What Are the Functions of Papain?

Papain is an enzyme that occurs naturally in the papaya fruit, which has been a part of the South American diet for thousands of years. This enzyme is harvested from dried papaya and then turned into a powder. There are many different functions that have made papain a popular substance, including its use as a meat tenderizer and as a digestive aid.

Meat

• The papain enzyme is most effective at breaking down proteins at the molecular level. As a result, is has been used to tenderize meat ever since its properties were discovered. Tenderizer brands like Adolph's consist of papain mixed with water to make meat much easier to work with and cook. Papain functions by breaking down larger peptides of amino acids into smaller peptides.

Digestive Aid

• When papain is coupled with the digestive juices in the stomach it can aid in digestion. When a person is having trouble digesting proteins, taking papain as a supplement can improve the body's digestive efficacy. This is especially important for those with diseases like cystic fibrosis in which there is a digestive enzyme deficiency. Papain has been added to natural digestive aids to help with gastric pain, abnormal feelings of fullness and nausea.

Skin Treatments

• Various skin treatments contain the papain enzyme because of its anti-inflammatory properties. It is a part of jellyfish, yellow jacket, mosquito, bee and stingray treatments like Stop Itch because it breaks down the proteinaceous toxins left behind by the organism. It has also been used for psoriasis, burns, warts, ringworm and cold sores. Papain solutions have also been used as a debriding agent for ulcers, sinuses, necrotic wounds and fistulas.

Traditional Functions

• In traditional medicine, the anti-inflammatory properties of papain have been used to treat bronchitis, bronchial asthma and thrombophlebitis. It has been used for tanning leathers, processing wool, and refining silks as well. In some Eastern medicines papain is used in cancer treatments to kill lymphatic leukemia cells. It has also been used to kill bacteria, parasites and tuberculosis, and to improve the functioning of the gall bladder.