Papaya Leaves: A Potential Cure for Dengue Fever?
You've probably been bitten by those pesky mosquitoes before. But beyond the itchy red bumps lies a greater danger: dengue! This viral infection is transmitted through the bite of infected female mosquitoes and can potentially develop into a life-threatening disease. As it stands, dengue is now the leading cause of hospitalization and death among people in Asia and Latin America.
While there is no specific cure for the disease, a popular natural remedy for dengue is papaya leaf. Patients who consume the juice from this plant commonly report a reduction in dengue fever symptoms and improvement in overall health. Can papaya leaf thus truly treat dengue fever?
Papaya leaf contains a bioactive substance called carpaine, which has been demonstrated to boost blood platelet counts and lessen internal bleeding. But how do we scale carpaine extraction from papaya leaves so patients all over the world can consume it?
Associate Professor Dr. Hii Ching Lik from the University of Nottingham Malaysia is heading a research program dedicated to finding the best way to extract and preserve carpaine from papaya leaves to be made into fast-acting pills or syrup for dengue patients to easily consume. The interdisciplinary research requires Dr. Hii to work with researchers from different fields in the university, where postgraduate students get the opportunity to assist in high-level research like this.
If the techniques used by Dr. Hii and his team can successfully preserve high amounts of extractable carpaine, they can then partner with pharmaceutical companies to develop the medication on a larger scale. This will be a medical breakthrough in the treatment of dengue and can potentially save many lives!