Mechanistic insights and emerging role of ripe papaya derived pectin as a natural polymer in cancer prevention and therapy

Ripe Papaya Pectin, a type of plant polysaccharides, has been shown to have a number of therapeutic benefits, including the ability to treat cancer. Ripe Papaya Pectin extracted from intermediate phases of papaya ripening markedly decreased cell viability, induced necroptosis, and delayed culture wound closing in three types of immortalized cancer cell lines. Additionally, studies have demonstrated that pectin specifically targets cancer cells by acting as a strong inducer of cell-cycle arrest and programmed cell death. Ripe Papaya Pectin can increase reactive oxygen species damage to trigger cancer cell death while reducing oxidative stress to preserve cellular homeostasis. Pectin’s anticancer effect is attributed to its regulation of many signaling cascades, including mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, transcriptional activator signaling, and signal transduction. Ripe Papaya Pectin’s unique physicochemical characteristics and abundance of changeable functional groups make it an excellent carrier for anti-cancer medication delivery systems. Research also showed that pectin acts as a potent inducer of programmed cell death and cell-cycle arrest, thereby selectively targeting cancer cells. Overall, Pectin represents a promising, biocompatible platform that unites intrinsic anticancer properties with advanced delivery capabilities, rigorous standardization and clinical validation are the next steps toward therapeutic translation. This review article highlights pectin in various cancer treatment, including its usage as a pharmacological agent and an oncotherapeutic delivery system. The complexity of cancer is undeniable. Cancer will be conquered only if cancers and their metastatic sub-populations receive individualised attention. However, many studies focused on specific compounds in Ripe papaya Pectin and reported bioactivity including anticancer effects. To get this concept from the bench to the bedside, further research evaluating the anticancer benefits of pectin derived from various sources is necessary, as are three-dimensional cell culture models that enhance pre-clinical investigations and close the gap between conventional cell culture and animal trials.