read Papaya Extract to Treat Dengue: A Novel Therapeutic Option? authored in may 2014 by N. Sarala and SS Paknikar of the Department of Pharmacology, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical Colledge, Sri Devarag Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research, Tamaka, Kolar, Kamataka, India.
read Carica papaya Leaves Juice Significantly Accelerates the Rate of Increase in Platelet Count among Patients with Dengue Fever and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever, published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website also back in may 2014.
and read Papaya leaves can beat dengue published in a Sri Lanka news website April 26, 2016 (some 3 weeks after DOH’s garin launched the dengvaxia mass vaccination program). a rare interview with Dr. Sanath Hettige, the Sri Lankan general physician who first pronounced papaya leaf extract as effective therapy vs. dengue in a paper published in 2008 in the Sri Lankan Journal of Family Physicians.
I used to observe monkeys eating papaya leaves. I conducted research on papaya leaves and found that papaya leaves had been used by aborigines to treat malaria. At the time there were no suggestions that papaya leaves were a remedy for dengue, but as monkeys consumed it, we knew it wasn’t toxic. Four of my employees and myself consumed papaya leaves and another five did not. Then we took blood tests and found that the platelet count, white blood cells count (WBC) and the red blood cell count (RBC) of even healthy individuals had increased. Meanwhile, my clerk contracted dengue when his platelet count dropped to 70 000. As one who had participated in papaya leaves trial before [he] insisted in taking papaya leaf syrup. Within 2 days his platelet count increased dramatically and the fever receded. He recovered without been admission to a hospital
Some three wheel drivers of the Watthegedara area close to my clinic my clerk was friendly with also took papaya leaf syrup when they contracted dengue and were cured, proving the efficacy of papaya leaves in treating dengue. It was then that I decided to conduct scientific research on the papaya leaf treatment. 12 patients who came to my clinic voluntarily agreed to take papaya leaves and then take blood tests when it was found that their platelet count and WBC counts had increased with improvement of their overall medical condition. So, papaya leaves not only increase the platelet count but helps to increase WBC counts and reduce fever and the duration of the illness simultaneously. This is where a lot of people misunderstood my first article. There is no isolated increase of the platelet count; we monitor the improvement through the platelet count alone.
Q And then?
When you conduct research, there are 3 stages: First you conduct experiments using rats, then the experiment is done on human beings followed by a control experiment where we give the syrup to some and not give it to others in the experiment. The rat experiment was done in other countries after my human experiment. In late 2009 I wanted to conduct a randomised control clinical experiment. I needed approval from ethical clearance committees such as the unit at the Sri Lanka Medical Association to conduct the control trial. If they approve it, they have to take the responsibility in case something happens to the patient. In 2009 the ethical clearance unit at the Sri Lanka Medical Association did not permit me to conduct the experiment because they were not convinced [of its safety and efficacy]. They wanted me to bring evidence from Ayurveda literature and show that papaya leaves has been prescribed as a remedy.
A control experiment was conducted in Malaysia before I got the opportunity. In 2013 I applied again highlighting that Malaysia had conducted the experiment. Thereafter, the ethical clearance committee of the Sri Jayawardene University approved my application.
If the platelet count increases despite the fact that the patient’s condition(fever etc) was not improving, it becomes a complication to the physician. This is where my control experiment played a major role as it was able to clear the previous misconception that papaya leaves only increases the platelet count. As part of the experiment we reached patients who had not yet reached the critical stage warded at the Kalubowila Hospital. We divided them into two groups and checked them to ascertain how many had reached the critical phase and how many had not in the two groups. We examined the thorax of all the patients daily and found that only two patients from the treated group had fluid in their lungs compared to ten in the untreated group. We also saw that the duration of fever was reduced by 50% and the hospital stay reduced by one day. It was not only the platelet count increase we observed but also in a reduction in the conversion of dengue patients to the dengue hemorrhagic stage. The results of this study will be published soon.
Q Are there any side effects in this treatment?
The syrup (papaya leaf extract) can also be taken in the form of a capsule which contains only pure papaya leaf extract. There are no side effects. The only problem is the bitter taste in the syrup. However, patients must take the medicine in the first spike of fever, and they must take it regularly to obtain optimum results.
Q Why are doctors reluctant to use the papaya leaf medicine on dengue patients?
The papaya leaf syrup is a herbal medicine and therefore not categorized as an allopathic drug (as in western/modern medicine) and doctors usually refrain from using herbal medicine on patients. However, this is the first time in Sri Lanka a herbal medicine which is not allopathic was used in a clinical trial in a tertiary care hospital for a potentially serious illness. Clinical trials are rarely conducted in herbal medicine.
Q What was the response from the international community?
After my research was published in Lankapuwath, it received international acclaim even from BBC and CNN. BBC correspondent Chris Howell visited my lab and did a documentary. As a result the research results spread and people from around the world started using it as a remedy. In many countries it was found to be effective and as consequently there was research conducted in India, Pakistan, Malaysia and even in the University of Florida. We have more than 20 research projects conducted worldwide with regard to this subject. Articles on the preparation of the papaya leaf medicine and its effectiveness have been discussed in length in the British Medical Journal.
The institute of medical research Malaysia encourages and recommends the use of papaya leaf syrup. They even have a video on their website, where they present how the juice is prepared. It should also be noted that this is the first time in the world history that a herbal medicine is being promoted by the government Medical Research Institute.
