A REVIEW ON PHARMACOGNOSY, PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF CARICA PAPAYA (LINN.) LEAF

Papaya (Carica papaya Linn.) is well known for its nutritional as well as medicinal value since long time. The medicinal properties of fruit and other parts of papaya are well known in the different system of traditional medicine including Ayurveda. Its various parts has been reported for various disease conditions viz. fever, swellings, jaundice, gonorrhea, bilious fever, itches, eczema, and rheumatism cold, headache, whooping cough, asthma, chicken pox, and bronchitis in various traditional literature. The various remarkable researches on biological activities and medicinal application have been reported during past four decades and established it as an important nutraceuticals agent. Carica papaya Linn. leaf has been scientifically studied for various therapeutic activities like antibacterial, antioxidant, antipyretic, insecticidal, antimicrobial, anti-molluscal etc. In view of this leaves have been explored through several advanced techniques like phyto-extraction of heavy metals, phytoremediation of particulate pollution and many others. Various studies on phytoconstituents and chemical composition of leaves have been reported in last few decades. The present review aims an exploration of pharmacognostical, phytochemical and pharmacological studies of Carica papaya Linn. leaf till now.