Papaya Papain facilitates digestion with very efficient proteolysis and is hydrolyzed 3.2 times more rapidly than pepsin. Papaya Papain’s effectiveness in breaking down casein to 92mg/min at pH 3.0 and 40℃ in vitro conditions was 41% greater than that of trypsin. A 2023 study in the journal Gastroenterology reported that in dyspepsia patients (n=150) receiving 500mg of papain daily, the time for gastric emptying reduced by 22 minutes (8 minutes was shortened by the control group), and protein digestibility was raised to 98.7%.
A double-blind trial (n=200) indicated a 53% decrease in the severity of abdominal pain and a rise in the frequency of bowel movements from 2.3 to 4.1 times weekly in patients with IBS who received a formulation with Papaya Papain. Its preferential cutting point (preferential hydrolysis of leucine and phenylalanine residues) accelerates the rate of meat protein breakdown by 1.8 times, and the digestion time for steak is reduced from 4.2 hours to 2.7 hours. In the trial of diabetic patients, postprandial hyperglycemia was postponed by 45 minutes and variability was reduced by 31%.
IC50 value of Papaya Papain inhibiting NF-κB pathway was 0.45μM, 58% lower than that of ibuprofen. Once-daily dose of 50mg/kg in a model of ulcerative colitis reduced colon tissue MPO activity by 67% and accelerated repair by 2.3 times. Dental applications proved that following 4 weeks’ use of mouthwash with 0.5% papain, plaque biofilm thickness was reduced by 41% and gingival bleeding index by 39%.
The innovation of production process improved activity retention, and the ultrafiltration membrane separation technology (molecular weight of interception 20kDa) led to recovery rate of the enzyme up to 93%, 28% more than in the traditional method of salt-out. The process of lyophilization (vacuum drying under -50℃) guarantees that the loss of enzyme activity does not exceed 3%, and extends the storage period to 36 months. Global supply chain data for 2023 reveal that the production cost per kilogram of high-purity Papaya Papain (activity ≥2000TU/mg) fell to $85, 62% from 2015.
Safety For long-term use basis, acute toxicity test (rats) LD50 > 10g/kg, subchronic toxicity test (90 days) no adverse reaction dose of 800mg/kg/day. According to European Union EMA report, the incidence of adverse reaction was as low as 1.2% (0.9% in the placebo group) when less than 1200mg per day, mainly presented as mild abdominal distension. Drug interaction study has shown that its inhibition rate of CYP3A4 enzyme is less than 2%, and no adjustment of dose is needed when combined with warfarin.
Market statistics confirm the rise in demand, in 2023, the global Papaya Papain market size was 420 million, dietary supplement usage accounted for 5745/kg rose to $78/kg, and Southeast Asian market demand increased by 21% annually.
From efficiency of decomposition to therapeutic effect, Papaya Papain has the advantage of 0.003 cost per milligram enzyme activity unit (TU), and security parameters (genetic toxicity test Ames negative rate of 100.65 billion.