Q What advice would you give dengue patients?
Dengue is potentially a serious illness. You must consult your doctor immediately if there are signs of fever, headache and body pain, you can request for an NS1 antigen test. Through this test you can diagnose dengue on the very first day of the illness. If results are positive you can take papaya leaf syrup, in addition to usual dengue management. Papaya leaf syrup should be taken as early as possible, preferably at the first spike of fever and continued until the patient has recovered fully. Papaya leaf is only a supportive treatment and is mandatory that you take advice and treatment from an allopathic doctor or from a government hospital. You should not take any type of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, mefenamic acid or diclofinac sodium for fever or body pain.
nakakapagpatanong. bakit walang pinoy doctors na klaseng Dr. Sanath Hettige? lahat ba sila ay nasa bulsa na ng big pharma? o colonial mentality pa ba rin iyan: iniismiran ang mga halamang gamot, tiklop-tuhod sa branded western medicines.
imposibleng hindi nagbabasa ng medical / health journals ang ating health professionals, in and out of government. imposibleng walang natitisod sa numerous papers published in international medical and health journals re the papaya leaf exract as mabisang panlaban sa dengue fever.
i imagine that there must be a huge pharma lobby against any acknowledgement of the papaya leaf extract, especially from those engaged in the expensive race to come up with a safe and efficacious dengue vaccine. because, you know, there would be no patenting the papaya leaf extract, we have papaya trees everywhere, no money in it for big pharma when the extract can be prepared at home with a mortar-and-pestle or juicer or blender.
imagine if our DOH officials were not compromised and were to share the information instead, and even collaborate, with small-and-medium entrepreneurs across the archipelago. like sri lanka, we would have capsules and tabs and syrups and mosquito sprays available in health centers and town boticas. what a boon that would be, especially in this post-dengvaxia times.
EXTRACTING / PREPARING KATAS NG DAHON NG PAPAYA IN YOUR KUSINA
get your hands on fresh leaves, sariwang dahon — piliin yung “healthy and mature” although may nagsasabing mabisa rin yung murà, na madilaw-dilaw pa ang itsura.
kung may time at internet, i-google ang “dengue, papaya leaf extract” — basically the process involves reducing papaya leaves to mush and then making pigâ to get the katas. nagkakaiba-iba lang sa pagpapa-inom nito at sa “dosage.” https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=3nVQL9t7kns
ang mahalaga: PAPAYA LEAF EXTRACT IS SAFE. WALANG UNWELCOME SIDE EFFECTS, DENGUE FEVER OR NOT.
A. hugasang mabuti sa tubig-gripo (running water) ang mga dahon. tadtarin ang dahon (chop into small pieces). ilagay ang 50 grams o 1/4 cup ng tadtad na dahon sa dikdikan (mortar and pestle); dagdagan ng 50 cc. ng pinakuluan at pinalamig na tubig (mga 3.3 measuring spoons) at 25 gms. na asukal (mga 6 na kutsarita). dikdikin nang 15 to 30 minutes hanggang maging sapal (pulp) ang mixture. pigain nang kamay at ipunin ang katas sa isang malinis na lalagyan. uminom ng 30 cc (2 tablespoons) tatlong beses isang araw for adults, 5-10 cc (1 to 2 teaspoons) for children tatlong beses isang araw, until recovery o hanggang mawala ang lagnat. dahil mapait ang lasa, puwedeng uminom ng malamig na tubig, pakonti-konti, pagkainom ng katas ng dahon ng papaya. puwede ring i-store ang katas sa refrigerator ng 24 hours.
B. use 10 fresh papaya leaves — isang dahon ay tinatayang magbibigay ng isang kutsarang leaf juice. hugasan. tanggalin ang mga ugat ng dahon bago tadtarin. ilagay sa blender ang tadtad na dahon, dagdagan ng sapat na tubig to make a liquid paste (malapot na likido). salain ang likido at itapon ang sapal. uminom ng 2 kutsara ng leaf juice tuwing tatlong (3) oras over 2-3 days, or for one week, if symptoms persist.
C. piliin ang ilang dahong di gaanong malaki (medium-size). tanggalin ang gitnang ugat. tadtarin ang mga dahon. ilagay sa kaserola na may 2 liters of water (mga 8 and 1/2 cups). pag kumukulo na ay hinaan ang apoy, pero patulogy ang mahinang kulo (simmer) hanggang mangalahati ang likido. salain ito at ilagay sa mga boteng maytakip. dagdagan ng asukal kung ibig. uminon ng kalahating baso tuwing anim (6) na oras. puwedeng i-store hanggang limang araw, pero mas sariwa, mas mabuti.
D. puwede ring gumamit ng juicer. hugasan muna ang mga dahon. itabi sa fridge ang juice. inumin sa loob ng apat o limang araw.
E. puwede ring gumamit ng blender. tadtarin ang sampung dahon at ilagay sa blender with a cup (isang tasa) ng drinking water. blend. salain ang juice sa pamamagitan ng cheese cloth o katsa. uminom ng isang kutsara one to two times daily.
kung wala kayong puno ng papaya sa bakuran, alamin kung saan, sino ang mayroon, yung fruit-bearing o namumunga. check out your neighborhood, now na. and spread the word. #BeatDengue