Chymopapain is an enzyme originally isolated from the papaya fruit (Carica papaya). Its principal historical and scientific use has been in the treatment of herniated intervertebral discs, a condition involving cartilage damage, via a procedure called chemonucleolysis. In chemonucleolysis, chymopapain is injected directly into the herniated disc, where it enzymatically degrades proteoglycans, leading to reduction of disc volume and alleviation of nerve compression symptoms. This approach was developed in the 1960s and 1970s and became relatively widespread, supported by multiple controlled clinical trials and decades of clinical experience. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have shown that chymopapain chemonucleolysis can be effective for appropriately selected patients, with outcomes comparable to surgical discectomy in some cases.

However, use of chymopapain has decreased due to concerns about rare but serious adverse reactions (particularly anaphylaxis) and the advent of newer surgical techniques. Regulatory approval for chymopapain has been withdrawn in most countries, and it is no longer widely available. Nevertheless, its use was based on sound scientific principles, and its efficacy for the enzymatic breakdown of damaged intervertebral disc cartilage is well-documented in the medical literature.