Effects of Papaya Leaf Extract (Carica papaya L.) on Cellular Proliferation and Apoptosis in Cervical Cancer Mice Model

This study is aimed at analyzing the anticancer properties of papaya leaf extract, specifically the inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptotic induction through nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and p53 pathways. Twenty-five mice (Mus musculus), aged 2 months and weighing 20–30 g, was injected with 0.5 mg dexamethasone for 7 days. The mice were then injected intracutaneously with 1 ml of HeLa cells (8 × 106 HeLa cells/microliter). The mice were divided into five groups (5 each): negative control (P1) (5% CMC-Na, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose), treatment II (225 mg/kg BW (body weight) papaya leaves methanol extract), treatment III (450 mg/kg BW), treatment IV (750 mg/kg BW), and treatment PV (2 mg alcohol anticancer drug). Papaya leaf extract treatments were applied for 2 weeks. Then, the tumor tissue was isolated for hematoxylin and eosin staining. Immunohistochemical imaging was used to detect Ki-67, caspase-3, NF-κB, and p53 expression. Further analysis was undertaken using the ImmunoRatio software program. The results indicated that administration of papaya leaf methanol extract significantly increased the expression of NF-κB and p53 at a dose of 450 mg/kg BW. Our results also showed that the mice treated with 450 mg of papaya leaf extract per kg of BW (P3) had the largest increase of caspase-3 expression compared to the negative control group. Papaya leaf ethanol extract decreased the cancer cell proliferation index and increased apoptosis of cancer cells in animal models of cervical cancer; it may also work to increase NF-kB expression and expression of the p53 gene.