papain Chem.
(pəˈpeɪɪn)
Also papayin.
[f. papay-a (see pawpaw) + -in1.]
a. A proteolytic ferment obtained from the half-ripe fruit of the pawpaw (Carica papaya) which is used to assist the digestion of patients suffering from chronic dyspepsia and gastritis, as a meat tenderizer, and in clarifying beverages. b. The pure crystalline protease extracted from papaya latex.
1890 in Cent. Dict. 1893 Syd. Soc. Lex., Papáin, a preparation from the juice of the papaw. A whitish, amorphous powder, containing a proteolytic ferment. 1898 Allbutt's Syst. Med. V. 33 The chemical objection which may be urged against..the vegetable ferments papayotin and papain. 1937 Science 22 Oct. 379/1 (heading) Crystalline papain. 1943 Sumner & Somers Chem. & Methods of Enzymes 158 The impure papain of commerce is a mixture of two distinct enzymes. 1963 Daily Tel. 14 June 17/6 British meat traders are concerned about the use of papain, an enzyme preparation, injected into animals before they are slaughtered, to produce artificially tenderised meat. 1969 T. C. Thorstensen Pract. Leather Technol. vi. 100 The enzyme papain introduced into this system exhibited very strong unhairing action. 1972 Materials & Technol. V. xix. 700 Papain is a relatively small enzyme, with a molecular weight of 21 000 and an isoelectric point of 8·75. |