Papaya. Just the right fruit if you are looking for a glowing, clear skin, a healthy bowel and a strong immune system. However, few of us know that Papaya leaves are packed with health benefits that may help save many a lives by supporting platelet production.
Papaya leaf extract has recently become the subject of several studies owing to its therapeutic value and scientists are intrigued by its potential benefit in supporting blood platelet count.
What’s measured in a blood cell count?
If you’re undergoing certain cancer treatments that could cause low blood cell counts, your doctor will likely monitor your blood cell counts regularly using a test called a complete blood count (CBC).
White blood cells. These cells help your body fight infection. A low white blood cell count (leukopenia) leaves your body more open to infection. And if an infection does develop, your body may be unable to fight it off.
Red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body. Your red blood cells’ ability to carry oxygen is measured by the amount of hemoglobin in your blood. If your level of hemoglobin is low, you’re anemic and your body works much harder to supply oxygen to your tissues. This can make you feel fatigued and short of breath.
Platelets. Platelets help your blood to clot. A low platelet count (thrombocytopenia) means your body can’t stop itself from bleeding.
| What’s being counted | What’s normal | What’s concerning |
| White blood cells | 3,500 to 10,500 | Below 1,000 |
| Hemoglobin | 13.5 to 17.5 for men,12 to 15.5 for women | Below 8 |
| Platelets | 150,000 to 450,000 | Below 20,000 |
What causes low blood cell counts?
1) Cancer-related causes of low blood cell counts include:
Chemotherapy. Certain chemotherapy drugs can damage your bone marrow — the spongy material found in your bones. Your bone marrow makes blood cells, which grow rapidly, making them very sensitive to the effects of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy kills many of the cells in your bone marrow, but the cells recover with time. Your doctor can tell you whether your specific chemotherapy treatment will put you at risk of low blood cell counts.
Radiation therapy. If you receive radiation therapy to large areas of your body and especially to the large bones that contain the most bone marrow, such as your pelvis, legs and torso, you might experience low levels of red and white blood cells. Radiation therapy is less likely to have a significant effect on your platelet count.
Cancers of the blood and bone marrow. Blood and bone marrow cancers, such as leukemia, grow in the bone marrow and don’t allow normal blood cells to develop.
Cancers that spread (metastasize). Cancer cells that break off from a tumor can spread to other parts of your body, including your bone marrow. Some examples of cancers that can spread to bone marrow include breast cancer and prostate cancer. The cancerous cells can displace other cells in your bone marrow, making it difficult for your bone marrow to produce the blood cells your body needs. This is an unusual cause of low blood counts.
The most-serious complications of low blood cell counts include:
Infection. With a low white blood cell count and, in particular, a low level of neutrophils (neutropenia), a type of white blood cell that fights infection, you’re at higher risk of developing an infection. And if you develop an infection when you have a low white blood cell count, your body can’t protect itself. Infection can lead to death in severe cases. Even a mild infection can delay your chemotherapy treatment, since your doctor may wait until your infection is cleared and your blood counts go back up before you continue.
Anemia. A low red blood cell count is anemia. The most common symptoms of anemia are fatigue and shortness of breath. In some cases fatigue becomes so severe that you must temporarily halt your treatment or reduce the dose you receive. Anemia can be relieved with a blood transfusion or with medication to increase your body’s production of red blood cells.
Bleeding. Low numbers of platelets in your blood can cause bleeding. You might bleed excessively from a small cut or bleed spontaneously from your nose or gums. Dangerous internal bleeding can occur. A low platelet count can delay your treatment. You may have to wait until your platelet levels go up in order to continue with chemotherapy or to have surgery.
2) Have We Found A Cure For Dengue-induced Low Platelet Count?
The Dengue virus affects the bone marrow, the flexible, soft tissue that fills up the hollow insides of our bones. Since platelets are produced in the bone marrow, dengue leads to a decrease in platelet count.
Recent studies have shown that papaya leaf extract contain complex substances that may support the release and production of platelets by the bone marrow. A breakthrough study by Dr. Sanath Hettige of Srilanka indicates that papaya leaf extract helps to “normalize clotting and even repair liver damage caused by dengue”.
Dr Hettige’s controlled clinical trials of about 70 dengue patients found that the patients who were given papaya leaf extract recovered fully within two days without hospital admission. In an interview to with The Sunday Observer, Dr. Hettige added that it is important to take papaya leaf juice at the early stages of dengue, before the disease progresses and damages vital organs.
