Dengue fever treatment with <em>Carica papaya</em> leaves extracts

Nisar Ahmad

Hina Fazal

Muhammad Ayaz

Bilal Abbasi

Ijaz Mohammad

Lubna Fazal

^{Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan}

^{Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Tarnab, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan}

^{Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) Laboratories Complex, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan}

^{Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan}

^{Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI), Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan}

*Corresponding author: Nisar Ahmad, PhD student, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad-45320, Pakistan. Tel: +92-332-9959234, E-mail: moc.liamg@hcetoibrasin

Received 2011 Feb 28; Revised 2011 Mar 20; Accepted 2011 Apr 6.

Abstract

The main objective of the current study is to investigate the potential of Carica papaya leaves extracts against Dengue fever in 45 year old patient bitten by carrier mosquitoes. For the treatment of Dengue fever the extract was prepared in water. 25 mL of aqueous extract of C. papaya leaves was administered to patient infected with Dengue fever twice daily i.e. morning and evening for five consecutive days. Before the extract administration the blood samples from patient were analyzed. Platelets count (PLT), White Blood Cells (WBC) and Neutrophils (NEUT) decreased from 176×10^{/µL, 8.10×10}^{/µL, 84.0% to 55×10}^{/µL, 3.7×10}^{/µL and 46.0%. Subsequently, the blood samples were rechecked after the administration of leaves extract. It was observed that the PLT count increased from 55×10}^{/µL to 168×10}^{/µL, WBC from 3.7×10}^{/µL to 7.7×10}^{/µL and NEUT from 46.0% to 78.3%. From the patient feelings and blood reports it showed that}Carica papaya leaves aqueous extract exhibited potential activity against Dengue fever. Furthermore, the different parts of this valuable specie can be further used as a strong natural candidate against viral diseases.

Keywords: Dengue fever, Carica papaya, Leaves extracts, Platelets, Potential activity

Abstract

Footnotes

Conflict of interest statement: We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Footnotes

References

1. Murthy JM, Rani PUBiological activity of certain botanical extracts as larvicides against the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti L. J Biopest. 2009;2:72–76.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
2. Akram W, Khan HAA, Hafeez F, Bilal H, Kim YK, Lee JJPotential of citrus seed extracts against Dengue fever mosquito, Aedes albopic Tus (Skuse) (Culicidaea) Pak J Bot. 2010;42:3343–3348.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
3. Maheswaran R, Satish S, Ignacimathu SLarvicidal activity of Leucas asper (Willd) against the larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus Say. and Aedes aegypti L. Inter J Integrative Biol. 2008;2:214–217.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
4. Moreno-Sanchez R, Hayden M, Janes CA web-based multimedia spatial information system to document Aedes aegypti breeding sites and dengue fever risk along the US-Mexico border. Health & Place. 2006;12:715–727.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
5. Morens, Fauci, Brody JE Mosquito thrives; so does dengue fever. Geneva: WHO; 2008. [PubMed][Google Scholar]
6. Pandey V, Agrawal V, Raghavendra K, Dash APStrong larvicidal activity of three species of Spilanthes (Akarkara) against malaria (Anopheles stephensi Liston, Anopheles culicifacies, species C) and filaria vector (Culex quinquefasciatus Say) Parasitol Res. 2007;102:171–174.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
7. Katade SR, Pawar PV, Wakharkar RD, Deshpande NR. Sterculia guttata seeds extractives an effective mosquito larvicide. Ind J Exp Biol. 2006;44:662–665.[PubMed]
8. Wiesman Z, Bishnu P, Chapagain Larvicidal activity of saponin containing extracts and fractions of fruit mesocarp of Balanites aegyptiac. Fitoterapia. 2006;77:420–424.[PubMed]
9. Mohan L, Sharma P, Srivastava CNComparative efficacy of Solanum xanthocarpum extracts alone and in combination with a synthetic pyrethroid, cypermethrin, against malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi. Southeast Asian J Trop Med & Public Health. 2007;38:256–260.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
10. Tonk S, Bartarya R, Maharaj KK, Bhatnagar VP, Srivastava SSEffective method for extraction of larvicidal component from leaves of Azadirachta indica and Artemisia annua Linn. J Environ Biol. 2006;27:103–105.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
11. Chaubal R, Pawar PV, Hebbalkar GD, Tungikar VB, Puranik VG, Deshpande VH, et al Larvicidal activity of Acacia nilotica extracts and isolation of D-pinitol-a bioactive carbohydrate. Chemi Biodivers. 2005;2:684–688.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
12. Sharma P, Mohan L, Srivastava CNLarvicidal potential of Nerium indicum and Thuja oriertelis extracts against malaria and Japanese encephalitis vector. J Environ Biol. 2005;26:657–660.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
13. Huet J, Looze Y, Bartik K, Raussens V, Wintjens R, Boussard PStructural characterization of the papaya cysteine proteinases at low pH. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2006;341:620–626.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
14. Dominguez de Maria P, Sinisterra JV, Tsai SW, Alcantara AR. Carica papaya lipase (CPL): An emerging and versatile biocatalyst. Biotechnol Advances. 2006;24:493–499.[PubMed]
15. Okeniyi JA, Ogunlesi TA, Oyelami OA, Adeyemi LAEffectiveness of dried Carica papaya seeds against human intestinal parasitosis: A pilot study. J Med Food. 2007;10:194–196.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
16. Adebowale A, Garnesan AP, Prasad RNVPapaya (Carica papaya) consumption is unsafe in pregnancy: Fact or fable? Scientific evaluation of a common belief in some parts of Asia using a rat model. British J Nutr. 2002;88:199–203.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
17. Rahmana NA, Muliawanb HS, Rashidb NN, Muhamadb M, Yusofb RStudies on Quercus lusitanica extracts on DENV-2 replication. Dengue Bull. 2006;30:260–269.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
18. Tong XK, Qiu H, Zhang X, Shi LP, Wang GF, Ji FH, et al WSS45, a sulfated alpha-D-glucan, strongly interferes with Dengue 2 virus infection in vitro. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2010;31:585–592.[Google Scholar]
19. McDowell M, Gonzales SR, Kumarapperama SC, Jeselnik M, Arterburn JB, Hanley KAA novel nucleoside analog, 1-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-3-ethyl-[1, 2, 4] triazole (ETAR), exhibits efficacy against a broad range of flaviviruses in vitro. Antiviral Res. 2010;87:78–80.[Google Scholar]
20. Watanabe RM, Soares TS, Morais-Zani K, Tanaka-Azevedo AM, Maciel C, Capurro ML, et al A novel trypsin kazal-type inhibitor from Aedes aegypti with thrombin coagulant inhibitory activity. Biochimie. 2010;92:933–939.[PubMed][Google Scholar]
21. Karishna KL, Paridhavi M, Patel JAReview on nutritional, medicinal and pharmacological properties of papaya (Carica papaya Linn.) Nat Prod Radiance. 2008;7:364–373.[PubMed][Google Scholar]