No scientific evidence if papaya leaf extract beneficial to dengue patients

KARACHI: As a number of dengue fever cases is on the rise in Karachi and other parts of the country, senior health experts including infectious diseases experts and gastroenterologists have warned people not to give “Papaya Leaf Juice” to dengue patients as instead of curing them, it can cause severe diarrhoea which can prove fatal for patients who need adequate fluids to avoid going into dengue shock syndrome.

“A couple of days back, a young dengue patient in serious condition almost died as her attendants gave her Papaya leaf juice without the knowledge of physicians. Her platelets were dropping every day while she had severe diarrhoea and vomiting. All the anti-diarrheal medications and antibiotics failed to control diarrhoea. Later papaya leaf juice emerged as the culprit for diarrhoea and vomiting”, Dr. Saqib Ansari, a senior clinician told The News on Sunday.

Interviews with several other infectious diseases experts, professors of medicines and gastroenterology revealed that papaya leaf juice had ‘absolutely no role’ in the treatment of dengue fever and it had no potential to increase platelets in patients having dengue viral infections. They warned that papaya leaf juice could cause severe diarrhoea to dengue patients, who require fluid maintenance to avoid going into dengue shock, and urged people not to use anecdotal treatments and ‘Totkey’ as it can result in the loss of lives of some of the patients.

Renowned infectious diseases expert and former Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Dr. Faisal Sultan when asked if the papaya leaf juice had any ‘medicinal or miraculous properties’ in curing dengue fever, categorically rejected it, saying papaya leaf juice had ‘no role’ at all in dengue fever management. 

Dr. Naseem Salahuddin, Head of Infectious Diseases at Indus Hospital Karachi also advised people to avoid giving papaya leaf extracts to dengue patients, saying physicians know better how to treat their patients with dengue fever as it is not a new disease anymore. 

“There is no role of Papaya Lead Extract in treatment or cure of dengue fever. None at all. Platelets will rise in the average case without any medicine. The only treatment for dengue is to give plenty of fluids and reduce the fever with antipyretic analgesics,” she informed. 

According to her, this is the natural history of dengue viral fever as in this disease platelets drop and start increasing without any pharmaceutical intervention. 

“In exceptional cases, platelets may rise more slowly or further decrease, causing serious complications. This happens in less than 2% of cases”, she added.

Renowned endocrinologist and former Executive Director of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) Dr. Tasneem Ahsan also said there was no scientific evidence to back any benefit behind giving papaya leaf juice to dengue hemorrhagic fever patients. 

“There are some anecdotal case reports from endemic areas, but no rigorous scientific study. As platelets rise on their own, it would be very difficult to believe that the elevation occurred in a particular case due to papaya leaves, unless there is a case-matched control. I don’t advise my patients to take it, but some take it anyway, and I tell them to do so at their own risk”, she informed.

Another senior physician and professor of medicine Dr. Tahir Hussain also said there was no scientific evidence available so far which proves that Papaya leaf extract is beneficial for dengue patients. 

Another professor of medicine associated with Indus Hospital Karachi said although there was no documented role of papaya leaf juice in the treatment of dengue fever but if patients insist on consuming the ‘bitter juice’ he allows them to do so. 

“There is no documented role and no robust literature to support it so we don’t recommend but If patients ask, I leave it up to them and allow them if they take care of the hygiene in making it”, Dr. Junaid Patel clarified.