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Yogyakarta- Most people cosume a papaya only its flesh and leaves and throw away its seeds. Lately a group of students from Medical and Health Science Faculty of Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta (FKIK - UMY) did a research by extracting papaya seeds and was successful to prove that the seeds are good for human health.

That was expressed by one of the researchers, Muti’ah Nuraini, at UMY integrated campus on Tuesday (13/9). The research was supervised by S. Orbayinah (Biochemistry Department of FKIK-UMY) and helped by other three students: D. Asharini, A.P. Dewi, and N.Wulandari.

According to Muti’ah, in the research on juice of papaya seeds (Carica papaya L), they found significantly that the seeds proved to be able to decrease cholesterol and LDL level as well as increase HDL. The analysis gives significant result that is beneficial for people who consume juice of papaya seeds since based on phytochemical analysis, extract of papaya seeds contains alkaloid, flavonoid, tanin, saponin, anthraquinones, and anthocyanosides. “Having those extracts, the seeds have hipolipidemia effect and anti oxidant in blood," said she.

Furthermore, Muti’ah expalins that hipolipidemia effect is very important for hiperlipidemia alternative theraphy caused by vegetable fat or cholesterol in great amount. "If calorie consumed more that a limit needed by body, the excess will be saved in brain in the form of trigliserida that then becomes fat. It causes the amount of fat in blood increses," she said.

Specifically, saponin contained in papaya seeds is beneficial to reduce the activity of cholesterol serum such as resin, namely by reducing entherphetic circulation of bile acid (asam empedu). “Slowing down this oxidation reaction of LDL cholesterol can reduse blood cholesterol level," added Muti'ah.

In the meantime, Phytochemical  itself usually refers to a compound found in vegetabales that are not needed for body to function well, but it has a beneficial effect for health or has an active role for preventing diseases.

Flavonoid is anti oxidant that can capture free radicals. Flavonoid stops an initial level by getting rid of one atom of hydrogen. Then it connects with one free radical. The connection can stabilize peroksi radical that reduces activation energy. It can slow down or block oxidation reaction of LDL cholesterol.

Muti’ah realizes that natural use as medicine tends to increase nowadays by the concept of back to nature and long crisis of the decrease of people's purchasing power toward modern medicines that are relatively expensive. The juice made from papaya seeds can be consideration for people to consume medice easier and more practical.

She also hopes that the research conducted by her team can give to scientific reference for further research on developing papaya seeds as a medicine for antihiperlipidemia , and if it is proven effective to quicken cholesterol LDL level as well as increase HDL level, papaya seeds can be developed as an  hiperlipidemia alternative therapy for human being.

(trans by hamzah - uhamka)