SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN FERMENTED WATER EXTRACT OF UNRIPE CARICA PAPAYA

ABSTRACT Carica papaya is widely used in traditional and modern medicine due to its high content of papain, carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and vitamins. It supports digestion, immunity, wound healing, and cardiovascular health. This study merges indigenous knowledge with modern analytical techniques to evaluate the bioactive compounds and biochemical properties of fermented water extract from unripe Carica papaya. Fresh unripe fruits were obtained from Federal Government College, Independence Layout, Enugu, Nigeria. They were deseeded, sliced, and fermented in distilled water for 12 days. Fermentation was confirmed by a pH decrease from 6.0 to 5.0 and an increase in titratable acidity from 1.33 mL to 6.82 mL NaOH. GC-MS analysis identified a range of compounds across the fermentation period. Detected throughout were ethylbenzene (0.32% to 0.18%), o-xylene (0.28% to 0.21%), benzoic acid (0.71% to 0.46%), squalene (0.37% to 0.13%), and l-(+)-ascorbic acid 2,6-dihexadecanoate (0.63% to ~1.62%, peaking at 6.70% on Day 6). By Day 6, acetic acid (3.35%), butanoic acid (7.88%), and methyltartronic acid (6.22%) increased notably. By Day 12, CLA (0.31%), cis-13-octadecenoic acid (0.19%), octadecanoic acid (0.24%), and eicosanoic acid (0.12%) appeared. FTIR confirmed O–H, C–O, C=C, N=C=S, and S=O groups, supporting antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Rare compounds like 2,4,6-decatrienoic acid ester and [1,1′-bicyclopropyl]-2-octanoic acid ester suggest additional therapeutic relevance. These results validate the traditional use of Carica papaya and highlight its potential as a source of functional food and phytotherapeutic agents.