Prospects of Carica papaya in the treatment of human viral infections: A comprehensive and a systematic review

Abstract

Background: Viruses cause various human diseases, some of which become pandemic outbreaks lack effective treatments and vaccines. This study gathered data on Carica papaya's antiviral effects against various human viruses, highlighting its potential as a natural treatment. Through in-vitro, in-vivo, and clinical study analysis, we illustrated the potential of Carica papaya in combating viral infections and its potential role in cure of common viral diseases.

Method: ology: Research papers on antiviral activity of Carica papaya were identified by using specific keywords in PUBMED, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases. Articles published between January 2015 and March 2024 were screened for inclusion. Eligible studies utilized Carica papaya leaves (powder or juice) or fruits to investigate their effects against human viral infections. Each selected study applied either qualitative or quantitative antiviral assays to assess the efficacy of Carica papaya in combating human viruses.

Results: Fifteen studies went through assessment for antiviral properties of Carica papaya, 7 (46.67 %) of them displayed significant activity against the dengue virus, while 1 study (6.67 %) demonstrated moderate/less effectiveness against dengue serotype-2. Two studies (13.33 %) found no anti-dengue effects. Additionally, Carica papaya exhibited strong antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in 2 studies (13.33 %). One study (6.67 %) showed inhibition of both dengue serotype-2 and chikungunya, and 1 study (6.67 %) each demonstrated inhibitory effects against human immunodeficiency virus and Zika virus infections.

Conclusion: The present study listed human diseases for which Carica papaya revealed significant antiviral effects against Dengue virus, Severe acute respiratory syndrome, Human immunodeficiency virus-I, Chikungunya virus and Zika virus suggesting its potential as a treatment candidate for all these viruses. However, the majority of the research involved in-vitro screening, with minimal in-vivo and clinical testing. Further in-vivo studies and clinical trials should be conducted to explore the potential of Carica papaya in the treatment of human viral infections.

Keywords: Anti dengue; Antiviral agent; Carica papaya extract; Fruits; Leaves; Virus titer; Viruses.

Fig. 1

Flow diagram following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA), illustrating the selection process for included studies.

Fig. 2

Schematic flow diagram outlining diverse extracts derived from various components of Carica papaya utilized in combating human viruses.

Fig. 3

Antiviral chemical compounds of Carica papaya. Papaya derived antiviral chemical compounds inhibit viral structural and non-structural proteins (not shown) i. n-Benzene, ii. N-Hexane, iii. Phenol, 2-methyl-5-(1,2,2-trimethylcyclopentyl)-, (S)-, iv. Carpaine, v. Ethyl acetate, vi. β-D-Mannofuranoside, farnesyl.