With the burden of dengue, and with the numbers steadily rising, people are looking for alternative methods to treat the disease. One such, much talked about remedy is the use of papaya leaf juice to heal the body ravaged by dengue. While some people claim that it is simply a belief, others swear by the remedy. If papaya leaf can cure dengue it will be a huge relief for those who are affected with this disease.
The Miracle Leaf
Papaya leaves are known to be packed with the enzymes like chymopapin and papain that normalize the platelet count, improves the clotting factor, improves one’s liver function and repairs the damage to the liver done by dengue, therefore helping an ailing person recover from the disease.
The young leaves from a fruit bearing papaya plant should be used. The leaves of the Red Lady papaya plant found commonly in India are more effective. The important fact is that one should choose leaves that are not too old, neither too young. Now, take only the leafy part and not the stalk and wash them well with water. Crush the leaves using a wooden mortar and pestle without any additives like water, salt or sugar. Once they are crushed, squeeze out the juice with clean hands and drink it two times a day. Do not add any salt or sugar to the drink. An adult should have 10 ml of the juice twice a day (or at eight hour intervals), children between the age of five and 12 should have 5 ml of the juice twice a day and those below 10 years of age should be given 2.5ml of the juice.
The patient should start having the juice as early as possible. This means that when they notice the first symptoms of dengue fever (when their platelets show a decline in numbers below 150000 cu mm or when the packed cell volume goes above 10%). It is also beneficial at later stages, but if the condition has progressed and has led to organ failure, the juice is not very effective.
Summary
The papaya leaf juice is capable of fighting cancer, is non toxic to the body and has the capability to improve one’s immunity. While the plant’s leaf is well known for its curative properties in diseases like malaria and cancer, it has been found that the juice of young leaves can be used to treat dengue.
