Health Powers of Papaya Leaves

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Background of the Study The papaya, papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae. It is native to the tropics of the Americas, perhaps from southern Mexico and neighbouring Central America. It was first cultivated in Mexico several centuries before the emergence of the Mesoamerican classical civilizations. Papaya leaf contains coumarin, papain, riboflavin and iron which are the four main essentials that increase blood platelets. With the number of dengue cases in the country increasing, the traditional belief of curing it by papaya's leaf juice has spread and suddenly there is a demand for the papaya tree. So is this simply folklore or does this juice really help? Anecdotal evidence suggests that the extract of raw papaya leaf helps to boost platelets, also known as thrombocytes, and relieves symptoms. Dengue fever, caused by the dengue virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes, can be fatal. Symptoms include high fever with headache, severe muscle pain, joint pain and red rashes on the body including itching. Till date, no medicine has been approved to treat the dengue virus. Many people can’t afford to go to hospitals just to get medical assistance especially indigent families. Therefore because of the expensive disbursement in prestigious hospitals such as medicines needed to cure dengue, affected people die without being aided. Most people know about papayas but not everyone knows about the amazing health benefits of Papaya Leaves. Most of us are aware of the nourishing, restorative and protective benefits of papaya fruit, but have little knowledge about the healing powers of papaya leaves – which are far more powerful than its fruit. Unlike the fruit, the leaves are bitter to taste due to its high concentration of phytonutrients – which explains its

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