Can Papaya Leaves Fight Dengue?

Dengue is a dreadful mosquito-borne disease that has seen a rapid spread almost all over the world and is known to cause a lot of complications in the body with fatal outcomes. It is usually concentrated in urban and semi-urban regions. According to reports, almost 50 to 100 million cases are reported for dengue. The virus is transmitted when a female Aedes aegyptii mosquito bites a person who is already infected with dengue. The symptoms of this disease start showing approximately from the 5^th day after being bitten by the mosquito. One can get infected multiple times as this virus has 4 serotypes.

Dengue fever causes extreme pain and can become life-threatening if not treated on time. The unavailability of any vaccine to combat this deadly disease has made it even more difficult for the doctors to treat it. Papaya leaves have long been used in India to treat dengue fever. They contain a compound that can help the blood to clot and prevent further damage to the organs caused by internal bleeding. Papaya leaves are known to boost the platelet count which gets depleted drastically with dengue fever.

Do Papaya Leaves Cure Dengue?

Everyone loves papaya, the yellow fruit grown in most of the tropical places. Every part of the papaya plant is useful to us. Papaya is very rich in Vitamins like E and C and beta-carotene and is an excellent source of anti-oxidants. Papaya leaves are known to be used as a home remedy for dengue.

Dengue fever is known to cause a rapid depletion in the platelet count of patients afflicted with this disease. Papaya leaves help in combating this problem and also increase the platelet count in patients. Its ready availability in India has made it the most convenient home remedy for dengue fever.

How Do Papaya Leaves Help Dengue Patients?

Papaya leaves for dengue treatment have been widely used in Ayurveda. In a recent study, it was seen that papaya leaves could provide relief from the damage done by dengue fever to the body. Papaya leaves contain the most important compounds, papain and chymopapain which prevent bloating and also aid in digestion. It also contains the compound karpain which is a good remedy for dandruff and balding. Papaya leaves are very rich in minerals and vitamins. Though a lot more research needs to be done on the use of papaya leaves for dengue patients, in India, it is widely used to treat this disease. Papaya leaves can help in increasing the platelet count and also arrest internal bleeding caused by dengue fever. The leaves assist in the production of platelets in the patient’s blood. During the outbreak of dengue in India, a handful of leaves were sold at very high prices. The medicinal properties of papaya have long been proved in Ayurveda. Drinking as little as 30 ml of fresh juice extracted from a  papaya leaf twice daily has been said to increase the platelet count in dengue patients.

How to Prepare Papaya Leaves’ Juice?

There is an abundance of papaya trees in India, and its leaves are considered the best home remedy for dengue fever. Here we will give you a detailed view on how to use papaya leaves in dengue.

1. Boiling Them in Water

This is a simple way of making papaya leaf juice.

• Take a few fresh mid-size papaya leaves. Wash them thoroughly under running water to get rid of any grime and dirt.
• Pat them dry partly with a fresh kitchen towel or kitchen napkin. Using a chopping board and knife, chop them into very tiny pieces.
• Take a saucepan and add approximately 2 litres of water in it. Add the chopped papaya leaves in the saucepan.
• Place the saucepan on a stove and bring the water to a boil. Once the water starts boiling, simmer it for some time.
• Once the water is reduced to almost half, switch off the stove and let the concoction cool down completely. Strain the liquid and store it in clean glass containers.

2. Crush the Leaves

Another way of extracting juice from papaya leaves is by crushing them using a mortar and pestle.

• Take a few fresh papaya leaves. Clean them properly with water to rid them of any dirt or insects. Use a mortar pestle to crush them properly.
• Extract the juice and drink it twice daily to restore your health and get relief from dengue fever.
• Since the juice extract is very bitter, you can add some sugar or honey to it before consuming.

Mosquitoes carrying the dengue disease are most commonly found in tropical countries. Avoid getting yourself exposed to mosquito bites and always use a mosquito repellent to keep mosquitoes at bay. Practise hygiene at home and your surroundings. Don’t let water stagnate anywhere so that mosquitoes cannot breed in them. If one of your family members gets infected with dengue, be vigilant so that the others don’t get bitten by mosquitoes carrying the same disease.

In case you feel that you have been infected, check with your doctor for further treatment. You can also make juice from papaya leaves as mentioned in this article and consume it daily until you start to feel better. Papaya leaves juice do not have any side effects, so consuming them would not cause any harm to your body. Drink plenty of water and seek medical advice if you feel progressively worse.

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