Evidence supporting the use of: Papain
For the health condition: Appetite (deficient)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Papain, a proteolytic enzyme derived from the papaya fruit (Carica papaya), has a long history of use in traditional medicine systems, particularly in tropical regions where papaya is native. Traditionally, papain has been used to support digestive health and address symptoms of indigestion, which can include poor appetite or a general deficiency in appetite. The rationale is that papain helps break down proteins in food, thereby easing the digestive process and potentially stimulating appetite as a secondary effect of improved digestion.

There is, however, limited scientific evidence directly supporting the use of papain specifically to treat deficient appetite. Most of the available studies and clinical reports focus on papain’s role in protein digestion and as a remedy for dyspepsia or other digestive disturbances. Some traditional herbal texts and ethnobotanical records describe its use for improving overall digestive function, which may encompass appetite stimulation, but rigorous clinical trials substantiating this specific benefit are lacking. As a result, while papain’s use for deficient appetite is rooted in tradition and anecdotal evidence, it has not been robustly validated by modern science. Therefore, the evidence supporting papain for this indication is considered weak to moderate (rated 2 out of 5), based primarily on historical precedent rather than direct clinical research.

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Other ingredients used for Appetite (deficient)

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)
Acid protease
Agarwood
Agastache
Agrimonia pilosa
Agrimony
Alcohol
Aletris
Algae
Algal protein
Allium tuberosum
Allspice
alpinia galangal
ambergris
Amomum
Amor seco
Angelica
Angostura
animal protein
anise
apple cider vinegar
apricot
Arani
Ardisia
Areca
arrowroot
Asam gelugor
ashwagandha
aster root
Asteraceae
atractylodes
atractylone
avens
Baccharoides anthelmintica
bacteria
bael
bai ji
Baliospermum
balsam
bamboo
baobab
barberry
basil
bayleaf
beef
Beef liver
beet
belleric myrobalan
Berberis (unspecified)
Bergenia
betel
bile salt
bird\'s nest
bishop\'s weed
bitter grass
bitter principals
black cumin
black galingale
black gram
black pepper
black salt
blackthorn
Blepharis
blessed thistle
Boerhavia diffusa
boldo
Bombax
Borassus aethiopum
borneol
bovine liver
boxthorne
Buddha\'s hand
Bupleurum
bur-reed
Butea monosperma
butter
buttermilk
butternut
bасора
cactus
Caesalpinia crista
calamus
cannabinol
Cannabis sativa oil
cape aloe
capers
capillary artemisia
capsaicin
capsicum
capsinoids
caraway
cardamom
Carlina
carqueja
carrot
carvone
Casearia esculenta
cassia bark
catnip
cayenne pepper
Celosia
Centaurium erythraea
centaury
Centipeda
Chaenomeles lagenaria
chamomile
chen pi
chervil
chestnut
chickweed
chirata
chive
cinnamaldehyde
Cinnamomum
cinnamon
cistanche
citron
Citrus
Clerodendrum indicum
Clerodendrum indicum
clove
coca
coconut
Codonopsis
cola nut
colombo
common madia
coriander
Cornus
costus
cowherb
cubeb
culvers Root
cumin
Cyathula
Cymbopogon martini
Cynomorium
dandelion
date
deer root
Dendrobium
Dichrostachys glomerata
dill
dioscorea
dodder
dodeca-2E, 4E-dienoic acid isobutylamide
dog rose
dopamine
durian
egg
Embelia
endive
English horsemint
Evodia
false calumba
fennel
fenugreek
fig
flowering quince
fruit
fu ling
Fumaria parviflora
fumitory
Galangal
garden cress
Gardenia jasminoides
garlic bulb
gentian
gentian root
Gentiana calycosa
Gentiana manshurica
Gentianella alborosea
Gentianella amarella
Gentianopsis barbata
ginger
ginseng
Glechoma hederacea
goji berry
gooseberry
Guava
Hedychium spicatum
Helicteres isora
Hemidesmus
herbal blend (proprietary)
Homalomena
honey
honeydew
Horsemint
horseradish
Huang hua
hyacinth bean
Hygrophila
Ilex
Indian bael
Indian gum arabic tree
Indian kinotree
inula racemosa
iron
Irvingia gabonensis
Javanese Long Pepper
jujube
Jurubeba
Kachnar
Kokilaksha
kola nut
kuding tea
L-tryptophan
Large-leaf gentian
Lebbek
lemon
lemongrass
Leptadenia
licorice root
liquid liver fractions
little ironweed
lodhtree
long pepper
longan
loquat
lotus
lovage
Lycium
Lycopodium
Macaranga indica
mace
malt
mandarin
mango
Marjoram
Marshmallow
Meadow sage
Mentha haplocalyx
Microtea debilis
Milk
Milk Protein
Mint
Momordica
Monoterpenes
Mountain Pepper
Myrobalan
Myrrh
Natsudaidai
Neem tree
Nigella seed
nut grass
Nutmeg
Nymphaea nouchali
Oleoylethanolamide
onion
Onosma bracteatum
Ophiopogon
orange
orchid
Orchis latifolia
oregano
oregon grape
oryza
Oryza sativa
Osha
Osmanthus
Oxystelma
Palmyra
papain
papaya
parsley
Parsnip
paw paw
peach
Pepper
Pepper Bark Tree
perilla
Persimmon
Peucedanum
phytocannabinoids
Pimpinella
pineapple
Pinolenic acid
Piper nigrum
Piper retrofractum
Pistachio
platycodon root
plum fruit
pollen
Polygonatum
polymorpha
Portulaca
prebiotic blend (proprietary)
prickly ash
probiotics
protein
Prunus
pumpkin
Pyrrosia
quassia
quince
Quisqualis
radish
rhizome
Rhus coriaria
rice
root tuber
rose
rosemary
Rubiaceae
rue
Rumex acetosa
Safed musli
Sassafras
Savory
Scabrous Gentian
Sete sangrias
Shen Qu
shen-chu
Sichuan pepper
Sida cordifolia
Slippery Elm
slippery elm bark
Solanum anguivi
Southern Tsangshu
spearmint leaf
Speedwell
Spilanthes
Stellaria dichotoma
Sumac
Sweet Annie
sweet flag
Sweet Orange alcohol
Swertia
Sword Bean
Tagetes
Tamarind
Taraxacin
Taraxacum
Taraxol
Tarragon
Tea
Thymus
Tiger Nut
Trichosanthes
Triphala
Tulbaghia
Vervain
Vidanga
vitamin B
Water Pepper
Watercress
Wheat
Winter Savory
Wormseed
Wulinshen
Yellow Dock
Yerba mate
Yohimbine
Yuzu
zanthoxylum
Zedoary
Zinc
Zingerone
Zucchini