Papaya Leaf Juice Can Possibly Cure Dengue Fever: Fact Check

Story:

It could be a miracle cure for dengue. And the best part is you can make it at home.

The juice of the humble papaya leaf has been seen to arrest the destruction of platelets that has been the cause for so many deaths this dengue season. Ayurveda researchers have found that enzymes in the papaya leaf can fight a host of viral infections, not just dengue, and can help regenerate platelets and white blood cells.
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Scores of patients have benefited from the papaya leaf juice, say doctors.

Papaya has always been known to be good for the digestive system. Due to its rich vitamin and mineral content, it is a health freak’s favourite. But its dengue -fighting properties have only recently been discovered.

Chymopapin and papin – enzymes in the papaya leaf – help revive platelet count, say experts. …

Source : Times of India.

Facts Analysis:

The message, claiming Times of India as the source, talks about Papaya leaf juice as a possible miracle cure for Dengue fever. It is a fact with some missing information explained here.

About Dengue Fever

Dengue fever, also called as breakbone fever, is a tropical infectious disease that is caused by the dengue virus transmitted by the bite of the Aedes mosquito. Dengue symptoms generally include fever, headache, joint and muscle pains, and skin rashes similar to measles. In few cases, the disease turns into deadly dengue hemorrhagic fever, followed by bleeding, low blood platelet count and leakage of blood plasma. The condition of low blood platelet count is generally termed as Thrombocytopenia.

Health Benefits of Papaya

The story in question is in fact taken from a September 2012 article on Times of India website titled ‘Home cure for dengue death sting‘. Papaya is rich in vitamins and minerals, its leaves having antimicrobial properties, and can also enhance the immune system by improving the platelet function. The dengue-fighting property of Papaya leaf was only discovered recently. Chymopapin and Papin are the main enzymes in papaya leaf helping in revival of platelet count. While Papain has the ability to dissolve proteins and to help inflammation, Chymopapain is useful in spinal treatment.

Papaya Leaf Juice for Dengue

Many people in Malaysia take papaya leaf juice to increase their platelet count when they suffer from dengue fever. Some doctors also believe papaya leaf juice can avoid the need for platelet transfusion in cases of severe dengue. According to a white paper study in Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Papaya leaf extract had significant growth inhibitory activity on tumor cell lines in humans, and also increased the platelet count in animal tests.

The papaya leaf juice has to be made from fresh leaves, by deveining the leaves and making the green, pulpy part into a paste with the help of a mixer. Doctors recommend 4-5 teaspoons (20-25 ml) of this papaya leaf juice, twice a day, for at least a week to fight Dengue effectively. Since this paste is very bitter, you can mix it with fruit juice if required.

Many dengue patients drank papaya leaf juice and had a remarkable improvement in their platelet count. 21 year old Abhishek Majumdar, suffering from dengue symptoms of high fever, frequent vomiting and weakness had a platelet count of 84,000. As per doctor’s advice, he took papaya juice, and just after 3 days, his platelet count crossed 1 lakh. He was recovering well after the treatment. In another case of dengue victim, 32 year old Mamta Gupta took the papaya juice when her platelet count dropped to 70,000. In a matter of 3 days again, her platelet count increased to more than 450,000 and she recovered rapidly.

Conclusion

The conclusion is papaya leaf juice indeed has potential benefits in treating dengue fever. However, the claims saying it is a miracle cure to treat dengue in just one day is slightly exaggerated. So, it would be a good idea to check with a doctor and try this easy home remedy. It is also important to try it strictly under medical supervision.