Papaya
Papaya.
The initial strategy for researching information on papaya leaf in supporting Dengue
recovery formalize during the 2016 Dengue outbreak in Southeast Asia. FYIL’s
investigation led to obtaining papaya leaf from countries across the Asia Pacific
region. FYIL processed a test sample of papaya leaf in Japan, sending it to an
Australian University for analysis to identify the key compounds believed to be
effective against the virus.
FYIL accelerated investigating effective methods of processing, extract
manufacturing, and investigating commercial supplies for papaya leaf from the Pacific
Island nations (Samoa and the Kingdom of Tonga) however logistics and verifying
papaya stock free of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) proved challenging.2
Obtaining a regular quantity of leaf proved difficult for Pacific Island nations. As a
result, FYIL commenced operations cultivating green papaya in Japan.
FYIL commenced with a variant of the papaya plant with origins in Malaysia and Japan
cultivating a research crop in Ibaraki and collaboration with Shoichi Yaginuma of
Yaginuma farm [2] (Sun-Papaya®). Along with organic growing principles, the
outcome resulted in vigorous growth and early harvest which was ideal before
Japan’s cold winter retained a high percentage of effective compounds.
In 2017 the New Zealand Government Minister for Economic Development
communicated an interest in FYIL’s research. The request went on to state: “ that
any progress to help with the treatment of the Dengue virus would be a fantastic
addition to the ongoing list of the world’s leading New Zealand innovations”.
In New Zealand, FYIL engaged in talks with the New Zealand Institute for Plant &
Food Research for a collaboration in a test program of Japanese green papaya.
The first green papayas were planted in the winter of 2018 at the Kerikeri Research
Centre in New Zealand. Having FYIL cultivar produced in both New Zealand and
Japan gave FYIL a strategic advantage of leaf production every half year to meet
International extract supply requirements.
It is important to note that the target compounds, from New Zealand and
Japanese crop production - was identical. The trial confirmed the commercial
viability, and a milestone for the Company producing a very good, sub-tropical
cultivar fit for purpose.3
The New Zealand variant (Wakatengu®) is, the only major differential over Japan
the resource is the high UV light over New Zealand at the beginning of the planting
season.
Intellectual property protection was gained as it is paramount to accelerate
research in various types of extraction procedures to maximize compound yields
from the leaf prioritized for Dengue Virus primarily, and other compounds targeted
for age-related illnesses and lifestyle Cancers.
FYIL collaborated with Callaghan Innovation in New Zealand researching various
extraction procedures with numerous suggestions on how best to scale up the
manufacturing extraction process.
Research discussions with the Universities of Otago and Auckland and other Medical
institutions across New Zealand on protocols for a human study with Papaya
extract on Dengue fever resulted in a research protocol paper by Otago University
and in consultation with the Vanuatu High Commission, Wellington New Zealand to
undertake a trial using a combination of New Zealand and Japanese extracts in
Vanuatu.
To date, New Zealand has no Dengue-carrying mosquitoes, in addition, with the
untimely death of the Vanuatu High Commissioner in Wellington there was little
appetite from the New Zealand Government or the other parties for a human study
in Vanuatu.4
It is understood that the papaya leaf and its green fruit have emerged as a “new frontier”
for nutritional high-value food and is a researched supplement health product,
employing cutting-edge technology for preventive medicine and traditional
therapeutic use.
The 2021 Kerikeri crop was harvested and frozen as the New Zealand Government
closed its borders in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Any manufacturing and
research with papaya leaf therefore paused in New Zealand until mid-July 2021
when a limited new state-of-the-art extraction program commenced increasing the
the yield of targeted compounds, the process is ongoing.
Fuller Young International (FYIL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
in a partnership with University of Nottingham (UNM) 2021 for the development of
targeted high-quality extracts for the treatment of dengue fever and age-related
illnesses that include Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, immune support as well as
for high-value nutrition food development. The research is ongoing and includes
clinical testing on human cell tissue before FYIL can move on to the next phase of
commercialization of a series of products.
