Phytochemical Analysis of Carica papaya L. Leaf Extract with the Evaluation of Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities

Carica papaya L. (family: Caricaceae) is a tropical American fruit tree with a strong ethnopharmacological background. It has digestive, antioxidant, and nutraceutical benefits. It contains vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, folate, zeaxanthin, pantothenic acid etc. Using various extraction techniques and solvents, antimicrobial assessment and phytochemical screening of papaya leaf extracts were conducted. Maceration and Soxhlet methods were applied for the extraction of leaves using chloroform, methanol and hexane. Numerous bioactive secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, phenolic compounds, saponins, fats and oils, and carbohydrates, were found through phytochemical screening; the methanolic extract had the richest composition. TLC verified the presence of important bioactive substances, particularly kaempferol and tannins. The presence of hydroxyl, carbonyl, aromatic, and aliphatic groups was revealed by functional group analysis using FTIR spectroscopy, which supported the extract’s chemical complexity. Antimicrobial activity was calculated by agar diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. The methanolic extract exhibited significant antibacterial and antifungal activity, whereas chloroform and hexane extracts showed negligible effects. These findings demonstrate that papaya leaf is a prominent natural source of bioactive compounds with notable antimicrobial activity and support its future development as a plant-based therapeutic agent.