Doctor Bon

Papaw or papaya is one of the most common plants grown in tropical countries. It is an upright usually branchless, fast-growing tree. The trunk is soft, grayish, marked with fallen leaf scars. The leaves are deeply lobed, with long stalks, borne on the top of the tree. The male flowers are in long-stalked clusters, but the female flowers are stalkless or sessile. The fruit is obovoid, yellow-orange when ripe, fleshy, juicy, and often contains numerous black seeds although seedless varieties are also available today. It is a common fruit which is found in the market during the fruiting season.

Herbal use

1. The root of the papaya is used as a tonic and as a medicine for excessive bleeding of the kidneys.
2. The latex is used for corns and warts.
3. The leaves help in digestion.
4. Flowers are the remedy for hoarseness, cough, bronchitis, inflamed trachea and cough.
5. The seeds are said to be an antidote for cancer.
6. The seeds are used to kill or expel worms from the body.
7. Fruit Helps in digestion.
8. It promotes flow of urine.

Instructions

1. The decoction of the root is used as a tonic and as a medicine for unchecked bleeding of the kidneys.
2. It also kills and expels worms from the body. A handful or foot boiled in 2 cups of water is taken during the day.
3. The latex obtained from the fruit is also used to kill and expel worms from the body and used also for throat infections. It is also used for warts and corns.
4. An infusion of the flowers and honey is good for influenza and cough. Use teaspoonful every hour.
5. Ten of fifteen seeds chewed and swallowed is good for bile excretion and for cleaning the stomach. The dry powder is good to remove worms from the body.
6. The ripe fruit helps in digestion, promotes flow of urine and softens inflamed parts. It is recommended for all sick people. The ripe fruit, eaten with the seeds is good for all stomach and bowel diseases and also diabetes, asthma, jaundice, cough, chest problems, and duodenal ulcers.

Major parts used

The whole plant.