WHAT IS DENGUE?
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection. When aedes aegypti mosquito bite an infected person then mosquito get the virus and after biting to healthy person, there will be DENGUE INFECTION.
SYMPTOMS OF DENGUE INFECTION
• High fever
• Rash
• Severe headache
• Severe joint and muscular pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Eye pain
• Thrombocytopenia
• Heamorrghe
WHAT IS DENGUE VIRUS (DENV)?
Dengue virus belongs to FLAVIVRIDAE virus family. The virus has four serotypes.
AFTER HOW MUCH TIME SYMPTOMS OF DENGUE INEFCTION APPEARS?
About 5-7 days after symptoms of dengue infection will appear when an infected mosquito bite a healthy person.
DENGUE FEVER CAN BE CLASSIFY AS
•Primary infection
In which the person became infected with one serotype and get life long immunity against to the particular serotype. Dengue fever (DF) is usually self limited and rarely fatal.
• SECONDRY INFECTION
In which after the infection with one serotype, there may be chances to get infection with other 3 serotypes which is DENGUE HAEMORRHAGIC FEVER (DHF). DHF is Severe and fatal one.
IS THERE ANY TREATMENT AVAILABLE FOR DENGUE VIRUS INFECTION?
There is no effective treatment available for dengue infection.
•LICENSEDVACCINE
A licensed vaccine is available for dengue virus infection but it is not effective for all serotypes of dengue virus (DENV)and for all age groups. Another drawback is that unexposed person to DENV will be at high risk of developing severe dengue virus infection after administration of vaccine. However, a safe tetravalent vaccine have been developed which is under clinical trial.
• ANTI VIRAL MEDICINE
No specific anti viral medicine is available for dengue infection.
• SYMPTOMATIC TREATMENT OF DENGUE INFECTION
Acetaminophen is given during dengue fever. NSAID, aspirin, corticosteroid should not be given because it increase risk of bleeding. Fluid replacement therapy is also given for dengue infection in hospital setting.
PATHOGENESIS OF DENGUE INEFCTION
DENV suppresses the bone marrow and there is decrease in bone marrow activity which lead to anemia and haemorrhage.
• DENV virus also bind to platelets then immune system recognize this binding as foreign body and produces antibodies against it and there will be decline in platelet counts.
• Vascular endothelial cells are also infected by DENV which cause the aggregation of platelets at the infected site then antibodies produces by immune system will destroy this platelets- endothelial aggregation and results in decline of platelets counts.
HAS CARICA PAPAYA JUICE HAS POTENTIAL TO BE NEW DRUG CANDIDATE AGAINST DENGUE INFECTION
Carica papaya grab the attention of the world because of its potential against dengue virus infection. Several case studies in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Malaysia has proven the effectiveness of carica papaya leaf juice or extract against the serious manifestation of infection which are decline in platelet counts and haemorrhage. Flavonoids and phenolic acid are suppose to play a important role against the dengue infection. It is very common practice in Pakistan to raise the platelets count people are advised to take papaya leaf juice or carica papaya leaf extract.
CARICA PAPAYA RICH IN MEDICINAL PROPERTIES INGREDIENTS
Papaya plant is rich in medicinal properties ingredient like carotenoids, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, saponin, organic acids, alkaloids, phytochemicals, phenolic acids and flavonoids.
WHAT IS PAPAYA JUICE?
Papaya juice can be define as a liquid obtain from the leaves of plant by following means blending, crushing, pounding, cutting, squeezing and pressing.
DOSING OF CARICA PAPAYA JUICE
The juice is bitter in taste so sucrose can be added into it or can be mix with milk. Although the dosing is not clear but 30ml 3 times a day for adults and 5-10 ml 3 times a day till the recovery in different case studies has proven to be effective. It is better to take the juice right from first day of fever but can be taken at any stage of infection.
HOW THE CARICA PAPAYA JUICE SHOW ITS EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST DENGUE INFECTION
The following are possible ways through which papaya juice exhibits its effectiveness against dengue.
LARVICIDAL EFFECTS OF PAPAYA JUICE
Aedes mosquito has four life stages which are egg, larvae, pupa and adult. To evolve into adult mosquito eggs require only 10 days. Papaya leaf juice has shown insecticidal effects on larvae that means stop the emergence of adults mosquito.
ANTI THROMBOCYTOPENIC ACTIVITY
Papaya leaf juice inhibits excessive aggregation of platelets and there is decline in clotting and bleeding time which means the juice has potential for anti thrombocytopenia effects and there fore, the risk of haemorrhage is minimized.
IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECTS
Papaya leaf juice is rich in antioxidants due to which its enhance immune system and have impact on phagocytotic activity and cytokines which have a very important role in inflammation process.
CONCLUSION
Although extensive research work and clinical studies are required to establish the potential of CARICA PAPAYA as antiviral or anti thrombocytopenic medicine against dengue infection but it is also the great fact that in many case studies it shows a promising role against the serious manifestation of dengue infection that are decline in platelet counts, fluid leakage, haemorrhage and stop the conversion of dengue fever (DF) into dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF). Other benefits includes the reduction in duration of fever, reduction in hospital stay and illness. These anti dengue potential of CARICA PAPAYA LEAF JUICE make it a new drug candidate against dengue virus infection.