Green Papaya as a Potential Source for Diabetic and Diabetic-Wound Healing Therapy

The use of dietary antioxidants and nutraceuticals is one of the strategies often pursued as low cost remedies to reduce oxidative stress for preventing diabetes and its chronic complications [2]. Different parts of papaya (seeds, roots, leaves, barks, flowers, latex, and fruit) have been used in folk medicine to treat various diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular and infectious diseases [3]. Papaya (Carica papaya) is a perennial plant of tropical and subtropical regions, which requires temperatures between 21 and 33 °C and cannot tolerate temperatures less than 15 °C [4,5]. The papaya tree can grow to about 6-10 feet in high tunnels and produces unripe green papaya, which are harvested before the temperature drops below 15 °C. Recent scientific studies have validated many of the traditional uses and reported antiviral, antibacterial, antiprotozoal, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antihypertensive, wound healing, neuroprotective, diuretic, abortifacient, antifertility, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic properties [3,6-8]. This wide range of biological activities from papaya is attributed to its content of a number of phytochemicals including, flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, glycosides, triterpenes, lectins, saponins, polysaccharides, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, and oils [3]. Editorial