The products will be primarily marketed to consumers in Southeast Asian
region, in addition to Japan.
In 2021 FYIL /UNM entered a research project with the International Medical
University (IMU) to study the anti-cancer, anti-dengue, and immunomodulatory
properties specifically in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the papaya leaf5
extract produced in New Zealand. The work was completed in 2022 with the
recommendation that in-vivo studies should be considered, with complete
monitoring of relevant immunity and blood profiles warranting further investigations.
FYIL entered into a research project with the Biotech Pharmacogenomics Institute
to fully profile papaya leaf extract. UNM and FYIL undertook the comprehensive
proprietary process of papaya leaf extractions using the latest technology methods
including a variety of drying systems combining New Zealand and Japanese
agriculture scientific programs including tea factory leaf management with
adjustments in traditional production. This resulted in the presentation of papaya
in tea form and became the basis for extract production.
Papaya leaf extract and tea contain active components such as alkaloids,
glycosides, tannins, saponins, and flavonoids which are responsible for its
therapeutic activity. It is one of the reasons that high-quality papaya green tea has
at times a bitter taste due in part to the goodness and high amount of tannins. It is
only this exceptional quality dried papaya green leaf that goes into our production
of PAYAVALU® extract.
Papaya leaf green tea contains numerous therapeutic properties such as
antiviral, antibacterial, anti-tumor, hypoglycaemic, and anti-inflammatory activity.
The postulated mechanism in Dengue fever as an example is reducing
thrombocytopenia as an effect of the alkaloids, flavonoids, and other phenols
contained in the extract.6
One of the most prominent traditional herbal medical benefits discovered to be
contained in papaya leaf is its ability to affect the symptoms associated with
Dengue. Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne virus. Millions of people are affected in
regions of, Asia, the Pacific, the American continent, Africa, and into Europe. Papaya leaf
extract and tea also contain essential nutrients such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C),
thiamine (vitamin B1), and B-carotene pro-vitamin A, which also has positive roles in
immune function, viral diseases, and septic shock.
PAYAVALU®（papaya green tea leaf extract）and PAYAMATCHA® (papaya tea
leaf powder/matcha) is of the highest standard that will help to maintain the body's
immune system and general good health.
In 2023 Fuller Young International and Fuller Young Japan entered
collaboration with UiTM University (Hospital Al-Sultan Abdullah) KL Malaysia,
Zakesy Biotech, (iPROMISE) in association with the University of Nottingham.
The safety effects of papaya leaf extract had been conducted on cell-based assay,
animal models, and human trials. However, there is lacking evidence of
the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of papaya leaf extract in animal models
and human trials. The data is required to promote papaya leaf extract as a medical
product shortly. The research to isolate the active ingredient(s) with
product standardization is under urgent verification.
The international research collaboration program is ongoing to complete the
protocol of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy of
oral administration of Payavalu® extract in human subjects with acute dengue
fever, Immune system, diabetes, liver, and breast cancer at this time.
[1] Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, Division of Sleep Medicine.
Visiting professor, University of Tsukuba Japan. He is a Founding Director of Fuller
Young International from 2012 – 2018
[2] An international expert in Papaya farming production and President of
Yaginuma Farms.
Japanese Plantation Ibaraki.
New Zealand research crop at plant and food research Kerikeri.
Papaya medical research team KL Malaysia. From Nottingham University KL, ipromise, UiTM and reseach Hospital Al-Suklan Abdullah.
Inspecting animals for toxicity studies with Payavalu extraction.
Testing plant structure by Tokyo Univeristy of Agriculture.
It is noted that on March 9 2010 in a news report from Gainesville, FL - The humble
papaya leaf is gaining credibility in Western medicine for anticancer powers that
folk cultures have recognized for generations.
University of Florida researchers Dr Nam Dang and Dr. Chikao Morimoto from
The University of Tokyo had documented papayas' dramatic anti-cancer effect against a
broad range of lab-grown tumors, including cancers of the cervix, breast, liver, lung
and pancreas. The researchers used an extract made from basic dried papaya
leaf.
Published in the Feb. 17 issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology.