Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Passifloræ
N. 0. PASSIFLORÆ.
522. Carica Papaya, Linn: h.f.b.i., ii. 599. Roxb. 736.
Eng : — The Papaw or Papaya Tree.
Vern: — Pappiyá, pepiyâ (B.) ; Papaya, papiya-amba, popaiyah (H.) ; Arand-kharbúza, kharbúza. (Pb.); Popái (Duk.); Papai, papaya (Mar., Cutch and Bomb.); Paputa, katha chibhado (Sind); Papia, papáyi, kath, chibda, eranda kakdi (Guz.) ; Pappáyi, pappaâli (Tam); Bappâyi or boppâyi, madana-anapakáya (Tel.) ; Perangi, perinji (Kan,; ; Pappáya (Mal.).
Habitat: — Cultivated in gardens throughout India.
Introduced from South America. A small, fast-growing tree, usually unbranched, with milky juice. Bark thin, fleshy within, papery outside. Wood soft, consisting of an outer ring of fibrous wood bundles surrounding a large central mass of cellular pith tissue. In the wood ring the bundles are wedge-shaped, crossed ladder-like at intervals by bars in which, the rather small pores are found. Between the bundles comes the rather indistinct soft medullary rays on the vertical outer surface of the wood circle ; the ends of the bundles form a diamond, shaped network Gamble). Leaves glabrous, palmatifid- 12-24in. across, on long hollow petioles, forming a round tuft at the top of the stem. Stipules 0. Male flowers pale-yellow, fragrant, in long, drooping axillary panicles, generally diœcious, but occasionally there are a few hermaphrodite flowers on a male plant. Female flowers in short clusters. Calyx small, 5-lobed. Corolla-male: — tubular, 5-lobed ; Female:— of 5 tincar deciduous petals. Stamens 10, inserted in two rows in the mouth of the Corolla. Ovary free, ovules numerous, attached to 5-parieal Placentas. Fruit indehiscent, fleshy, sulcate. Seeds black, numerous, embedded in sweet pulp, the testa consisting of an inner hard, and an outer soft, larger. Embryo straight ; cotyledons flat, in oily albumen.
Uses : — Used in cases of enlarged spleen. The juice esteemed good for ringworm and also vermifuge (Lindley). The seeds are also considered vermifuge (O'Shaughnessy). The anthelmintic properties of the milky juice of the unripe fruit were first noticed in the 17th century by Hernandez ; and the attention of the profession in India was called to it in 1810, by Dr. Fleming (Asiatic Researches, vol. xi.) who cites an interesting passage from the writings of M. Charpentier Cossigni in support of its alleged virtues. Further confirmatory evidence has more recently been adduced by M. Bouton (Med. Plants of Mauritius, 1857, p. 65), and it may justly be concluded that the statements as to its efficacy as an anthelmintic are founded on fact. The following mode of administration, employed by the late Dr. Lemarchand, of the Mauritius (cited by Bouton), it would be desirable to adopt in all future trials with this remedy : Take of fresh Papaw milk and honey, of each a tablespoonful ; mix thoroughly, gradually add three or four tablespoonfuls of boiling water : and when sufficiently cool take the whole at a draught, following its administration two hours subsequently by a dose of castor oil, to which a portion of lime juice or vinegar may be added. This may be repeated two days successively if required. The above is a dose for an adult ; half the quantity may be given to children between 7 and 10 years of age ; and a third, or a teaspoonful, to children under three years. If it cause griping, as it occasionally does, enemas containing sugar have been found effectual in relieving it, Taking the dose above-named as correct, the statement of Sir W. O'Shaughnessy (Bengal Disp. p. 352), that he had administered the milky juice as an anthelmintic, in doses of from 20 to 60 drops, without obvious effect, is fully explained. It is principally effectual in the expulsion of lumbrici. On taenia it is reported to have little effect. Anthelmintic virtues have also been assigned to the seeds, which have a pungent taste, not unlike that of mustard and cress, but the evidence of their efficacy is very inconclusive. A belief in their powerfully emmenagogue properties prevails amongst all classes of women in Southern India ; so much so, that they assert that, if a pregnant woman partake of them, even in moderate quantities, abortion will be the probable result. This popular belief is noticed in many of the reports received from India. In them it is also stated that the milky juice of the plant is applied locally to the os uteri, with the view of inducing abortion. Facts in support of the alleged emmenagogue properties of the papaw are still wanting. It is not within the scope of this work .to consider the alleged power of the juice of the papaw to lessen the cohesion of the muscular fibre, or, in homely language, to render tough meat tender. The subject, which is discussed in extenso by Sir W. J. Hooker (Bot. Mag. Nos. 2998 and 2999), Dr. Wight (Illust. vol. ii., p. 34, et seq.), and Dr. John Davy (Edin. Med. Phil. Mag., Oct., 1855) must still be regarded as sub-judice. (Ph. Ind.).
Papaw leaves contain an alkaloid Carpaine, which has been used as a heart tonic and febrifuge.
From Papaw juice is extracted Papain, which is a white, or whitish, amorphous powder, possessing a solvent action on animal proteids.- A five per cent, solution of Papain is stated to dissolve false membrane in diphtheria, and to be a good application to warty epitheliomatous growths.
Injections of -2 grains and upwards have been successfully used in scirrus and other malignant tumours (B. M. J. 1906, Vol. L, p. 1439 et seq., also 1907, Vol. I. p. 135).
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Carpaine does not react with benzoic chloride or acetic chloride, but, on treatment with acetic anhydride, a compound is formed which has not yet been investigated. Ammonia and an acid free from nitrogen are formed by the oxidation of carpaine with sulphuric acid and potassium permanganate. —J. Ch. S. LX1V. at I. 1893, pp. 740-741.
On methylation, carpaine yields methylcarpaine, crystallising from dilute alcohol in small colourless prisms, melting at 71°, benzoylation of nitrosocar-
- The alkaloid is contained in leaf epidermis and to a lesser extent in the underlying parenchyma, epidermis of leaf stalk.
paine yields a colourless crystalline substance melting at 100°, and containing the nitroso-group unchanged ; the alkaloid on oxidation with potassium permanganate in acid solution, gives rise to a variety of compounds which are still under investigation —J. Ch. S. LXXII pt, I. (1897), p. 647.
Since methylcarpaine, C14H24MeNO2, reacts with benzoic chloride, it probably contains a hydroxyl group, A glucoside, carposide, has been obtained from the leaves ; this crystallises in colourless needles, and is insoluble in ether, but soluble in alcohol, and in water. Its aqueous solution reduces Fehling's solution only after boiling with dilute sulphuric acid.— J. Ch, S. LXXIV., pt. I. (1898), p. 283.
Pure dried juice should give no reaction for starch with iodine, nor reduce Fehling's solution before or after hydrolysis.
" A question of importance to be settled is the most serviceable form of commercial papain. And since prolonged moisture is deleterious, the juice should be dried as soon as possible ; but heat is said to destroy its activity, hence it should be dried at a low temperature. A preparation of this kind is sold in commerce under the name of ' Finkler's Papain.' The best method to prepare papain is to collect the juice of the unripe fruit, mix it with twice its own volume of rectified spirit, let the mixture stand for a few hours, and then filter off the insoluble matter and dry in vacuo or over calcium chloride at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere. After being powdered it should be kept in well-stoppered bottles ready for use. In view of a possible trade either in India or in Europe, manufacturers are recommended to observe carefully the precautions just enumerated. On account of caste difficulties, it might not prove possible to introduce animal pepsin very largely into use in India, but a good vegetable substitute might be of much value and find a ready sale." (Watt's Commercial Products of India.)
523. Modecca Palmata Lam. h.f.b.l, ii. 603.
Vern. : — Undal (Concan).
Habitat. — -Western Peninsula.
A large perennial herb, becoming woody at base ; stems long, thickened at nodes, cylindric, smooth, and shining, mottled with purple and covered with a bloom, slightly branched. Leaves large, 4-5in., broader than long, usually very deeply palmately 5-lobed (rarely 3-lobed or undivided), very glabrous and shining, especially beneath, lobes oval, narrowed at base, shortly acuminate, acute, entire, veins conspicuous, vinous- red, prominent beneath, where are often dots of red colour, and between the bases of main veins 4 circular, flat, pellucid glands as well as 2 large ones on the outer side of the lateral veins ; petiole about 2in., stout, curved with 2 short, setaceous stipules at base. Flowers rather large on short articulated pedicels in two opposite cymes of three, on a long axillary peduncle which is continued beyond them as a long simple tendril. . Calyx ⅝in., truncate at fleshy base, broadly and squarely campanulate, glabrous, segments triangular, acute, slightly spreading ; petals small, distant, linear, inserted at base of Calyx-tube, rather larger in male flower, more or less hairy ; disk wide, with 5 circular pits opposite segments with white cilia (Corona) on their outerside, and a short blunt, erect process within each.
Male flowers : — stamens distinct, filaments very short, anthers linear, ovary rudimentary. Female flowers : — staminodes 5, erect, immediately surrounding ovary, small, acute. Ovary shortly stalked, globose, smooth, tapering into 3 long styles ; stigmas much divided ; feathery. Fruit nearly 2in. on a stout stalk, globose, apiculate, smooth, orange, splitting into 3 fleshy valves. Seeds on long stalks, nearly ½in., mariculate and pitted, black, each enclosed in large pulpy aril.
Flowers greenish-white, tinged with pink.
Use : — The root is said to be poisonous, and is used by the Cinghalese as a medicine (Thwaites).
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