leaves are effective against toxins in the human system and have hepatoprotective, nephron protective, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycaemic effects.

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Uses:

• Young leaves are cooked as a leafy vegetable. 
• The dried and cured leaves are used as cigars for smoking by people suffering from respiratory ailments, such as asthma.
• The dried and pulverized leaves are used for making tea. The tea is used to:
  • Aid and promote digestion.
  • Manage overweight and obesity.
  • Treat arteriosclerosis.
  • Treat high blood pressure.
  • Treat the weakening of the heart.

• The leaves are used to treat beriberi, a condition caused by thiamine deficiency. 
• The leaf juice is for increasing white blood cells & platelets.
• The leaf juice is used to normalize clotting.
• The leaf juice is used to repair the liver.
• The fresh leaves are an antiseptic.
• Yellow papaya leaves are used as an anti-anaemic agent.
• Brown papaya leaves are used as a body cleanser. 
• Dried leaves are used as a tonic to purify the blood and to improve digestion.

• The leaves are boiled in water, strained, and taken as relief from chikungunya, dengue, and malarial fever. 
• The leaves are used to make a decoction that is added to tea to treat malaria.
• The leaf decoction is administered as a purgative for horses. 

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Caution:

Papaya leaf extract during pregnancy is discouraged as it may induce multiple contractions, which might cause miscarriage. 

Uses of the other parts:

• The fruits are eaten as food and snacks.
• The fruits are added to salads, pies, and juices.
• The seeds and leaves are used to make a face mask and hair dye. 
• The seeds are excellent antihelminthic and antiamoebic agents. 
• The seeds are used to clear nasal congestion. 

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Reference and further reading:

• Airaodion, A.I., Ekenjoku, J.A., Ogbuagu, E.O., Okoroukwu, V.N. and Ogbuagu, U., 2019. Carica papaya leaves might cause miscarriage. Asian Research Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 2(2), pp.1-9.
• Akhila, S. and Vijayalakshmi, N.G., 2015. Phytochemical studies on Carica papaya leaf juice. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, 6(2), p.880.
• Atta, K. B. 1999. ”The Power of Garlic”. Cardiovascular disease prevention Association, Buea, Cameroon. p.72. 
• Ayoola, P.B. and Adeyeye, A., 2010. Phytochemical and nutrient evaluation of Carica papaya (pawpaw) leaves. Ijrras, 5(3), pp.325-328.
• Choudhary, R., Kaushik, R., Akhtar, A., Manna, S., Sharma, J. and Bains, A., 2025. Nutritional, Phytochemical, and Antimicrobial Properties of Carica papaya Leaves: Implications for Health Benefits and Food Applications. Foods, 14(2), p.154.
• David, S.S., Guido, F., and Pauli, A. 2000. Natisteat and Rosemary L: Cynogenic allosidesand glucosides from Possoftora edulis and Casrica papaya. Phytochemistry 60, pp.873-882
• Hariono, M., Julianus, J., Djunarko, I., Hidayat, I., Adelya, L., Indayani, F., Auw, Z., Namba, G. and Hariyono, P., 2021. The future of Carica papaya leaf extract as an herbal medicine product. Molecules, 26(22), p.6922.
• Hasimun, P. and Ernasari, G.I., 2014. Analgetic activity of papaya (Carica papaya L.) leaves extract. Procedia Chemistry, 13, pp.147-149.
• Mantok, C. 2005. Multiple Usage of Green Papaya in Healing at Tao Garden. Tao Garden Health spa & Resort.Thailand.www.tao-garden.com
• Noriko, O., Nam, H.D., Emi, K., Akira, K., Sathoshi, I., and Chikao, M. 2010. Aqueous exstract of Carica papaya leaves exhibit anti tumour activity and immunomodulatory effects. Journal of Etnopharmacology 27, pp.760-767.
• Sharma, A., Sharma, R., Sharma, M., Kumar, M., Barbhai, M.D., Lorenzo, J.M., Sharma, S., Samota, M.K., Atanassova, M., Caruso, G. and Naushad, M., 2022. Carica papaya L. leaves: Deciphering its antioxidant bioactives, biological activities, innovative products, and safety aspects. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2022(1), p.2451733.