182 Papaya
effects of unripe fruit pulp on alloxan-induced diabetes in rats have been
reported. Animals weighing (160–200 g) were divided into three groups of 10
animals each: Group I (normal control), Group II (diabetic control) and Group III
(test control). Diabetes was induced in albino rats by intra-peritoneal injection of
alloxan monohydrate at a single dose of 120 mg/kg body weight into groups II and
III, respectively. Animals in groups I and II received normal feeds, while animals
in group III were fed with unripe pulp for a period of 28 days. Body weight and
glucose levels were measured on days, 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28. It was observed in this
study that there was a significant reduction of glycated haemoglobin in the test
group when compared with the induced control (diabetic rats) and normal control
group (Figure 16.2).
The unripe pulp elicited significant reduction of blood glucose (Fig u re 16.3),
lipid profile parameters, except high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),
which significantly increased. Results also showed significant reduction in body
weight (Fig u re 16.4). This action is believed to be due to the bioactive constitu-
ents of the plant (Ahamefula Sunday et al. 2014). Unripe pulp exhibits proven
potentials in the parameters evaluated to become of important medicinal and
pharmacological interest.
The dengue fever attack cases are reported from the onset of rainy season to early
winter season in India, especially North Eastern Plains Zone. The dengue fever recurs
every year and causes several deaths in this region. Dengue is a common pathogenic
disease often proving fatal, more commonly affecting the people in tropical and sub-
tropical areas. Aedes mosquito is the vector for this disease, and outbreaks of dengue
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
Knowledge level (%)30
20
10
0
≤30 31–45
Age group (years)46–60FIGURE 16.1 Relationship between the knowledge level regarding medicinal uses and age
of farmers. (Adapted from Saran, P. L. et al., 2015, Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge
(in press).)