It consists of the dried and purified latex obtained form the unripe fruits of Carica papaya, Family: Caricaceae.

Commercial Importance

Papain contains several proteolytic enzymes and being similar to pepsin it is referred to as vegetable pepsin. Its protein-cleaving property gives it immense commercial value and it is used for a wide variety of functions such as tenderizing meat, defibrinating wounds in hospitals, clotting milk, digestive aid, shrink-proofing wool and in the treatment of jellyfish and insect stings, corneal skin deformation, edemas and inflammatory processes. A cheap and easily produced enzyme, it has the ability to digest 35 times its own weight of lean meat. It is extensively used as a meat tenderizer and as an ingredient in cleaning solutions for soft contact lenses. It is available in ointment form for removal of dead tissue components from wounds.