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Zika virus can be tamed with papaya leaf juice

Zika virus can be tamed with papaya leaf juice
You should eat vitamin C rich foods to tackle Zika Virus. © Shutterstock

The papaya leaf juice remedy works by supporting the body's immune system against viral infections and by increasing blood platelet count.

Written by Kristina Das |Updated : July 27, 2018 12:59 PM IST

The Zika virus has reached the epidemic levels in many areas around the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Zika is spreading very quickly and there is no pharmaceutical-based treatment for the virus as of now. It is spread by the bites of Aedes aegypti mosquito. The same mosquito can cause chikungunya virus, Dengue fever and yellow fever.

Even the symptoms of Zika are almost similar to Dengue which includes joint and muscle pain, skin rashes, fatigue, severe headaches, etc. Some people may not realize initially that they have been contracted with the disease, as they get very mild symptoms.

However, the viral infection has now been linked to microcephaly, a terrible condition where babies are born with underdeveloped brains and abnormally small heads. So it is always advisable to not use any natural remedies for Zika if you are pregnant. Papaya leaf juice is not safe during pregnancy.

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As modern medicine has no drug-based treatment for the Zika virus using insect repellent in areas with Zika infection is very important. Patients are usually advised to take rest, get plenty of fluids and avoid anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and NSAIDs. There are not much more doctors can do for them.

Recently, scientists at the University of Technology in Malaysia developed a successful treatment for Dengue fever based on papaya leaf extract. They also believe the product would work as a Zika remedy as well. But papaya leaf juice is not safe during pregnancy.

Papaya Leaf

The papaya leaf juice remedy works by supporting the body's immune system against viral infections and by increasing blood platelet count. Even the Malaysian Ministry of Health now recommends papaya leaf extract as a natural treatment for Dengue.

After several trials, papaya leaf juice remedy became viral. It showed a significant increase in blood platelet count and improved recovery time.

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