184 Papaya
often cause endemic damage to life. Supplement of papaya unripe fruit and leaf
extract on platelets count for the dengue patient as supportive therapy was given with
medical treatment. Traditional use of papaya leaf in the treatment of dengue fever
(DF) has also been reported (Saran and Choudhary 2013). Dengue patients were
administered 50 mL of papaya fruit extract and 20–25 mL of papaya leaf extract in
addition to medical management. Papaya fruit and leaf extract were administered
before food, once a day for four consecutive days with sugar to avoid bitterness and
for better palatability (Table 16.3). Fresh papaya mature leaves and unripe fruits
(90–100 days old) were grinded with mortar pestle and juice mixer, respectively,
without adding water. The pastes were kept in muslin cloth. After squeezing, the
filtrate was collected and stored in a container. All aseptic measures were taken care
of while preparing the extract.
Similarly, five days of oral administration of 25 mL aqueous extract of papaya
leaves to the patients twice daily has been reported (Ahmad et al. 2011). The aque-
ous extract of leaves of this plant exhibited potential activity against dengue fever by
increasing the platelet (PLT) count (Table 16.4) (Ahmad et al. 2011; Dharmarathna
et al. 2013). The bioactive anti-malarial element has important commercial potential
since the fruit grows in abundance in the tropics (Krishna et al. 2008).
Jaundice and hydrocele are significant causes of morbidity and mortality and lead
to adverse effects on human inhabitants in several regions of India, especially in
NEPZ. Many biologically active phytochemicals from different parts of papaya tree,
namely, leaf, stem bark and flower have been isolated and studied for their potency
250 Group IGroup II Group III200150100
Body weight(g)500
0214 21 8
Days7FIGURE 16.4 Effects of unripe pulp of Carica papaya on body weight. (Adapted from
Ahamefula Sunday, E., E. Ify and K. O. Uzoma, 2014, Journal of Pharmacognosy and
Phytochemistry, 2(6): 10 9 –14.)