Home cure for dengue death sting

KOLKATA: 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.

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.

"They have a role in regenerating healthy cells. So, it's perhaps possible to treat platelet fall with them. We need more research in this area," said a researcher at the National Institute for Ayurvedic Drug Development.

The juice has to be prepared from fresh papaya leaves, say the researchers. Devein the leaves and grind the green, pulpy part into a paste. You can also use a mixer.

The paste is very bitter and you would probably have to mix it with fruit juice. Doctors recommend 20-25 ml (about four to five teaspoons), twice a day, for at least a week to get the best results.

Several dengue patients have had a remarkable platelet recovery after taking papaya leaf juice, say family members and doctors.

Twenty-one-year-old Abhishek Majumdar, who was diagnosed with dengue last week, had a platelet count of 84,000 on September 6. He had high fever, frequent vomiting and was too weak to get out of bed. The same day, he started drinking the juice on his doctor's advice. In just three days, his platelet count had crossed 1 lakh. "Not only did his platelet count rise, he started showing signs of recovery within two days. It had a miraculous effect," said Abhijit Majumdar, his father.

Thirty-two-year-old Mamta Gupta, another dengue victim, started taking papaya leaf juice on September 2 when her platelet count had dropped to 70,000. She showed signs of rapid recovery and bounced back in just three days. "My platelet count has now crossed 450,000," she said on Tuesday.

Some doctors felt papaya leaf juice could cut out the need for platelet transfusion even in severe dengue cases. "At least six of my patients have had a platelet recovery within three days. In some cases, the revival has been quite dramatic. I have recommended it to all my dengue patients," said Debashish Basu, preventive medicine specialist.

Papaya enzymes might help revive white blood cells, agrees oncologist Gautam Mukhopadhyay. "Even though we recommend transfusion in severe cases, the juice could be an option for dengue patients who don't suffer a drastic fall overnight. Even if it merely assists the natural process of revival, it's worth consuming it," said Mukhopadhyay.

Medicine specialist Subrata Maitra feels such herbal options need to be explored. "It could be a good remedy because it helps the body's immune system revive the platelet count," said Maitra.
Home cure for dengue death sting