Papaya, the Potential Functional Food for the Treatment of Anemia

By Kyle J. Norton

Scientists may have found a whole fruit for the treatment of anemia with no side effects, according to studies.

Anemia is a medical condition associated with a lack of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood.

Iron deficiency anemia is one of most common anemia, caused by poor iron levels in the blood, leading to the reduced delivery of oxygen throughout your body.

There are many risk factors involved the onset of the condition. Blood loss, such as from heavy menstrual bleeding, an ulcer, cancer and regular use of some over-the-counter pain relievers, especially aspirin are some of the most common prevalent risk factors.

People with a long-term deficiency of folate and vitamin B-12 which play a critical role in the production of healthy red blood cells are also at an increased risk of Amenia.

Also, people with the mutated gene inherited from the parent are at substantial risk of the disease. the Duliajan College study suggested that certain gene such as βE-Globin Gene is associated with the onset of anemia.

Dr. SK Sharma, the lead scientists in examine the anemia in India population surprisingly found that there is a high prevalence of anemia among children (78.9%), ever-married women (56.2%), pregnant women (57.9%) and ever-married men (24.3%) in India.

The doctor continued after observing the levels of hemoglobin in the tested subjects, " Association of the lower level of hemoglobin,...., was observed in subjects carrying the βE-globin gene. The mean (± SD) hemoglobin levels of the subject with heterozygous and homozygous state of HbE was 10.9 ± 0.95 and 9.7 ± 0.64 g/dL, respectively, against 11.28 ± 1.42 g/dL observed in normal hemoglobin pattern (Hb AA)".

These results clearly stated that amenia may be a genetic preposition related disease that can be reversed in some people.

Papaya is a species of Carica Papaya, belonging to the family Caricaceae and native to the tropics of the Americas, and was first cultivated in Mexico and several centuries.


With an aim to find a natural ingredient or whole food for the treatment of anemia, with no side effect, researchers at the Covenant University, examined the papaya anti-anemia effect in subjects with sickle cell disease (SCD)

Sickle cell disease (SCD)is a genetic disease caused by an individual inheriting an allele for sickle cell hemoglobin from both parents. The disease is associated with unusual production of a large number of immature blood cells.

Application of Carica papaya seed oil (Cari-oil) showed significant effects in reducing the levels of sickle blood cells compared with that of untreated SCD patients.

RBCs in Cari-oil treated samples were significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared with VerMyg, antisickling plant-treated samples.

The Cari-oil extract significantly reduced (P < 0.05) lactate dehydrogenase activity,  in both in male (HbSSM) and female (HbSSF) human sickle cell blood.

Lactate dehydrogenase activity, LDH consistently increased in patients with anemia.

Furthermore, Cari-oil treated HbSSM and HbSSF blood had significantly increased (P < 0.05) peroxidase activity which was a significant decrease in patients with anemia, compared with controls.

Dr. the lead scientist suggested at the end of the experiment, "Methanolic extracts from... C. papaya seed oil exhibited antisickling properties coupled with the potential to reduce stress in sickle cell patients".

Moreover, in patients with beta-thalassemia major and intermedia and E-beta-thalassemia, researchers found that by ameliorating oxidative stress in red blood cells, the disease may be treatable.

In vitro and in vivo, oral administration of FPP to beta-thalassemic mice (50 mg/mouse/day for 3 months) and to patients (3 g x 3 times/day for 3 months), reduced all the above mentioned parameters of oxidative stress (p < 0.001 in mice and p < 0.005 in patients).

The results suggested that FPP, as a potent antioxidant, might alleviate symptoms associated with oxidative stress in severe forms of thalassemia.

In human studies, injection of fermented papaya preparation (FPP) on two groups of beta-thal patients: beta-thal, major and intermedia, (in Israel) and E-beta-thal (in Singapore) increased the production of antioxidant enzymes produced by the host and significantly decreased the levels of ROS.

In other words, fermented papaya preparation (FPP) increased the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) in red blood cells (RBC), and decreased their reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, membrane lipid peroxidation, and externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS), indicating amelioration of their oxidative status, without a significant change in the hematological parameters.

The finding in human studies indicated it is possible that longer duration of treatment, probably with the addition of an iron chelator, is required in order to achieve a significant change in the hematological parameters.

Taken altogether, Papaya, particularly in fermentation, may be considered a functional for the prevention and treatment of anemia with no side effects.

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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

References
(1) Solenostemon monostachyus, Ipomoea involucrata and Carica papayaseed oil versus Glutathione, or Vernonia amygdalina: methanolic extracts of novel plants for the management of sickle cell anemia disease by Afolabi IS1, Osikoya IO, Fajimi OD, Usoro PI, Ogunleye DO, Bisi-Adeniyi T, Adeyemi AO, Adekeye BT. (PubMed)
(2) Amelioration of oxidative stress in red blood cells from patients with beta-thalassemia major and intermedia and E-beta-thalassemia following administration of a fermented papaya preparation by Fibach E1, Tan ES, Jamuar S, Ng I, Amer J, Rachmilewitz EA. (PubMed)
(3) Fermented papayapreparation as redox regulator in blood cells of beta-thalassemic mice and patients by Amer J1, Goldfarb A, Rachmilewitz EA, Fibach E(PubMed)
(4) Preliminary in vitro antisickilng properties of crude juice extracts of Persia Americana, Citrus sinensis, Carica papaya and Ciklavit® by Iweala EE1, Uhegbu FO, Ogu GN.(PubMed)