Brewing a cup of papaya leaf extract tea may be just what the doctor may order based on findings in a report published recently in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. University of Florida researcher, Dr. Nam Dang and colleagues in Japan, have documented reports that an extract made from dried papaya leaves has cancer-fighting properties against a broad range of cancerous tumors.
The papaya leaf extract boosts the production of key signaling molecules called Th1-type cytokines, which help regulate the immune system. Researchers believe this could lead to therapeutic treatments that use the immune system to fight cancers, particularly tumors of the cervix, breast, liver, lung and pancreas. Additionally, the papaya extract did not have any toxic effects on normal cells that many other cancer treatments commonly produce.
As part of their study, researchers exposed ten different types of cancer cell cultures to four strengths of papaya leaf extract and measured the effect after 24 hours. The papaya extract slowed the growth of tumors in all of the cultures. The extract may also be effective in treating immune-related conditions, such as inflammation and auto-immune disease.
Dr. Dang and a colleague have applied to patent the process to distill the papaya extract through the University of Tokyo.
A graduate from the Harvard University School of Medicine, Nam Dang, M.D., Ph.D. is a board certified medical oncologist with expertise in the study and treatment of lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. He is Professor and Deputy Chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology as well as Director of the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office.
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