Dengue, a viral disease transmitted by the bite of the Aedes mosquito, has reached alarming proportions in the past few years. (About 11,760 dengue cases have been reported in Singapore alone since the start of the year.) Numerous studies have indicated that the juice of the leaves of the Carica papaya plant from the family Caricaceae could help to increase the platelet levels in dengue patients.
Papaya extract offers a cheap and possibly effective treatment for dengue, according to studies done in Indonesia, Malaysia and a report in the British Medical Journal that described the rapid recovery of platelet counts in two children suffering from dengue. However, currently, it is necessary not to rely entirely on the leaf extract and ignore standard treatment for dengue until the benefits are established.
Source: Annals of Medical & Health Sciences Research
This article was first published in the print edition of Yoga Journal Singapore, which is now Yogahood Online.
