About FPP

Prof.Luc Montagnier's comment on possibility of FPP(2008 Nobel laureate in physiology or medicine)

Prof. Montagnier was interviewed at the office of the World Foundation Aids Research and Prevention inside UNESCO in Paris by Paris branch of Fuji Television Network, Inc. on 16th of June, 2003.
The interview was as follows:

Q : I heard that in Europe FPP (Fermented papaya preparation) attracted a great deal of attention. I think it is you who made it so famous. How did you get to know it yourself and why did you get interested in it?
About 10 years ago when I participated in the 10th International conference on AIDS in Yokohama, Japan, I met Mr. Hayashi who is a president of the FPP manufacturer. He introduced me to FPP and said that it could reduce problems of many patients suffering from low immune function including AIDS patients. Back at that time, we didn't have a particular treatments for AIDS. This meeting with Mr. Hayashi led me to use FPP in the treatment of AIDS patients who were receiving tri-therapy in Africa. In the end, we found out that FPP had remarkable effects on recovering the immune system when used in combination with tri-therapy*, the effects were not seen when it was used on its own. At this stage I knew that there had been a lot of scientific research carried out on FPP, especially in U.S.A. and Italy, supporting its properties. So I believed that FPP would work for other diseases as well and introduced it in Europe, especially in France.

*tri-therapy:Triple Therapy , Anti-HIV therapy with triple fixed-dose combination
Q : Would you please explain to us in plain words your own findings about FPP?
Firstly we should know that plants are the best chemist in the world. Since long before human beings appeared on earth, plants have been dealing with undesirable, oxygen derived elements. They have developed, over the course of millions of years, an evolved defense function, and now we are applying this knowledge into medical science. This knowledge and vision was the basis for the creation of FPP.
FPP has quite complicated constituents. We haven't found out yet which particular element in FPP is actually effective. However, one thing is clear that it is not the raw fruit of papaya itself but its fermentation process that gives FPP its effective properties. FPP has two main effective properties. One is an anti-oxidants property to render undesirable elements derived from oxygen harmless. The other is immune system enhancement. FPP stimulates our immune system partly or wholly.
Q : Recently SARS became a big issue. Do you think the property of FPP to enhance our immune system could influence SARS?
We don't have enough data about SARS, but I think it could. Because we already know that FPP has a defensive effect against the common cold. The virus of the common cold is similar to that of SARS and called for example coronavirus or rhinovirus. If you take FPP at the very early stage of a cold, in other words when you start feeling a slight sore throat, it will stop the progression of cold. Therefore FPP would be able to protect people who are at risk from exposure to the SARS virus, such as people living in highly-prevalent areas or medical service workers, it will work to prevent them from getting infected.
Q : So are you saying that FPP can be used not only for treatment of diseases but also for prevention?
Certainly. You might feel the effect more easily when you take it for prevention. I am now planning some clinical studies applying FPP in other cases of disease prevention, such as preventing progression of Parkinson Disease, a kind of neurosis.
Q : FPP attracted so much media attention when you handed it to the Pope for the treatment of Parkinson Disease. Was it really effective? And if so, will the effect last?
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease or Parkinson disease are closely related to oxidative stress. In fact, the death of brain cells is due to a decrease of anti-oxidant elements in our body. We now have scientific evidence to support this, making it quite reasonable to use anti-oxidants in the treatment of neuro degenerative diesease. This is why I handed it to John Paul II together with another antioxidant called "Glutathione" when I met him in June. I recommended he continue taking them for at least one month. I also told him that I am taking them for prevention. He said he would try. As far as we can see through media appointments he has been looking healthier. I don't have detailed information from him directly, so I can not make an assertion whether he has got better with these products or not. I can assume, at the very least, that as his quality of life has improved he will continue to take them. I am planning to give the same kind of treatment to other patients with Parkinson disease. I know that taking FPP regularly and continuously will help recovery and FPP will not interfere with other medications.
Q : Even though FPP is so effective, it is not a curative drug for Parkinson disease?
No, it is not a drug. It is considered as a nutraceutical food to compliment curative drugs for Parkinson disease.
Q : I understand that it is considered as a nutraceutical food now, but is there possibility that FPP can go beyond that in future?
We are now carrying out study in both the laboratory and clinic. At the laboratory we do basic research to find out how and what in FPP is working as an effective element. On the other hand, in the clinic we research the effectiveness of FPP with parameters widely known in medical and scientific fields. Here we are carrying out many clinical tests for patients of AIDS, AD or PD.
Q : Last question is "Are you taking FPP yourself?"
Yes, I am. However, fortunately I am not suffering from any chronic disease, so I am not taking it regularly. As I told you, I take FPP when I start feeling a sore throat or start having a nasal inflammation. It does help to clear them up quickly. Also I take FPP before getting on a plane since I often travel abroad for business and it helps me to recover from unbalanced physical conditions due to a jet lag.
From a newspaper article
FPP was given to the Pope John Paul II
The ex-Pope John Paul II was one of the most-active leader in history, called "Flying Pope", visiting more than 100 countries during his pontificate. However, after suffering from Parkinson disease, he was said that he might resign for his health condition, which could have been the first Papal abdication during a lifetime for more than 800 years.
In June 2002, people were astonished by the leading article of Italian newspaper that the Pope had been given FPP for his health recovery by Prof. Luc Montagnier who visited Vatican.